As antisemitism increases throughout the U.S. and knowledge of the Holocaust declines, the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati and the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in Cleveland will establish a statewide campaign to increase Holocaust education throughout Ohio.
Through a dual partnership, called Stop the Hate Ohio, the museums will offer joint programming and workshops to reach thousands of Ohioans throughout the year.
“There are lessons to be learned from the Holocaust,” said Dahlia Fisher, director of external relations for the Maltz Museum. “This is not just a Jewish story, but a human story.”
Driven by a mutual belief that Ohioans care about learning from the lessons of the Holocaust, staff members at both museums are working together to provide digital programming for the public, training opportunities for educators, and in-person experiences through interactive exhibits.
The partnership comes as lawmakers in Ohio introduce a Senate bill, which would create the Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission.
“We know that simply pledging to never forget is not enough as sadly, genocide continues to this day,” said Sarah Weiss, chief executive officer of the Holocaust & Humanity Center. “With reports of antisemitism and hate crimes on the rise in our state and knowledge of the Holocaust in decline, we must prioritize Holocaust education and remembrance in Ohio now.”
The following joint programs and workshops are being offered now, with the expectation to increase offerings as well as expand organizational partnerships in the future.
Holocaust Speaker Series – Every Wednesday at 11:00 AM
Free and open to the public, this online series introduces audiences from Ohio and beyond to first-generation and second-generation Holocaust survivors.
How Was It Possible? An Introduction to the Holocaust – Offered quarterly, starting October 15 at 4:00 PM
How was the Holocaust possible? This introductory program, offered once per month, will provide insight into the Holocaust through an exploration of the factors leading to the rise of Nazism. Jodi Elowitz, Holocaust & Humanities Center’s director of education and engagement, will discuss the origins of the Holocaust, including the aftermath of World War I and the impact of antisemitism and nationalism in the rise of Nazism and its spread throughout Europe. If you’ve ever wondered how the events of World War II and the Holocaust began, this program will help answer those questions and demonstrate the need for all of us to be vigilant in the face of hatred today. Free & open to the public.
Global Response to the Holocaust – a 3-Part Series with Irene Shaland, October 14, November 11, & December 9 at 7:00 PM
In the new Global Response to the Holocaust Series, internationally-published writer and educator Irene Shaland invites you to embark on a journey through the painful past and often controversial present of twelve countries on three continents to understand how and why various nations around the world respond to Holocaust remembrance. The series kicks off on October 14 with “The Ring of Fire: Austria, Germany, Hungary, Soviet”, followed by November 11 with “From Europe to Asia: Norway, Sweden, China, India”, and wrapping up on December 9 with “The Islands and the Boot: Cuba, Calabria/Italy, Malta, Corsica.” Register for one, two, or all three of these fascinating and free online discussions to learn how different parts of the world have responded differently to one of the most violent periods in recent human history, the Holocaust.
Holocaust Documentary Film Series, “The Day I Met Hitler” – October 22 at 3:00 PM
In partnership with Classrooms Without Borders, we are proud to present monthly documentary films and talk-backs on subjects dealing with the Holocaust. In October, watch the film “The Day I Met Hitler” and engage in a post-film discussion with the filmmaker, Ronen Israelski and Avi Ben Hur. The film features newly discovered stories and images of the most infamous man in history. Racing against time the filmmaker weaves together the personal narratives of the last remaining people who had direct contact with Hitler. The film and lecture are presented by a son of a Jewish boy who met Hitler in Berlin in 1934.
Trauma, Ethics, and Witness in Women’s Holocaust Diaries, Wednesdays, October 28 through November 18 at 11:00 AM
Women’s Holocaust diaries, with the exception of Anne Frank, have not become a part of the canon of Holocaust literature. This course will examine Renata Lacqueur’s unpublished and Hanna Levy-Hass’ published diaries from Bergen-Belsen, focusing on their recollections of gender-specific experiences of the Holocaust, including motherhood, marriage, and sexualized violence. Presented in collaboration with CWRU – Siegal Lifelong Learning.
Uncomfortable Truths – Wednesday, October 28, 5:30-7:00 PM
How do we show up for our students? How do we do good and not harm? To answer these questions, we first need to explore our 24 character strengths and our social and emotional competency to face uncomfortable truths about ourselves and our world. This will help us create safe learning environments for both ourselves and our students. Presented by the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, Mayerson Academy, and Youth at the Center.
Diaries during Crisis, War, and Genocide with Alexandra Zapruder – Wednesday, December 2, 4:30-6:00 PM EST (3:30 – 5:00 PM Central Time)
“Salvaged Pages” is a stirring collection of diaries written by young people during the Holocaust that reflects a vast and diverse range of experiences—some of the writers were refugees, others were hiding or passing as non-Jews, some were imprisoned in ghettos. The diarists ranged in age from twelve to twenty-two; some survived the Holocaust, but most perished. Taken together, their accounts of daily events and their often unexpected thoughts, ideas, and feelings serve to deepen and complicate our understanding of life during the Holocaust. This workshop will focus on how to use “Salvaged Pages” and the accompanying documentary, I’m Still Here, with your students. Presented in partnership with the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.
Stop the Hate Digital Tour
Free and Available to the General Public
Designed for use in the classroom, the Stop the Hate digital tour is accessible online and available for use at no cost. On this tour you’ll be given opportunities to reflect on intolerance and oppression in the world and in your own life by: Studying historical documents and artifacts and engaging in meaningful activities; examining how destructive forces can affect a group of people socially, economically, and politically; and, identifying possible solutions for advancing inclusivity. The tour complements the Maltz Museum’s Stop the Hate scholarship workshops and contests, in which students write about actions they have taken against bias experienced in their own lives for a chance to win scholarship money for themselves and their schools.
Stop the Hate Classroom Workshops
Free in Northeast Ohio (see description for specific county list)
New this year, the Maltz Museum has launched two FREE online workshops as part of their Stop the Hate program. This anti-bias learning tool teaches history, literacy, and the arts. Teachers can choose to offer their classrooms either a songwriting or essay writing workshop at zero cost for middle and high schools, or home school groups of 15 or more, within Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne counties. These totally free workshops provide: Teachers with ready-made online lessons plans taught by qualified instructors; students with access to important history about Holocaust and Civil Rights; and, schools with money for future anti-bias education plans.
Stop the Hate Youth Speak Out & Youth Sing Out Contests
Open to Northeast Ohio Students & Schools within Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne counties
Now in its 13th year, the Stop the Hate® contest is comprised of two components: Youth Speak Out Essay Writing Contest and Youth Sing Out Songwriting Contest. Both celebrate Northeast Ohio students in sixth to twelfth grade who are committed to creating a more accepting, inclusive society by standing up and speaking out against bias and bigotry as they compete for the chance to win prestigious awards totaling $100,000. Each year about 3,000 students enter, and with the help of 400 volunteer readers, 25 finalists are named. Since the contest started over 30,000 students in 12 counties across Northeast Ohio have participated, and $1.2 million has been awarded to students and schools. Rooted in the Jewish value of respect for all humanity, the Maltz Museum is proud that it continues to give young people of all faiths and backgrounds a platform to speak out in support of inclusion and diversity. Deadline to enter is March 2021.
2020-2021 Writing Contest presented by the Holocaust & Humanity Center
Students in grades 7-12 in the Tri-State region of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana are invited to participate. Explore primary and secondary source documents about the Holocaust and write an essay or poem about carrying forward Holocaust survivors’ stories.
Jacob G. Schmidlapp Bystander to Upstander Youth Leadership Day
Students in grades seven and eight participate in a daylong workshop to gain leadership skills, empowering students to affect positive change. Students will participate in hands-on activities promoting problem solving and teamwork. Teachers also participate in sessions specially designed to help them integrate what their students gained from the experience.
Organizations that wish to collaborate in the effort should contact either museum for more information through the joint website: www.StopTheHateOhio.org
