Holocaust Education Week Provides Unique Opportunities for Dialogue

Posted on 01/12/2011 @ 10:34 AM

The 10th Annual Holocaust Education Week, presented by the Holocaust Memorial of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, will be an opportunity to learn from both the tragic and heroic lessons of the Holocaust. The event series, which will take place from Monday, February 6 through Thursday, February 9, will include a variety of presentations and discussions for people of all ages in venues throughout Miami-Dade County.

The six-part series will feature perspectives on the Holocaust based on eyewitness accounts, scholarly research and cultural presentations. The series is sponsored by Naomi Wilzig in memory of Siggi B. Wilzig.

“The Power of Film in Holocaust Reflections” will be presented on Monday, February 6 at 1 p.m. at the Holocaust Memorial, located at 1933-1945 Meridian Avenue, Miami Beach. During this program, participants will see the film The Pigeon, which takes place in war-torn France in 1941. Then, with presenter Dr. Miriam Klein Kassenoff, they will then discuss the themes of being a perpetrator, bystander and victim – kindness, rescue and “choiceless choices.” Click here to RSVP for this event.

“Family Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust” will take place on Tuesday, February 7, at noon, at the Miami-Dade College Medical Campus Auditorium, Room 1175 located at 950 NW 20th Street, Miami. Moderated by Rabbi Solomon Schiff, an expert panel will discuss the unique challenges that families with Holocaust survivors face. Panelists Dr. Marc Agronin, Helen Chaset and Naomi Wilzig will help shed light on the important issues surrounding the care of Holocaust survivors. Click here to RSVP for this event.

“Are We Seeing Nazi Propaganda Rising in the Middle East?” will be presented on Tuesday, February 7 at 7 p.m. at Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center, 20400 NE 30th Avenue, North Miami Beach. Barbara Wind, Director of the Holocaust Council of MetroWest (New Jersey), will discuss the ways in which Nazi propaganda influenced Middle Eastern attitudes toward Jews. Click here to RSVP for this event.

“First Person: Conversations with Holocaust Survivors” will take place on Wednesday, February 8 at 10 a.m. at Miami Beach Senior High School. During this discussion, which is only open to ninth- and 10th-grade students, teenagers will have the opportunity to speak with three Holocaust survivors who currently serve as docents at the Holocaust Memorial. Click here to RSVP for this event.

“Teaching Sacred History: Our Students and the Shoah” will occur on Wednesday, February 8 at 4:30 p.m. at The Samuel Scheck Hillel Community Day School and The Ben Lipson Community High School, located at 19000 NE 25th Avenue, North Miami Beach. This event, which is specifically designed for teachers, will provide educators with the tools they need to teach middle- and high-school students about the Holocaust. Click here to RSVP for this event.

“With Courage Shall We Fight” will be presented twice: first on Wednesday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, located at 4144 Chase Avenue, Miami Beach; and a second time on Thursday, February 9 at 10 a.m. at Miami-Dade College Kendall Campus, Building 6, Room 6120, located at 11011 SW 104th Street, Kendall. During these presentations, Albert and Ralph Berger will share their parents’ incredible escape from the Nazis and their struggle to fight back and save the lives of others. Click here to RSVP for the Wednesday presentation and click here for the Thursday presentation.

All of the 10th Holocaust Education Week events are free, but advance reservations are required due to limited seating availability. For reservations and information, contact the Holocaust Memorial at [email protected] or call 305.538.1663.

Holocaust Education Week is a community-wide program of the Holocaust Memorial of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation in cooperation with: Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center; Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education; City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; Jewish Community Relations Council of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation; The Judaic Studies Program, School of International and Public Affairs, Florida International University; Miami-Dade College; Miami-Dade County Public Schools Division of Social Sciences and Life Skills; Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Judaic Studies, University of Miami and Temple Beth Sholom.