|
Circles – A Dialogue with the Past
New Educational Kit on
Jewish Heritage
by Shlomit Steiner
“… Every
month brought with it profound changes that fundamentally altered
the lives of the Jews” (Emanuel
Ringleblum).
Circles – A Dialogue with the
Past is an educational kit on Jewish
heritage and its expressions during the Holocaust. Published in
Hebrew in 2002, and widely used by secondary schools throughout
Israel, the program is now available in English and Russian, made
possible through the generous support and assistance of David and
Hillary Grunwerg and Family; the Samuel Sebba Chariable Trust, UK;
and the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Jewish students today share a common
tradition with children during the Holocaust: the times may have
changed, but “the language of Jewish culture” unites them. The
marking of holy days—Shabbat, Chanukah, Pesach,
Purim—as well as lifecycle events connect the past with the
present and the future. Circles covers the spiritual,
religious and traditional life of the Jewish family and the Jewish
people during the Shoah. The authentic testimonies, memoirs
and historical sources in the kit highlight how Jewish tradition
and identity were maintained even under conditions of extreme
suffering and hardship.
The writer is from the Programs and
Curricula Development Department, International School of
Holocaust Studies
Copyright ©2004 Yad Vashem The Holocaust
Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority |
