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"Memories of the Night: Studies of the Holocaust": Interview with Miriam Klein Kassenoff and Anita Meyer Meinbach
Nowhere in the world do the words of George Santayana become more prophetic than in the barracks of Auschwitz Concentration Camp, where they are surrounded by pictures and other artifacts to remind us of the 6,000,000 Jewish men, women and children who died there and in other concentration camps throughout Germany and Poland. The words "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" becomes a haunting refrain, warning us of what happens when apathy replaces action, when tyranny replaces tolerance, and when hate replaces love.
This mass extermination, Hitler's systematic plan to destroy an entire people, has been termed the Holocaust. The Holocaust, one of the darkest chapters in the history of humankind, must be remembered to give meaning to the senseless slaughter of so many innocent victims. The lessons of the Holocaust must be taught so that children become aware of the devastating effects of prejudice. Through a study of the Holocaust, children learn about the importance of understanding and acceptance. And most importantly, through a study of the Holocaust, students learn the tremendous impact each individual can make - how one act of kindness multiplies in geometric proportions and how one person's courage can change the course of history.
Historically, the teaching of the Holocaust has been negligible. Most teachers lack the experience and understanding necessary to bring the Holocaust to life in the classroom, and therefore, the teaching of the Holocaust has been delegated to one or two paragraphs in the history text. Will these paragraphs make students aware of the Holocaust? Yes. Will they cause students to feel sadness, anger, or disbelief? Possibly. Will they teach the lessons of the Holocaust; will they talk to students about tolerance, compassion, and the courage of the human spirit? Most assuredly not! To learn the lessons of the Holocaust, students need to meet those who were involved in it. They need to hear their stories, understand their reality, feel their despair, and celebrate their courage and dreams of survival.
Memories of the Night: Studies of the Holocaust is designed for teachers, to help them bring the lessons of the Holocaust to life. First-person accounts and the literature of the Holocaust form the basis for challenging, thought-provoking reflections and a variety of interdisciplinary activities that encourage students to connect the lessons of the Holocaust to the principles that will govern their own lives.
Reprinted from the introduction to Memories of the Night: Studies of the Holocaust. Anita Meyer Meinbach has been a teacher in the Miami-Dade County public schools for more than 20 years and was honored as the country's Teacher of the Year in 2003. She was chosen by USA Today for their 2002 All Teacher First Team, one out of 20 teachers nationwide.
Miriam Klein Kassenoff fled Nazi Germany with her family in 1940. Miriam was honored as the Israel Bonds Woman of the Year in 2000. Dr. Klein Kassenoff is the Director of the Holocaust Institute at the University of Miami where she is also an adjunct professor.
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