Memoir as History: Teaching the Holocaust to Younger Audiences

Our times have made teaching the history of the Holocaust ever more urgent. Memoirs of survivors are an excellent place to start since students can learn about those who selflessly rescued others, about not giving up hope and about the ability of people to go through the worst and yet still rebuild their lives. Fanya Gottesfeld Heller was a survivor who spoke to thousands of students and whose messages of hope and gratitude connected with her audience. Ms. Heller wrote a number of memoirs about her experiences during the war, including a memoir specifically for young people, Hidden: A True Story of the Holocaust, co-written with renowned author, educator and filmmaker, Joshua M. Greene.
In this special program, Joshua Greene explores how the Holocaust can be presented to elementary and middle school children. Afterwards, Mr. Greene, together with Dr. Jacqueline Heller, Fanya's daughter, and a psychiatrist and therapist examine how parents, educators and therapists can provide a nurturing environment for young people to examine their thoughts, feelings and emotions and create their own narrative, which help them develop agency and autonomy. Mr. Greene and Dr. Heller also discuss how children who develop empathy at an early age will be less likely to become bullies or succumb to peer pressure or herd mentality of scapegoating.