The International School for Holocaust Studies
e-Newsletter for Australian Educators
Welcome to our e-newsletter for Australian educators who have participated in a Yad Vashem program. This edition will update you on news, new materials, and resources for Holocaust education.
Applications for 2012 Available Now!
Educational Projects by 2010 Participants
The Year I fellows produced thoughtful, researched, and educationally sound pedagogical projects which they will use in their classrooms. These educational projects are connected to the Australian context and therefore can be valuable for Australian educators. We have posted them online for educators to use throughout Australia.
You may view the participants' projects on our website.
Passing the Torch – Gandel Program Under New Leadership
After two years as director of the Gandel Holocaust Studies Program for Australian Educators, Orit Margaliot will be stepping down on January 31, 2011. Beginning in February 2011, the program will be directed by Ephraim Kaye, head of the International Seminars department. Stephanie McMahon-Kaye will organize and coordinate the educational content of the year-long Gandel Program. We wish them the best of luck in continuing this exciting program.
Graduate Initiatives
Submit successful lesson plans on the Holocaust and we will post them online! Please submit to this email address: gandel.program@yadvashem.org.il
Australia Israel Cultural Exchange Establishes New Chair at Yad Vashem
We are very pleased to announce that in December 2010 there was established The Chair for the Study of Resistance during the Holocaust, in tribute to William Cooper, at Yad Vashem’s International Institute for Holocaust Research. This chair will support the study of the phenomena of resistance against Nazi Germany and its collaborators during the Holocaust. Read more…
Holocaust and the Arts
Usually we turn to history when researching, writing about, or teaching the Holocaust. But we can also use literature, art, and music, to learn about those who perished as well as those who survived, and how they turned to the arts to express themselves during their times of need, sorrow, and despair.
The International School for Holocaust Studies website features a section called “Holocaust and the Arts.” Organized into sections on poetry, art, film, and literature, this site provides lesson plans and guides for teachers to use in their classrooms. We feel that using an interdisciplinary approach when teaching the Holocaust enables more students to interact and connect with the material.
Richard Leo, one of last year’s Gandel Program participants wrote an excellent pedagogical project that utilizes many of the resources available on the Yad Vashem website.
The Raoul Wallenberg Unit of B'nai B'rith Melbourne awarding Pauline Glass Study Grants
Seminar January 2011
The second Gandel Holocaust Studies Program for Australian Educators seminar has successfully concluded with 22 participants who have gained new knowledge and insight into teaching about the Holocaust. From January 7-20, 2011, these fellows from across Australia participated in workshops, lectures, tours, and educational sessions on history, pedagogy, Judaism, and the Yad Vashem campus, learning how to utilize resources in their classrooms and with their students. Participants included 11 who received Gandel scholarships and 11 who received funding from The Raoul Wallenberg Unit of B'nai B'rith Melbourne awarding Pauline Glass Study Grants.
For the participants this year, the seminar at Yad Vashem was the second stage of the program, since they participated in an online course before arrival.
Graduate Spotlight – Sharon Bailey
Sharon Bailey participated in the first year of the Gandel Holocaust Studies Program for Australian Educators. Though she is not a child of a survivor, working in Holocaust education is very close to her heart as it began with the desire to confront the racial prejudices, hatred and apathy that sadly exists among her students and has more often than not, led them to a life of crime.
Online Course Successful as Prerequisite to Seminar
For the first time, Gandel Seminar participants were required to take an online course prior to their arrival in Jerusalem. Comprised of 8 lessons with accompanying assignments, this prepared the participants for the material they encountered during the seminar. It was a resounding success and received praise from the participants at the end of the seminar. Nicole Saunders said, “The online course was very helpful and valuable.”
Dr. Andre Oboler Discusses Challenges in Holocaust Education in Australia
Dr. Andre Oboler is the Director of the Community Internet Engagement Project at the Zionist Federation of Australia. He is a social media expert and holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Lancaster University, UK and in 2007-2008 was a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Political Science at Bar-Ilan University, Israel.
Dr Oboler is co-chair of the working group on Online Antisemitism for the Global Forum to Combat Antisemitism and an expert on the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Antisemitism’s Internet Antisemitism Working group. He is also Chair of the IEEE Victorian Section’s Computer Society.
He is a former Legacy Heritage Fellow at NGO Monitor in Jerusalem, a member of the ROI Community and editor of ZionismOnTheWeb.org – a website countering on-line hate.
Australian Educators' e-Newsletter
Editorial Board: Richelle Budd-Caplan, Orit Margaliot
Editors: Orit Margaliot, Yael Weinstock
Production and Design: Stephanie Amara, Eviatar Biton, Liz Elsby, Mayana Sebbah, Jeremy Zauder
Contact Us: gandel.program@yadvashem.org.il
