Zachor – Remember!
Zachor – Remember!
- Although the Holocaust is part of a shared, common history, its memory is experienced differently in Israel and outside of Israel. This activity compares how the Holocaust is commemorated in Israel and the Diaspora.
- Important: This activity is ideally done in a large group, so that participants can see how responses differ between Israeli and Diaspora participants. It has three stages. For the first, individuals work alone on the "Yes and No" Chart; for the second, participants are sitting all together, but with Israelis on one side of the room and Diasporaniks on the other (so differences in response can be readily observed); and in the third, discussions take place in smaller mixed groups.
Materials: "Yes and No" Chart, pens
Length: 45 minutes
Group Size: Large/very large group
Staffing: 1 activity leader and 1 facilitator for each discussion group (see #3)
Procedure:
Done as Individuals
1. Distribute a "Yes and No" Chart and pen to each person and ask participants to complete them on their own. [Note: This step allows each person to first think about his/her responses. ]
Done as Full Group
2. Bring the whole group together, but ask Israelis to sit on one side and Diasporaniks on the other so that everybody will be able to see if there are differences in the responses of the two groups. The leader asks for a show of hands on each question on the "Yes and No" chart, and invites everybody to look around and observe the responses.
Done in Small Mixed Groups
3. Split up group into mixed subgroups of 10-15 for summary discussion:
.:. How do you commemorate the Holocaust? Where does commemoration take place?
.:. Were there differences in the way the Holocaust is commemorated/remembered in the two societies? Did any of these differences surprise you?
.:. How does the fact of a Jewish majority culture vs. a Jewish minority culture affect Holocaust commemoration?
Wrapping Up:
4. George Santayana said: "Those who do not learn from their past are doomed to repeat it." Do you agree? Disagree? Why?
YES AND NO CHART
| There is a national Holocaust museum in my country. Holocaust studies are taught in my school. Non-Jews as well as Jews learn about the Holocaust in my society I think all official visitors to Israel should be taken to Yad Vashern as soon as they arrive. I think all official visitors to the United States should be taken to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as soon as they arrive Holocaust Memorial Day is observed in my school. Holocaust Memorial Day is observed in my community. The number of survivors I know personally is______________(write number) The number of children of survivors I know personally is ______________(write number) I have been to or will probably go to visit Holocaust sites in Europe in the next five years. I feel confident that a Holocaust could not happen in my country. For Israelis: I am sure that a Holocaust could not happen in the Diaspora. For Diasporaniks: I am sure that a Holocaust could not happen in Israel. |
YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO YES / NO / MAYBE YES / NO / MAYBE YES / NO / MAYBE YES / NO / MAYBE |
