Holocaust Education at Greenwood

Allie Gottlieb, Coordinator, Literacy
As a part of Holocaust Education at Greenwood, over the past two weeks students have been engaged in learning and having opportunities to ask questions and make connections.

On Wednesday, November 12, our Grade 7 students participated in the Tour for Humanity through the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre (FSWC). Two FSWC educators led the tour, as students learned about the Holocaust. Students in Sociology, Anthropology, and Psychology classes also toured, and our open times during the day for staff and students were well attended.

On Monday, November 16, at a whole school assembly, Esther Fairbloom, a Holocaust survivor, shared her story of being raised in a convent in secrecy during the start of the war. Both parents were killed by Nazis, and at the age of 11, Esther moved to Canada. She shared her story of how the Holocaust impacts her life even today. 

On Friday, November 20, students will participate in grade-level learning consolidation workshops that were developed by Allison Gottlieb, Greenwood’s staff lead for our Jewish Culture Club (JCC) and our United Again Antisemitism Parent/Guardian Learning Group.

Consolidation Workshops:
  • Grade 7 - The Importance of Learning and Empathy
  • Grade 8 - The Importance of Storytelling
  • Grade 9 - Introduction to Modern Antisemitism
  • Grade 10 - Modern Antisemitism & Night
  • Grade 11 - Countering Modern Antisemitism in our Communities
  • Grade 12 - Countering Modern Antisemitism on Campus
Parents/guardians ask us about how to talk to their children after they have heard speakers or had discussions about the Holocaust. We are sharing here some ideas to help you engage in these conversations with your child(ren). Some of the ideas came from our United Against Antisemitism Parent/Guardian Learning Group, and others from our classroom practices.

If your child volunteers anything about the day, consider:
  • letting the child lead the conversation;
  • asking them to share more about their thoughts;
  • affirming their experiences;
  • giving your child space to consider the ideas and grapple with them;
  • thanking them for sharing with you.
If you want to continue the conversation, consider asking some of the following questions:
  • What was the most interesting?
  • How did it make you think of this topic differently than before?
  • If you had the opportunity to ask the guest speaker a question, what would it be?
  • Do you see evidence of what was spoken about in our world today or was it new to you?
  • Are you interested in exploring this more? Should we find some resources together?
Thank you to all Greenwood students for participating in this important conversation and learning throughout November.
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Greenwood College School

443 Mount Pleasant Road
Toronto, ON M4S 2L8
Tel: 416 482 9811
We acknowledge with gratitude the Ancestral lands upon which our main campus is situated. These lands are the Ancestral territories of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Anishinabek and the Wendake. The shared responsibility of this land is honoured in the Dish with One Spoon Treaty and we strive to care for the land, the waters, and all creatures in the spirit of peace. We are responsible for respecting and supporting the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. When away from this campus we vow to be respectful to the land by protecting and honouring it. We will create relationships with the people and the land we may visit by understanding the territories we enter and the nations who inhabit them.
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