Introduction
My name is Miss Tremlett. I am a fourth grade teacher at Brophy Elementary School. I’m honored to be working with Framingham Public Schools to spread awareness around this year’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This Friday, January 27th, 2023 marks 81 years since the antisemitic events of the Holocaust. This holds special significance for myself and my family as my grandmother, Eva Schuster, was a Holocaust survivor.

Growing up, I heard my grandmother share her story of survival over and over again. My grandmother was born in Berlin, Germany. Her mother was on the sidewalk in Berlin during Kristallnacht. Many of my family members were sent to concentration camps including Sachsenhausen and Warsaw. As a young Jewish girl, it was hard for me to understand the antisemitism involved in my family’s survival story. I questioned why my identity as a Jewish person was something to be discriminated against. Most importantly, what stuck with me was the lesson my grandmother learned throughout her lived experience in Nazi Germany. She used to tell our family that the biggest lesson she learned was, “Not all mankind is bad and you should always have hope. Hope will allow you to survive.”

On January 12, 2023, the Anti-Defamation League shared the results of their most recent study. Some of these results included the fact that antisemitism is the highest it has been in 30 years. Another result from this study included the fact that 85% of Americans believe in at least one antisemitic Jewish conspiracy theory or trope. As we honor Holocaust survivors and victims on this day, it is important to remember that there is still so much work that needs to be done to make our world a more inclusive and safe place.

About International Holocaust Remembrance Day
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is commemorated on January 27, marking the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest concentration camp and extermination center created by Nazi Germany. On this day, communities commemorate the six million Jewish people and millions of other victims who perished due to the actions carried out by the Nazis and their collaborators. The Anti-Defamation League encourages us to embrace the somber day as a learning opportunity for our community. Spanish philosopher George Santayana’s words, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” underscore the importance of reflecting on the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides and connecting them to the present. 

The need for these lessons is even more urgent today as incidents related to antisemitism and extremism are on the rise. Framingham’s Temple Beth Sholom was defaced with a couple of swastikas as recently as this past September, K-12 schools across the country have been impacted by other hateful graffiti, and there have been other high-profile incidents in Massachusetts where students and community leaders use Holocaust terminology inappropriately, whether in football plays or comparisons to COVID-19 precautions. 

January 27th is an opportune time to create awareness about the Holocaust, to help educate the community about antisemitism, and to help build inclusive school communities. 

Please see below for a variety of resources to initiate or further conversations in your homes:

Read Alouds or Books to Purchase (Good for Elementary & Middle School Students)

• The Boy Who Thought Outside of the Box

• Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas
• Dear Santa, Love Rachel Rosenstein
• Buen Shabat, Shabbat Shalom (English and Spanish)
• Shabbat Princess
• The Magic Dreidels
• Little Red Ruthie

Books (Good for Elementary & Middle School Students)

• The Very Best Sukkah A Story From Uganda

• Jalapeno Bagels

• Celebrate Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur

• J Is For Januca

• Becoming RBG

• Letters to Cuba

• White Bird

• Village of Scoundrels

• When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

Virtual Resources, Videos, and On-Demand Webinars

• To participate in a Virtual Field Trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, click here.

• For video testimony from Holocaust survivors, descendants of survivors, and experts in Holocaust and genocide studies, watch this video by the Jewish Federation of New Hampshire.

• To engage directly with primary sources related to the Holocaust, visit Experiencing History: Holocaust Sources in Context.  

• For curriculum guides for frequently assigned books about the Holocaust, check out the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s website. You can also explore pre-recorded virtual lessons (they are free, but require registration)

• The Jewish Book Council is the longest running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish Literature (founded in 1943)

• PJ LIbrary sends free Jewish children’s books to families across the world. PJ Library shares Jewish stories that can help your family have conversations about Jewish culture and the Jewish community. 

News Articles

• The First Ever 50 State Survey on Holocaust Knowledge Of American Millennials and Gen Z Reveals Shocking Results 

• The Growing Need for Holocaust Remembrance

• Antisemitic Attitudes in America: ADL’s Recent Research Findings

• A Pledge To Speak Up

• ADL: The Boston Mapping Project

• Menorah Toppled in Antisemitic Incident

• Antisemitism in London

• Antisemitism in Brooklyn

Want to further the discussion at home? Here are some conversation starters to build awareness that supports Jewish classmates, teachers, and community members:

• What do you think it means to be Jewish?

• What is the Jewish Diaspora?

• What do you think 'antisemitism' means? (Then take a look at this Instagram Post by @BlairImani)

• What concerns do you have about antisemitism or other forms of hate in our country and community? 

• Who are your Jewish coworkers/classmates? Do they talk about what it’s like being Jewish? Why do you think that is?

• Is Holocaust history the only Jewish history you know? Why do you think that is? Do I know about contributions and accomplishments from the Jewish community?

• Have you seen or heard any antisemitic remarks or symbols in your community? What about online? 

• How do you respond and/or how would be best to respond?

• How might antisemitism be connected to other forms of hate and prejudice?

• What questions are you still sitting with about antisemitism? 

• Have you read any books that include Jewish people, Jewish holidays and traditions, or Jewish Inventors? (Did you know the first video game console was created by Ralph Baer, a Jewish Inventor and Holocaust Survivor?)

• What are some ways that your family could learn about other cultures, traditions, and religions?

Instagram Accounts to Follow

• @jewishlgbt

• @adl

• @jewishfactsdaily

• @rootsmetals

• @bluntblackjew

• @yasmine.dreamz

• @youdontlookjewish

• @teachandtransform

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an opportunity to better understand how bias and persecution escalates violent division and how this historical event can teach us to be active stewards of a more just world. Though we are highlighting this day and sharing resources, it is important to remember the Holocaust is important every day of the year. It is not just about recalling a singular global atrocity, but about recommitting ourselves to fighting all forms of hate for good.

In Framingham, we are so fortunate to have many identities, testimonies, histories, and narratives in our community. What makes our community special are the many ways in which we are the same and different. We can honor each other and our community by learning more about each other every day.

Framingham Public Schools is committed to sharing relevant, timely, educational information related to cultural, celebratory, or historical occasions, as well as, expanding community awareness on these topics. If you have something to add or that you would like to share with the community, please email communications@framingham.k12.ma.us.

Main Source for Resources: International Holocaust Remembrance Day Email for Educators from the Anti-Defamation League