New Holocaust Curriculum in Israel To Begin in Kindergarten
Image by SHULAMIT SEIDLER-FELLER
Israel will teach the Holocaust in the country’s schools beginning in kindergarten under a planned curriculum released by the Education Ministry.
The curriculum, which appears on the ministry’s website, is titled Bishvili HaZikaron, or Memory Is For Me. It was released several days before the start of Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Experts from the Education Ministry and the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem designed the program. The curriculum committee included Holocaust experts, educators, psychologists and educational consultants.
The kindergarten curriculum is meant to help the children absorb the information to which they are exposed during the day, including the two-minute siren, public memorial services and television broadcasts, while preserving their sense of security.
“The education system is working to educate children starting from a young age about the legacy of the nation, its history and culture, and about her holidays and memorial days, as an integral part of the educational experience,” the ministry explained.
The curriculum advises kindergarten teachers to avoid photos taken during the Holocaust and asks that they talk to parents about how to discuss the Holocaust with their children.
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