‍

Day 2 of the Educator Certificate Course in Holocaust Education got off to a great start in the Tom & Anna Koffler Tolerance Training Centre at Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) today with thoughtful reflection on yesterday's content: pre-war Jewish life and the history of antisemitism. Trying to understand how the Holocaust reached such levels of dehumanization and persecution is often one of the most difficult pieces when teaching this history. Everyone in the course is striving to make a connection to the information in order to gain a deeper understanding.

Today's focus was on the rise of Nazism. Investigation into the indoctrination of a nation was focused on the Nazi German education system and methods and means of disseminating the antisemitic ideology. The insidiousness of the hate and the thorough integration of the Nazi racist ideology infused into every single school subject spoke to the necessity for responsible professional development and the accountability of educators today to ensure that the messages they are presenting are fair, inclusive and reflective of the equity lens that is the focus within the Ontario school system. One of the most poignant lessons of the day came from Holocaust survivor Andy Reti who shared his personal testimony with the course participants. When asked what he wanted teachers to take back to their students and their classrooms, Andy replied that he wanted educators to focus on "the Golden Rule" - to teach students to treat others in a way in which they wished to be treated. Andy's message is one of love and hope, two themes that lay the foundation for a more peaceful world.