Part of the curriculum for the 4th graders at the Sunday school where I teach includes teaching the Holocaust. I have such mixed feelings about this. When I was studying for a Master's degree in education, I learned that it was a general rule that the Holocaust was not taught prior to 7th grade. The Holocaust Museum in Washington DC agrees, and they even have a small exhibit for 7th graders outside of the regular exhibit, which is set up to be sad, but not to the point that it is disturbing.
One of the teachers I work with has been teaching Sunday school for over 20 years. She's Hungarian and has a million and one stories to tell the students about her parents' experiences; hiding from the Germans, harrowing train rides, and good people sharing food and helping them along the way. She said that she has never had a problem with it, that she emphasizes good stories, stories with happy endings, stories that are uplifting.
But...the thing is, I don't necessarily agree that the Holocaust should be told as a happy or uplifting story. Though some people helped, the majority did not. Families were torn, separated, people died horrible deaths, and it is an example of the worst that human nature has to offer.
I admit it's very possible that I am too negative and that the other teacher's interpretation is a better one than mine. But as I told her, I think the age of 9-10 is a very vulnerable time. Some children who made it through toddlerhood without seeing monsters under the bed, suddenly become very afraid of going to bed at night at this stage. Who wants to make that any harder for parents? Why teach it then, when they are so vulnerable, and not able to understand?
The subject came up when the parents came in for back-to-school day at the beginning of the year. Some of the parents of my students were pretty definitive about not wanting their children to learn about it yet.
The Hungarian teacher said she thought that too many parents over-protected their kids, and that while she'd had a few over the years who kept their kids home on the day when the subject was taught, the ones who were there to learn about it did just fine.
I told her that when I was growing up, my older brother and his friends told me that Hitler had the legs of pregnant women tied together and that they died in child birth, and that this really scared me. I didn't have nightmares, but I grew up feeling afraid of anyone who was not a Jew. It seemed so random to me that Jews were hated for being Jews. I didn't understand it. It made no sense. What did Jews ever do?
I think it's a subject that needs a lot of explanation and a lot of context. I don't want to influence the students with my fears and negativity, but at the same time, I want the subject to have the gravity and seriousness it deserves.
Hungarian teacher pointed out that maybe it is better if the students learn about it from me rather than from their friends or older siblings, which makes sense. Then from teaching the Holocaust and its commemoration (Yom Ha Shoah), the curriculum then turns to the celebration of Israel's independence day (Yom Haatzmoat). Hungarian teacher says that the Holocaust leads perfectly into the celebration of Israel's independence, and I see her point there as well.
Honestly though, I just want the children to feel proud of their background and to want to be Jewish out of love for Judaism, not out of fear that they have to band together against an evil Jew-hating world.
I view being a Jew as both a joy and a responsibility. Traditionally, the responsibility aspect of Judaism does not begin until the age of becoming Bar/Bat Mitzvah. Maybe before that time, we can feel free to emphasize the joy without guilt...?
Perhaps I am just not a good person to teach this subject. My emotions are too involved, I have too many fears and I think too much.
Comments