Why does HMTC educate about the Holocaust?
Education about the Holocaust deals with the worldwide systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators.
When we delve into the Holocaust, it is extremely important to discuss the dangers of prejudice, discrimination, anti-Semitism and dehumanization. The Holocaust also reveals the full range of human responses—raising important considerations about societal and individual motivations and pressures that lead people to act as they do—or to not act at all.
Holocaust education is essential for the following reasons:
- Preservation of memory: It honors the victims and ensures their stories are not forgotten.
- Understanding history and encourage students to think critically: It provides context for the events leading to the Holocaust, their impact on society, the ability to analyze propaganda, and recognize the dangers of hatred and intolerance.
- Combatting anti-Semitism: Education helps to challenge and reduce prejudice against Jewish communities.
- Promoting tolerance and inspiring action: It fosters empathy and respect among different cultures and religions, and empowers individuals to stand against anti-Semitism, injustice, and advocate for human rights.
HMTC’s mission is to:
Demonstrates the dangers of prejudice, racism, hatred, scapegoating, discrimination, dehumanization, and extreme anti-Semitism.
Demonstrates how a government can turn against a segment of society. This emphasizes the need for all, especially those in leadership positions, to reinforce humanistic values that protect and preserve free and just societies.
Highlights that there are no simple answers to complex problems. To understand how extremist ideologies and propaganda targeted hate and insight fear, peer pressure, indifference, greed, and resentment.
Explore the actions of perpetrators, collaborators, bystanders, upstanders, and victims. This can develop an awareness not only of how hate and violence take hold but also of the power of resistance, resilience and solidarity in local, national, and global contexts.
At HMTC we believe in a just and tolerant world and work to achieve this through our all of educational programs. Visit us at hmtcli.org.
