GPN Genocide Prevention Now will profile specific countries, regions and states in each issue to further acquaint people with individual developments in genocide education, research and scholarship, and lastly, combating Holocaust and genocide denial. Through understanding how various countries and states approach Holocaust and Genocide Studies, people interested in developing new programs and activities can learn from the experiences of established programs including government-supported programs introduced and supported in their region.
In this issue, we profile developments in Holocaust and Genocide Education in the State of New Jersey. We would like to thank Dr. Paul Wexler, Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on the Holocaust for assembling this material.
Featured Program in this Issue of GPN:
The New Jersey Commission on the Holocaust
State of New Jersey
Commission on Holocaust Education
P.O. Box 500 Trenton, NJ 08625
(609)292-9274 phone
(609)292-1211 fax
E-mail: holocaus@doe.state.nj.us
Phil Kirschner, Esq., Chairman
Rabbi Norman R. Patz, Vice Chairman
Dr. Paul B. Winkler, Executive Director
Since the early 1980s, the state of New Jersey has made a strong commitment to education, regarding the study of the Holocaust and genocides. The NJ Advisory Council on Holocaust Education was established in 1982, and in 1991 the Council became the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education. In 1994, the legislative mandate for study of the Holocaust and genocides became law. Under the leadership of each Governor since then, New Jersey expanded its commitment to Holocaust and genocide education and now stands as a national and international leader in the field.
The legislative mandate requires the inclusion of curricular and instructional programs designed to address the purposes provided in this rationale within both the elementary (K-8) and secondary (9-12) levels of public schooling in the state of NJ. This mandate specifically requires that study of this content occurs in both elementary and secondary education.
The New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, recognizing the importance of ongoing discussion, debate and reexamination of its purposes, programs and activities, reaffirms the significance of Holocaust and Genocide Studies as an integral aspect of public education in the state of New Jersey utilizing content drawn from a broad range of academic disciplines, interdisciplinary fields of study and the state standards. To that end, the Commission adopted the following rationale as a foundation for its ongoing work:
Study of the Holocaust and genocides in the public schools of the State of New Jersey is designed to:
a. contribute to student attainment of the goals of general education based upon the academic standards established by the N. J. State Board of Education,
b.improve understanding of the significance of the Holocaust as a unique historical tragedy of the 20th century, and as one of a series of genocides that challenge humankind’s commitments to tolerance, peace and the preservation of human life,
c. provide opportunities for the analysis of patterns of human behavior by perpetrators, bystanders, victims of genocidal acts, individuals and groups who resisted, and others who acted to support and rescue members of targeted victim groups,
d. stimulate reflection on the fragility of democratic institutions and the roles and responsibilities of citizens in democratic societies to combat prejudice, hate, intolerance and discrimination,
e. develop recognition and respect for cultural diversity, as well as for the protection of international human rights for all members of society, and
f. preserve and examine the legacy of the Holocaust and genocides as a form of public remembrance in an effort to combat efforts to deny historical truths and to honor the memory of survivors and their cultural legacies.
In New Jersey we have found that the more we are inclusive in our teaching about genocide, the more we are able to reach teachers and students about the Holocaust. Our workshops, seminars and programs over the past five years have included topics of bullying, stereotyping, resistance, use of first hand or primary resources and those currently occurring in Darfur and the Congo. These sessions have brought in larger and wider attendance and have provided the forum to teach the lessons of the Holocaust, not by comparing the atrocities of the past, but by highlighting the similarities in each genocide.
As a result of this approach, the Commission engaged in a two year study to develop a new rational for Holocaust Studies that brings together the cognitive aspects of education and the teaching of bias, prejudice and intolerance through Holocaust/genocide education.
It is our belief in New Jersey that working in conjunction with other organizations in the state organized to teach about hate, bias and genocide, the more support is given to the Holocaust education. Some examples include the national and international museums, the various ethnic advisory groups and the organizations such as Southern Poverty Law Center and Facing History and Ourselves.
The belief and research behind this approach is two-fold; first the synergy of the combination is stronger than each individually, and second the haters and deniers are always more organized and engaged than those fighting hate.
In this issue, we profile developments in Holocaust and Genocide Education in the State of New Jersey. We would like to thank Dr. Paul Wexler, Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on the Holocaust for assembling this material.
Featured Program in this Issue of GPN:
The New Jersey Commission on the Holocaust
State of New Jersey
Commission on Holocaust Education
P.O. Box 500 Trenton, NJ 08625
(609)292-9274 phone
(609)292-1211 fax
E-mail: holocaus@doe.state.nj.us
Phil Kirschner, Esq., Chairman
Rabbi Norman R. Patz, Vice Chairman
Dr. Paul B. Winkler, Executive Director
Since the early 1980s, the state of New Jersey has made a strong commitment to education, regarding the study of the Holocaust and genocides. The NJ Advisory Council on Holocaust Education was established in 1982, and in 1991 the Council became the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education. In 1994, the legislative mandate for study of the Holocaust and genocides became law. Under the leadership of each Governor since then, New Jersey expanded its commitment to Holocaust and genocide education and now stands as a national and international leader in the field.
The legislative mandate requires the inclusion of curricular and instructional programs designed to address the purposes provided in this rationale within both the elementary (K-8) and secondary (9-12) levels of public schooling in the state of NJ. This mandate specifically requires that study of this content occurs in both elementary and secondary education.
The New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, recognizing the importance of ongoing discussion, debate and reexamination of its purposes, programs and activities, reaffirms the significance of Holocaust and Genocide Studies as an integral aspect of public education in the state of New Jersey utilizing content drawn from a broad range of academic disciplines, interdisciplinary fields of study and the state standards. To that end, the Commission adopted the following rationale as a foundation for its ongoing work:
Study of the Holocaust and genocides in the public schools of the State of New Jersey is designed to:
a. contribute to student attainment of the goals of general education based upon the academic standards established by the N. J. State Board of Education,
b.improve understanding of the significance of the Holocaust as a unique historical tragedy of the 20th century, and as one of a series of genocides that challenge humankind’s commitments to tolerance, peace and the preservation of human life,
c. provide opportunities for the analysis of patterns of human behavior by perpetrators, bystanders, victims of genocidal acts, individuals and groups who resisted, and others who acted to support and rescue members of targeted victim groups,
d. stimulate reflection on the fragility of democratic institutions and the roles and responsibilities of citizens in democratic societies to combat prejudice, hate, intolerance and discrimination,
e. develop recognition and respect for cultural diversity, as well as for the protection of international human rights for all members of society, and
f. preserve and examine the legacy of the Holocaust and genocides as a form of public remembrance in an effort to combat efforts to deny historical truths and to honor the memory of survivors and their cultural legacies.
In New Jersey we have found that the more we are inclusive in our teaching about genocide, the more we are able to reach teachers and students about the Holocaust. Our workshops, seminars and programs over the past five years have included topics of bullying, stereotyping, resistance, use of first hand or primary resources and those currently occurring in Darfur and the Congo. These sessions have brought in larger and wider attendance and have provided the forum to teach the lessons of the Holocaust, not by comparing the atrocities of the past, but by highlighting the similarities in each genocide.
As a result of this approach, the Commission engaged in a two year study to develop a new rational for Holocaust Studies that brings together the cognitive aspects of education and the teaching of bias, prejudice and intolerance through Holocaust/genocide education.
It is our belief in New Jersey that working in conjunction with other organizations in the state organized to teach about hate, bias and genocide, the more support is given to the Holocaust education. Some examples include the national and international museums, the various ethnic advisory groups and the organizations such as Southern Poverty Law Center and Facing History and Ourselves.
The belief and research behind this approach is two-fold; first the synergy of the combination is stronger than each individually, and second the haters and deniers are always more organized and engaged than those fighting hate.
