March 30, 2009
UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM HOSTS 9TH ANNUAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FORUM ON HOLOCAUST EDUCATION
150 Educators to Attend April 2-4 Forum at CSU, Long Beach
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, in cooperation with the College of Education, California State University, Long Beach, is sponsoring “Teaching about the Holocaust,” a three-day educational forum for 150 Southern California-area practicing and pre-service educators. The Forum will equip area educators with the knowledge and resources to effectively teach Holocaust history—a required subject in California. The 9th Annual Forum for Southern California educators will be held from April 2 to 4 at California State University, Long Beach.
As part of its program to foster a nationwide corps of committed Holocaust educators who can transmit the history and lessons of the Holocaust to future generations, the Museum’s National Institute for Holocaust Education offers training for teachers of all levels at forums and conferences held around the country and at the Museum in Washington, D.C.
At the Southern California Forum, participants will explore methodologies for effectively introducing students to the complex history of the Holocaust and demonstrate its continuing relevance today. Sessions will include presentations from Museum educators, university professors, and Holocaust survivors.
“Teachers have a tremendous impact on young people, and each forum participant will potentially reach thousands of students in the course of his or her career,” says Stephen Feinberg, Director of National Outreach, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. “These educators can help their students understand the responsibility they have to stand up when they see hatred and injustice.”
In addition to Stephen Feinberg, other forum speakers will include:
- John Heffernan, Director of the Genocide Prevention Initiative, a part of the Holocaust Museum’s Committee on Conscience (COC). The COC monitors threats and instances of contemporary genocide and other crimes against humanity and has issued a Genocide Emergency for Darfur, Sudan.
- Two members of the Museum’s Regional Education Corps, a national group of highly trained educators who bring Holocaust education to their communities— Bill Younglove, a professor at California State University, Long Beach, and Marilyn Lubarsky, a teacher at the Upland High School in Upland, California.
- Holocaust survivor Henry Greenbaum, a native of Poland and a survivor of Auschwitz-Birkenau and other concentration camps.
- Dr. Donald Schwartz, professor of history at California State University, Long Beach.
- Dr. Michael Berenbaum is the director of the Sigi Ziering Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Ethics at American Jewish University, Bel-Air.
A complete conference schedule is available. Please contact Jackie Berkowitz in the Museum’s Media Relations Department at 202-488-2637 or jberkowitz@ushmm.org if you would like to attend any part of the forum or speak with organizers or participants.
In addition to holding forums around the country, each summer, the Museum hosts the three-day Belfer Conference for Holocaust Educators, and the Museum Teacher Fellowship program, an intensive, five-day workshop for educators with at least five years of experience teaching Holocaust studies. The Museum also hosts one-day teacher training workshops across the country throughout the year.
More information on the Museum’s teacher training programs and offerings for educators can be found at www.ushmm.org/education.
A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders to confront hatred, promote human dignity and prevent genocide. Its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by the generosity of donors nationwide through legacy and annual giving. For more information visit www.ushmm.org.
