In this enlightening conversation, author Dara Horn, known for 'People Love Dead Jews,' dives into the challenges of Holocaust education today. She critiques current narratives that often depict Jews as powerless, emphasizing the need to incorporate modern Jewish culture into these discussions. Horn argues for a broader understanding of Jewish identity, connecting historical antisemitism with contemporary issues. She also highlights the importance of preserving survivor stories and promoting resilience through education, ensuring the complexities of Jewish civilization are not forgotten.
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insights INSIGHT
Yom HaShoah's Unique Emphasis
Yom HaShoah differs from International Holocaust Remembrance Day by emphasizing Jewish agency and heroism.
It commemorates the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, highlighting Jewish resistance rather than rescue by others.
insights INSIGHT
Holocaust as Memorial and Memory
Yom HaShoah originated as a day to remember the six million Jewish dead and their communities.
This memorialization, including reading names, tries to preserve the existence of destroyed Jewish communities.
insights INSIGHT
Holocaust in a Broader Jewish History
Holocaust education in Jewish contexts should focus less on detailed Holocaust facts and more on resilience and the broader Jewish history.
The Holocaust fits within a long timeline of Jewish destruction and renewal, not just isolated tragedy.
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In 'Night', Elie Wiesel narrates his harrowing experiences as a Jewish teenager during the Holocaust. The book follows Eliezer, a slightly fictionalized version of Wiesel, from his hometown of Sighet in Hungarian Transylvania to various concentration camps, including Auschwitz, Buna, Gleiwitz, and Buchenwald. It chronicles his struggles with faith, the inhuman conditions of the camps, and the tragic events that unfolded, including the death of his father. The memoir is a poignant and personal account of the Holocaust, highlighting themes of faith, silence, inhumanity, and the importance of human bonds.
One Little Goat
One Little Goat
Dara Horn
Theo Ellsworth
Dara Horn's "One Little Goat" is a graphic novel that reimagines the Passover Seder as a time-traveling adventure. The story follows a family trapped at a never-ending Seder, encountering historical figures and exploring Jewish history. The book uses humor and engaging visuals to make Jewish history accessible to young readers. It's a unique blend of humor, history, and family dynamics, making it enjoyable for both children and adults. The graphic novel format adds a dynamic element, enhancing the storytelling experience.
People Love Dead Jews
Reports from a Haunted Present
Dara Horn
In this nonfiction essay collection, Dara Horn examines why society is more fascinated with the death of Jews than with the lives of living Jews. She weaves together history, social science, and personal stories to critique the public's obsession with Jewish history, particularly the Holocaust, and how this obsession can be a profound affront to human dignity. Horn discusses various topics such as the veneration of Anne Frank, the mythology surrounding Jewish family names at Ellis Island, and the life of Varian Fry, a 'Righteous Among the Nations.' She also reflects on her own family life and the impact of antisemitism on her children's school experiences. The book argues that the reverence for past Jewish tragedies does not translate into respect for contemporary Jewish life and that this disparity contributes to the ongoing rise of antisemitism.
The diary of a young girl
Anne Frank
The Diary of a Young Girl is the personal diary of Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager who chronicled her family's two years in hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands. The diary begins on Anne's 13th birthday in 1942 and ends shortly before her capture by the Gestapo in 1944. It details her daily life in the 'Secret Annex' above her father's office, where she lived with her family and another family, the van Daans, and a dentist, Mr. Dussel. The diary includes her thoughts on her relationships with the people in the annex, her feelings of isolation and loneliness, and her reflections on the war and her own identity. It is a powerful and poignant account of a young girl's experience during one of the most horrific periods in history[1][3][5].
Maus
Art Spiegelman
In this episode, hear from prominent author Dara Horn (“People Love Dead Jews,” “One Little Goat”) about the key issues with the way the Holocaust is discussed and taught today.
David and Dara discuss how the language used in Holocaust education threatens the erasure of modern Jewish culture and perpetuates antisemitism by painting Jews as feeble, helpless, and sometimes even extinct. They reflect on popular works about the Holocaust, how they are taught to students, and how we can use these conversations, in turn, to bring the rest of Jewish civilization into the dialogue. This episode is for anyone teaching the Holocaust, from Jewish settings to public and independent schools.
This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Miranda Lapides. The show’s executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben.
This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.
If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York.
Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education 
