Poland
Date: July 1-5, 2025
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Poland
Since 2018, TOLI has organized yearly Holocaust and human rights education seminars for teachers in Poland, in partnership with Big Picture Association and POLIN – Museum of the History of Polish Jews. TOLI’s Poland Seminar brings together 30-35 middle and high school teachers from across Poland to explore the country’s unique Holocaust history in Warsaw and Krakow. Participants learn about Jewish culture and history in Poland with guided tours of the POLIN museum and memorial sites, including Majdanek and Auschwitz. The seminar also includes visits to the Warsaw ghetto and Kazimierz in Krakow.
The participants learn from local and international experts on how to educate their students about these complex issues. Presentations also include an overview of the support available for educators teaching on these issues. Through an in-depth study of identity, stereotypes, and antisemitism, participants work together to develop activities to bring back to the classroom.
The objective of the seminar is to:
- Develop participants’ awareness of historical and current dialectical discussions concerning the Holocaust
- Further teachers’ understanding of the impact of stereotypes, prejudice, and individual, group, and societal discrimination
- Deepen teachers’ knowledge of Jewish life before and after the Holocaust
- Raise awareness about the prevalence of hate speech and discuss ways to address it at school
- Increase participants’ appreciation for innovative, student-centered teaching methods, including extra-curricular activities and partnerships between schools and other institutions and organizations
- Promote an interdisciplinary approach to teaching about the Holocaust and human rights
- Understand and counter Holocaust distortion.
Impact Grants
Graduates of the seminar have the opportunity to apply for an impact grant to develop projects related to Holocaust education and social justice. The grant consists of financial support and continuous mentorship throughout the school year. Every year, about 15 educators from Poland benefit from the TOLI Impact Grant Program.
Thank you to the Mostysser Family for their generous support of our Poland Seminar.
2025 Program Report:
Our 8th TOLI Seminar for Educators in Poland took place in Warsaw and Łódź, bringing together a dynamic group of teachers, museum professionals, and librarians from across the country. Through interactive workshops, thought-provoking presentations, and immersive site visits, participants builr the tools and knowledge needed to create impactful activities in Holocaust and human rights education for their students.
The seminar began with two days focused on introducing TOLI’s interdisciplinary approach and delving into this year’s central theme: the concept of dialogue. A guided tour of Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN’s permanent and temporary exhibitions on Jewish history offered essential context, inviting participants to explore history through the lens of human dignity and human rights.
A highlight of the seminar was a full-day visit to Łódź, where the group explores the former Łódź Ghetto and the Centrum Dialogu Łódź (Marek Edelman Dialogue Center). These visits not only uncovered stories of persecution but also illuminated powerful narratives of resistance and resilience.
A workshop about Jewish cuisine and a Shabbat dinner at POLIN Museum were designed to connect educators to Jewish culture. In the very last part of the seminar, educators explored concrete methodologies for teaching about Jewish life and the Holocaust, all framed through dialogue and human rights.
We were proud to welcome this dedicated new group into the TOLI community and to continue supporting their meaningful work in education.
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