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Poland

Participant in Poland

A graduate of the 2021 Poland Seminar, where participants dove into historical and current dialectical discussions concerning the Holocaust.

Since 2018, TOLI organizes yearly Holocaust and human rights education seminars for Polish teachers 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, Kazimierz in Krakow, and a local synagogue for a traditional kosher dinner.

The seminar includes presentations from local and international experts on how to educate the public and students about these complex issues. Presentations will 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 intersectional approach to teaching about the Holocaust and human rights

Impact Grants

Graduates of the seminar have the opportunity to apply for a impact grant to support a project related to Holocaust education and social justice. The grant consists of financial support and continuous mentorship throughout the school year. Every year, about 10 educators from Poland use a impact grant to implement local projects with their students.

Thank you to the Mostysser Family for their generous support of our Poland Seminar.