Tags: Holocaust Education

The Museum of Jewish Heritage’s Lipper Internship – Perfect for College-Aged 3Gs

by A 3G in NYC on March 21, 2012

Category: Art, Education, History, Uncategorized

When I was in college, I participated in a fantastic internship program through the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in downtown Manhattan. As a Lipper Intern, I had the opportunity to teach school kids, many of which are in inner city public schools and no direct connection to the Holocaust, the important lessons of the Holocaust and guide them through the Museum’s poignant exhibits.  Participating in this internship showed me in a hands-on way how important Holocaust education is, and gave me an outlet to explore my family history as a grandchild of Holocaust survivors.

The Museum describes its flagship college internship opportunity as: “The Lipper Internship is a semester-long, paid museum education internship for graduate and undergraduate students from across the Northeast that connects interns to local schools in order to teach about the Holocaust and Jewish heritage. The program begins with two weeks of training in New York City, where interns will meet with Museum staff and Holocaust survivors. Back in their college communities, interns share their knowledge by teaching public middle and high school students about the Holocaust, both through classroom visits and accompanying students and their teachers on visits to the Museum.”

For the 3G college students out there, this is a phenomenal experience to partake in and I highly encourage you to apply. If you are interested in exploring your legacy as a 3G, this is a perfect way to get involved in the world of Holocaust education and have a paid internship at the same time.  The vast resources of scholars, artifacts and educational tools the Museum has at its fingertips, coupled with the opportunity to teach children about the Holocaust through interactive lessons and a tour of the Museum, make the Lipper Internship a unique learning and growing experience for a 3G.

Applications are due April 1 for the Fall 2012 semester. Visit the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s website,  www.mjhnyc.org, for more details, and download the application here.

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A 3G’s Legacy: Sharing Our Grandparents’ Stories

by A 3G in NYC on March 4, 2012

Category: Education, Events, History, Volunteer

As the last living links to our Holocaust survivor grandparents, many 3Gs feel the responsiblity of learning our grandparents’ stories. The question is – is it enough to know our grandparents’ stories, or must we take it a step further and share their stories with others? Many 3Gs believe that to ensure nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again, we must share our family’s stories with the world, especially with young people.  The 3Gs that feel comfortable sharing their grandparents’ stories are doing just that – in school classrooms.

3GNY - A NYC-based Group for Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors is trailblazing in the Holocaust education arena with its flagship educational initiative, WEDU. Short for We Educate, WEDU enables grandchildren of Holocaust survivors to share their grandparents’ stories in middle and high-school classrooms.  Many Holocaust survivors currently speak in school classrooms, but unfortunately based on their age they will not be around forever. WEDU is unique in that the students connect to the 3Gs, who are genearlly in their 20′s and 30′s, in a different way than they would to an actual survivor, since they are closer in age.

Check out the goals of 3GNY’s WEDU program:

WEDU is a powerful contribution to Holocaust education:

  1. URGENCY: As the population of Holocaust survivors declines, their stories should not be lost with them. Now is the time to take responsibility for these stories.
  2. PERSONAL: As a living link to our grandparents’ stories, we are in a special position to elevate the individual experience from the collective.
  3. RELEVANCE TO ALL: The Holocaust serves as an instructive entry point for examining prejudice today. This program will make connections between historical events and issues of intolerance and persecution that remain with us.
  4. SOCIAL ACTION: In a multicultural society, we all have a stake in challenging assumptions. This program will actively engage students to think about ways to confront intolerance and prejudice.

Aaron Herman, a digital/social media consultant recently interviewed by 3Glegacy, covered 3GNY’s recent WEDU Showcase at Hummus Place in the East Village of NYC.  Co-sponsored by Masa Israel Journey, the event raised awareness about 3GNY’s WEDU program.  In this video which was featured on the home page of The Jewish Week,  hear from some 3GNY board members about the importance of carrying on our grandparents’ legacies, as well as the experience in the classroom from recent WEDU participants:

 

WEDU is set to become the future of Holocaust education, empowering 3Gs to take ownership of their grandparents’ stories and ensuring their legacies are transmitted to future generations.

To learn more about WEDU and to get involved, visit www.3gnewyork.org.

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