The teenage twin sisters got involved with Holocaust education after the 2016 general election as incidents of antisemitism have increased in the U.S. including vandalism at the Addison County Jewish Congregation in Middlebury, an institution to which their family belongs. They said they realized that antisemitism exists in their community.
“I began to get more involved in learning about my family’s history, heritage, and culture. My Jewish identity began to mean a lot more to me than it ever did before and I realized how proud I was, and still am, to be Jewish,” Eliza said.
Statewide, Vermont is not immune from antisemitism and racist attacks: news reports in recent years have covered antisemitic fliers and swastikas appearing around the state. Last fall, University of Vermont President Shuresh Garimella condemned antisemitism on campus after reports in September that the U.S. Department of Education said it was investigating allegations of UVM mishandling allegations of anti-Jewish behavior there. Nationwide, instances of antisemitism may be worse than acknowledged, as most incidents are never reported, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Ongoing in Vermont is an effort started two years ago by other students who started a petition calling for a requirement that public schools teach about the Holocaust. Titled “Help Make Holocaust Education Required in All Vermont Public Secondary Schools,” the petition has garnered over 900 signatures to date.
The Bristol event and student petition have the support of the nonprofit educational and advocacy organization, Vermont Holocaust Memorial, which is lobbying for legislation to standardize Holocaust education in Vermont secondary schools. According to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, at least 22 states already require Holocaust education as part of their secondary school curricula; Vermont is the only New England state not on that list.
The organization offers Vermont educators a variety of free instructional materials, professional development workshops, speakers, projects and exhibits.
