NDE 2500: From Tradition to Tragedy: Jewish Life Before the Holocaust (Section 2)

From Tradition to Tragedy: Jewish Life Before the Holocaust (Section 1)

Course Length:
15 hours (asynchronous)

Audience:
K–12 educators, instructional coaches, administrators, and curriculum/cultural resource specialists

Course Description:
This professional development course provides educators with a critical foundation for Holocaust education by centering the lives, traditions, and resilience of Jewish communities in Europe before World War II. Too often, Holocaust instruction begins with persecution and tragedy—this course reframes the narrative by illuminating the vibrant cultural, religious, linguistic, and social worlds that preceded the genocide.

Participants will explore the geographic diversity of Jewish life, family and communal structures, religious customs, and contributions to the broader society. Drawing from primary sources, photographs, music, literature, and oral histories, this course equips educators with the tools to humanize the historical narrative, build empathy, and create inquiry-driven classroom experiences.

Key Features:

• Curated multimedia resources and lesson-ready materials

• Activities aligned to inquiry-based and culturally responsive teaching

• Strategies for integrating content across ELA, Social Studies, and Arts

• Reflections on identity, belonging, and memory to support ethical instruction

• Adaptable for grades K–12 with modifications for developmental appropriateness