When did you tell your Jewish child about the Holocaust?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I've been talking about it in an age-appropriate way for a long time, since he started learning about slavery in school (so he could understand the larger context). So maybe 5 or 6 years old? But the disturbing images and facts, I'm not sure. I don't think at 10 he is mature enough for that, maybe more like 12 or 13 to visit the Holocaust Museum. My SIL who is African American was OK with her kids going to the bottom level of the African American History Museum at 8-9, which seems somewhat comparable. But I think the Holocause Museum may be more graphic?

I should preface this by saying I haven't been to the Holocaust Museum in more than 25 years, so I could be misremembering, but I don't think it's more graphic than the African American History Museum's treatment of slavery, which is extremely harrowing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think I've been talking about it in an age-appropriate way for a long time, since he started learning about slavery in school (so he could understand the larger context). So maybe 5 or 6 years old? But the disturbing images and facts, I'm not sure. I don't think at 10 he is mature enough for that, maybe more like 12 or 13 to visit the Holocaust Museum. My SIL who is African American was OK with her kids going to the bottom level of the African American History Museum at 8-9, which seems somewhat comparable. But I think the Holocause Museum may be more graphic?

I should preface this by saying I haven't been to the Holocaust Museum in more than 25 years, so I could be misremembering, but I don't think it's more graphic than the African American History Museum's treatment of slavery, which is extremely harrowing.

I would agree. Both museums were very realistic -- or so it seemed to someone who has no direct experience with the holocaust or US slavery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That we are a tribe and that throughout the history of our tribe people have tried to kill us. That the Holocaust is part of Jewish history but it is not the center of Jewish identity. They learn also about the Girush Sefarad and the Farhud. They learn about the persecution their relatives faced in the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern Europe. When we travel we always include Jewish sites, and that might include a Holocaust memorial or an old synagogue whose membership was forced to flee, and we talk about why that is.

What?
NEVER FORGET

Apparently, you did not hear Gov Abbott today or see the Hitler salutes at the Ohio rally Maga crap over the weekend.

It defines us. It has to be the most of everything so it does not happen again.

Mark my words it's coming here. UGH

Doesn't matter Orthodox, Conservative, Reform we are .... NEVER FORGET!

[Anonymous]

OP get some books and start reading.

This is your kids history.

This is the most important thing.

It must never be repeated, but hey the Repukes are telling you what they are going to do. Wait til then and explain it?

Omg..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That we are a tribe and that throughout the history of our tribe people have tried to kill us. That the Holocaust is part of Jewish history but it is not the center of Jewish identity. They learn also about the Girush Sefarad and the Farhud. They learn about the persecution their relatives faced in the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern Europe. When we travel we always include Jewish sites, and that might include a Holocaust memorial or an old synagogue whose membership was forced to flee, and we talk about why that is.

What?
NEVER FORGET

Apparently, you did not hear Gov Abbott today or see the Hitler salutes at the Ohio rally Maga crap over the weekend.

It defines us. It has to be the most of everything so it does not happen again.

Mark my words it's coming here. UGH

Doesn't matter Orthodox, Conservative, Reform we are .... NEVER FORGET!

I think that there is a lot Ashkenormativity and Colorism baked into your response that you need to reflect on. Centering the Holocaust as the center of Jewish identity 1) centers identity in something tragic which is problematic if the goal is to raise Jewish children who find JOY in Judaism and want to keep doing Jewish things; and 2) centers identity in being Jewish in having a familial connection to the Holocaust. Many Jews, particularly Jews of Mizrachi backgrounds, have more familial connections to OTHER atrocities against Jewish people, e.g., relatives who were raped, murdered or dispossessed of property in MENA. We are not less Jewish than those whose family perished during the Holocaust, and in many cases are more recent refugees. This, too, should Never Be Forgotten. There is a very narrow line between an auto de fe, a program, the Holocaust, the Farhud, the JCC bombing in Argentina, and imprisonment of Jews in Iran as “Zionist spies.” We teach our children the full range of Jewish history.

[Anonymous]

Though my experience doesn't correlate to OP's experience and question, I'll share my experience. When I was 18 (many moons ago), I visited Dauchau during a group trip to Europe. Words cannot begin to describe my sadness and anger especially when I saw the remnants of the oven and heard the soft crying of some visitors.

Even today, decades later, I remember vividly how I felt at Dauchau. I have visited the DC Holocaust Museum but even that didn't compare, for me, physically standing at Dauchau. Like the African-American history of slavery where millions died including those thrown into the ocean, no one should EVER forget these atrocities nor should they ever be whitewashed in schools or as relayed in family teachings.

Just my personal perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Though my experience doesn't correlate to OP's experience and question, I'll share my experience. When I was 18 (many moons ago), I visited Dauchau during a group trip to Europe. Words cannot begin to describe my sadness and anger especially when I saw the remnants of the oven and heard the soft crying of some visitors.

Even today, decades later, I remember vividly how I felt at Dauchau. I have visited the DC Holocaust Museum but even that didn't compare, for me, physically standing at Dauchau. Like the African-American history of slavery where millions died including those thrown into the ocean, no one should EVER forget these atrocities nor should they ever be whitewashed in schools or as relayed in family teachings.

Just my personal perspective.

PP again. I am not Jewish.

[Anonymous]

I was exactly her age when I learned about the Holocaust. I noticed the numbers on my grandmothers arm for the first time. I think there are age appropriate ways to educate in elementary school. It is a fact of life for her too, her great grandparent was a survivor and - certainly for my me, my siblings, cousins, parents and aunts and uncles- a certain trauma having grown up around those directly impacted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That we are a tribe and that throughout the history of our tribe people have tried to kill us. That the Holocaust is part of Jewish history but it is not the center of Jewish identity. They learn also about the Girush Sefarad and the Farhud. They learn about the persecution their relatives faced in the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern Europe. When we travel we always include Jewish sites, and that might include a Holocaust memorial or an old synagogue whose membership was forced to flee, and we talk about why that is.

What?
NEVER FORGET

Apparently, you did not hear Gov Abbott today or see the Hitler salutes at the Ohio rally Maga crap over the weekend.

It defines us. It has to be the most of everything so it does not happen again.

Mark my words it's coming here. UGH

Doesn't matter Orthodox, Conservative, Reform we are .... NEVER FORGET!

I think that there is a lot Ashkenormativity and Colorism baked into your response that you need to reflect on. Centering the Holocaust as the center of Jewish identity 1) centers identity in something tragic which is problematic if the goal is to raise Jewish children who find JOY in Judaism and want to keep doing Jewish things; and 2) centers identity in being Jewish in having a familial connection to the Holocaust. Many Jews, particularly Jews of Mizrachi backgrounds, have more familial connections to OTHER atrocities against Jewish people, e.g., relatives who were raped, murdered or dispossessed of property in MENA. We are not less Jewish than those whose family perished during the Holocaust, and in many cases are more recent refugees. This, too, should Never Be Forgotten. There is a very narrow line between an auto de fe, a program, the Holocaust, the Farhud, the JCC bombing in Argentina, and imprisonment of Jews in Iran as “Zionist spies.” We teach our children the full range of Jewish history.

Well put, PP. Thank you. Fwiw, I'm Ashkenazi and agree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That we are a tribe and that throughout the history of our tribe people have tried to kill us. That the Holocaust is part of Jewish history but it is not the center of Jewish identity. They learn also about the Girush Sefarad and the Farhud. They learn about the persecution their relatives faced in the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern Europe. When we travel we always include Jewish sites, and that might include a Holocaust memorial or an old synagogue whose membership was forced to flee, and we talk about why that is.

What?
NEVER FORGET

Apparently, you did not hear Gov Abbott today or see the Hitler salutes at the Ohio rally Maga crap over the weekend.

It defines us. It has to be the most of everything so it does not happen again.

Mark my words it's coming here. UGH

Doesn't matter Orthodox, Conservative, Reform we are .... NEVER FORGET!

I think that there is a lot Ashkenormativity and Colorism baked into your response that you need to reflect on. Centering the Holocaust as the center of Jewish identity 1) centers identity in something tragic which is problematic if the goal is to raise Jewish children who find JOY in Judaism and want to keep doing Jewish things; and 2) centers identity in being Jewish in having a familial connection to the Holocaust. Many Jews, particularly Jews of Mizrachi backgrounds, have more familial connections to OTHER atrocities against Jewish people, e.g., relatives who were raped, murdered or dispossessed of property in MENA. We are not less Jewish than those whose family perished during the Holocaust, and in many cases are more recent refugees. This, too, should Never Be Forgotten. There is a very narrow line between an auto de fe, a program, the Holocaust, the Farhud, the JCC bombing in Argentina, and imprisonment of Jews in Iran as “Zionist spies.” We teach our children the full range of Jewish history.

Well put, PP. Thank you. Fwiw, I'm Ashkenazi and agree with you.

[Anonymous]

I am not Jewish, but my niece is. I was going through some childhood books of mine to give her and a couple were about that Holocaust, including When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit which I read when I was nine. She was ten, but I didn’t give it to her because it just seemed like it might be too upsetting. And I realized if she was Christian, my gut instinct would have been to put it in the box to give her.

Turned out her Hebrew school started teaching them about the holocaust in kindergarten, though.

[Anonymous]

My daughter went to Jewish day school for K-4 and she was never able to sit through the Yom HaShoah program. At that very early age, she said "Mommy, when they start to play the sad music I just get so sad and then I have to leave and cry." This is before they said anything.

I found this book helpful in connecting to things like Jim Crow in the US. It alludes to the camps but doesn't have any graphic details about them.

https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Childs-Holocaust-Loic-Dauvillier/dp/1596438738/ref=asc_df_1596438738/

[Anonymous]

Tread carefully. Maybe talk about the basic concept and leave it alone for awhile. It took me 40 years to work up to reading everything I could get my hands on about what the Germans and their collaborators did. It has shaken me to the core.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Though my experience doesn't correlate to OP's experience and question, I'll share my experience. When I was 18 (many moons ago), I visited Dauchau during a group trip to Europe. Words cannot begin to describe my sadness and anger especially when I saw the remnants of the oven and heard the soft crying of some visitors.

Even today, decades later, I remember vividly how I felt at Dauchau. I have visited the DC Holocaust Museum but even that didn't compare, for me, physically standing at Dauchau. Like the African-American history of slavery where millions died including those thrown into the ocean, no one should EVER forget these atrocities nor should they ever be whitewashed in schools or as relayed in family teachings.

Just my personal perspective.

One hopes that no one would ever forget the extermination of two thirds of European Jews in the most gruesome, systematic way. But I agree this has to be taught in an age appropriate manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That we are a tribe and that throughout the history of our tribe people have tried to kill us. That the Holocaust is part of Jewish history but it is not the center of Jewish identity. They learn also about the Girush Sefarad and the Farhud. They learn about the persecution their relatives faced in the Middle East and North Africa and Eastern Europe. When we travel we always include Jewish sites, and that might include a Holocaust memorial or an old synagogue whose membership was forced to flee, and we talk about why that is.

What?
NEVER FORGET

Apparently, you did not hear Gov Abbott today or see the Hitler salutes at the Ohio rally Maga crap over the weekend.

It defines us. It has to be the most of everything so it does not happen again.

Mark my words it's coming here. UGH

Doesn't matter Orthodox, Conservative, Reform we are .... NEVER FORGET!

I think that there is a lot Ashkenormativity and Colorism baked into your response that you need to reflect on. Centering the Holocaust as the center of Jewish identity 1) centers identity in something tragic which is problematic if the goal is to raise Jewish children who find JOY in Judaism and want to keep doing Jewish things; and 2) centers identity in being Jewish in having a familial connection to the Holocaust. Many Jews, particularly Jews of Mizrachi backgrounds, have more familial connections to OTHER atrocities against Jewish people, e.g., relatives who were raped, murdered or dispossessed of property in MENA. We are not less Jewish than those whose family perished during the Holocaust, and in many cases are more recent refugees. This, too, should Never Be Forgotten. There is a very narrow line between an auto de fe, a program, the Holocaust, the Farhud, the JCC bombing in Argentina, and imprisonment of Jews in Iran as “Zionist spies.” We teach our children the full range of Jewish history.

Oh it’s you again.