Our Programs

Survivors and Liberators as eyewitnesses to the Holocaust are the richest and the best way to educate our youth to emphasize the message that racial, ethnic, and religious hatred are social poisons. The Holocaust Awareness Museum accomplishes this by engaging students and adults in a dialogue that examines the significance of what happened to the Jewish people and other innocents in Nazi Germany and throughout Europe between 1933-1945.

Our Educational Programs serve the five county area of Greater Philadelphia. In the 2009/2010 academic year, we conducted more than 100 programs for nearly 7,000 people at all types of schools (public, private, and parochial), small and large businesses, and other organizations and events. We offer a variety of educational programs, including eyewitness testimonies, personal interactions with eyewitnesses, two live theater performances, and museum tours.

Survivor Presentations: Our eyewitness testimonies program generally consists of a member of our Education Staff introducing the survivor or liberator and then briefly explaining what the Holocaust was. The survivor or liberator then speaks their testimony while the audience listens, without interruption. Then a question and answer session follows in which audience members can personally ask the survivor or liberator questions and engage in a meaningful dialogue. These programs can be hosted at a venue of your choice or at the Museum and can be tailored to a degree to meet specific requests of teachers and facilitators.
View our Survivors and Liberators

Anne Frank Theater Project: We also offer two live theater performances. The Anne Frank Theater Project consists of a 45-minute adaptation of the Broadway play The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett staged by 6 professional actors. The play vividly portrays how ordinary people were affected by the Nazi’s Final Solution plan. The Lida Stein and the Righteous Gentile play focuses on how Jewish and non-Jewish teenagers coped with the extraordinary social and political upheaval of the Nazi era in Germany after the Nazis passed the Nuremberg Laws in September and November 1935. Following each performance a dialogue is facilitated by an Education Staff member focusing on tolerance and diversity, bullying, consequence, and cultural competence.
View the Anne Frank Theater Project

Witness to History Project: Participants in our Witness to History Program “steps into the shoes” of our survivors and liberators by learning his or her unique testimony by personally meeting with the survivor, asking questions, writing a biography, viewing a videotape, and memorizing and reenacting their testimony. This program may serve as a class project or a Bar/Bat Mitzvah project for young people who have an interest in Holocaust studies.
View our Witness to History Project

Our Museum is also open for tours during the week and we request that you contact us beforehand to set up a time.

If you are interested in any of our programs, please do not hesitate to contact us. The Museum is busiest between March and June so we encourage you to schedule a program at least one month in advance. Schedule a program online or contact us.

Hal Kessler, our Education Director Emeritus, presents to students at our Museum. (If this video does not load, Click Here to view it at Vimeo)
View our last two years of Programs:
2007-2008 School Year Programs [PDF]

2008-2009 School Year Programs [PDF]

Here are teacher and student reactions to our programs

Leave your own comment or reaction

This is a teacher's reaction from Ronnie Breslow's presentation at New Hope-Solebury on April 13, 2010:

"What an incredible experience for our school community. Mrs. Breslow is a powerful speaker and a remarkable woman. Her presentation was honest and clear, it was inspiring and informative. Her message of survival and hope, of letting go of anger, of taking responsibility for our actions and inactions... Truly remarkable. Thank you so much for making these experiences possible." ~Joanne

These are some student reactions from Ruth Hartz's presentation at Visitation BVM School on January 12, 2009:

"Ms. Ruth, thank you for coming into our classroom and telling us your story. Thank you for the wonderful experience you gave me. You opened my eyes.  That was one experience I will never forget. I will cherish the memories you have brought into my mind, again thank you."

"Hello Ms. Ruth thank you so much for visiting us. You left me speechless about the things you told us. Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to tell us about the events in your lifetime."

This is a teacher's reaction from Hans Salomon's presentation at the Holocaust Awareness Museum to 6th graders on January 29, 2008:

"...I would really recommend this trip to any school studying this period in history..." ~Shelby

Here are some student letters from Ronnie Breslow's presentation at the C.W. Henry school on June 3, 2009:

"...It was like the history that I have been learning about for so long just, came alive. ...Her presence impacted me because my generation is the last one that will be able to actually see, touch, and hear her voice one on one." ~Justin

"...What I've learned from your visit is you should always stand up for your rights and others. ...From hearing your story I have made it my own duty to seek out any injusttice and stop it at the roots. Sitting and watching it fester will only repeat history. I want to thank you for presenting me with this wonderful opportunity and experience. You have changed my outlook on life." ~Nanya


Here are some student letters from Kurt Herman's presentation to eighth graders at the St. Francis De Sales school on October 27, 2004:
"...You will always be in my prayers. One day I'll be able to teach and tell your stories to others and they'll teach and tell it too, and so on. May God bless you Mr. Herman." ~Christina

...It was an honor to hear your story. And you helped me realize how good I have it here in the United States..." ~Travis

"...Because of your story, I will always be grateful to have so much freedom..." ~Tyhere

"...I heard lots of stories about people during the Holocaust, but most of them were very sad because most of their family members died in Nazi camps....You must have been really lucky to see almost all of your family in America again..." ~Kyesha

Here is a student's reaction to Kurt Herman's presentation to 7th graders at the Austin Meehan Middle School on April 14, 2009:
"..."Knowing that you went through something so scary and sad and can still look on the bright side of everything truly touched my heart. ...No matter what happens you should never look at the cup half empty but half full..." ~Bronte

Here are some student letters from Ronnie Breslow's to 7th graders at the Marlton Middle School on February 10, 2009:
..."In the future, kids will have to learn about the holocaust from text books but I can say that I have heard about it from a survivor. Thank you for sharing your story with me and my classmates..." ~Emily

"...There isn't a better person to hear this information from than someone who actually went through it..." ~Nick

"...After hearing your story we made peace-pledges on what we will do as an individual to stop intolerance. I hope people will actually realize we are all made equal. I hope to be a speaker to spread peace but I'm young and I need a lot of time. But I will not give up!..." ~Morgan

This is a teacher's reaction from Ilse Lindemeyer's presentation to 6th graders at Visitation BVM School on February 19, 2009:
"...I can't thank you enough for putting together our event with Ilse...They [the students] will never forget what they heard that day, and they will pass on Ilse's story so that it will be not lost..." ~Emily

This is a teacher's reaction from Hans Salomon's presentation to 7th and 8th graders at the Austin Meehan Middle School on May 1, 2008:

..."We would love to continue our relationship with your organization. It is so important that our students and faculty continue to hear the story so that it can continue to be told. Our students gained so much information from this presentation - they have told the story and will continue to do so." ~Maria and Sheryl

Here are some student's reactions to Michael Zal's presentation to 7th graders at the Marlton Middle School on February 26, 2008:

"...I get bullied at school. Your story showed me that I can do more than just stand there and get picked on. It showed me that I can do something. I can make a difference. Thank you for showing me that..." ~J.