Four Holocaust survivors will visit ETHS during Holocaust Remembrance Week starting April 21 in order to educate the public about the Holocaust.

“This was an epic tragedy that affected so many people and it often gets lost in our curriculum,” said History teacher and head of Holocaust Remembrance Week, Aaron Becker.

This year, each day will be thematically devoted to one aspect of remembering the Holocaust. The first day will revolve around survivors and their history.  The second day is art themed, and the third poetry. The fourth day is based on Israel and hope.

“It’s extremely important to meet survivors,” added Becker. “We have four Holocaust survivors coming, who were very young during the Holocaust. It’s not going to be very long that we have Holocaust survivors around.”

Each presentation will take place throughout the week in A241 during all periods.

“All of the survivors have written books and we are encouraging the English teachers to have their students read at least one chapter,” added Becker.  “That way the students are more informed when coming to the presentation and can ask good questions.”

The survivors who are coming are Edith Singer, Edith Schumer, Rudolph Tessler and Beatrice Muchman. This year’s main theme of Holocaust Remembrance Week is hope.

“We want students to think about how they can see hope out of this tragedy,” explained Becker. “We have a large community that has been affected by it, and throughout the week students will be able to learn the specifics of this tragedy.”

“There is still too much anti-Semitism in the world and even in the United States. We have to educate all students to stand against racism wherever it  appears,” said Hebrew teacher Semadar Siegel.

On Tuesday, a program called Raining Season will conduct a presentation.

“A group of students from Evanston and New Trier will re-enact and read testimony of survivors of all genocides.  It’s extremely powerful,” said Becker.

“I’ve been studying the Holocaust and Jewish history for my whole life and I still feel that I have so much to learn,” added Becker.  “There are so many different levels to understand it.”