Shoah Education

Holocaust Memorial Center launches Virtual Museum Experience. Virtual Museum Experience.

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER STAFF WRITER

The Holocaust Memorial Center (HMC) has launched the Virtual Museum Experience (VME), a new online program (VME), a new online program for students learning about the for students learning about the Holocaust.

When the pandemic hit and HMC had to shut down, HMC’s Education Department HMC’s Education Department knew they didn’t want to stop teaching the lessons of the Holocaust.

The team began strategizing The team began strategizing how to take the museum experience how to take the museum experience to students virtually, customizing the content for each particular classroom and staying Usually more than 35,000 students from true to the curriculum. They then came up across the state take field trips to the HMC with a plan. annually. More than 6,500 students will have

“A member of our education staff can participated in a VME within the first five basically Zoom into the classroom, and using months of 2021. HMC plans to continue the photos of artifacts and survivor testimony VME program after all capacity restrictions clips, can have a conversation with the are lifted, due to its massive success. students and teach about the Holocaust,” said “It has been so much more positive and Ruth Bergman, HMC education director. desired than we even thought,” Bergman

Each VME session is facilitated by a HMC said. “We launched the program in February educator via Zoom or Google Meet, and lasts and, so far, we’ve reached 6,413 students. approximately 45 minutes. Artwork created By the time we’re done with the end of the by survivors are also among the audio-visual school year, we’ll have reached over 8,000 assets incorporated into VME sessions. students.

HMC can tailor a VME to focus on a “It’s exciting and very heartening for us particular subject, like ghettos, or focus on because with the rise in antisemitism and themes, a popular way teachers like HMC to prejudice, Holocaust education can’t stop,” approach the sessions. Bergman added. “The fact that teachers want

Overarching themes from which teachers us to continue teaching their students and can choose include Propaganda; Pyramid we’re able to continue doing what we do, it’s of Hate (how could the Holocaust happen); so important and we’re grateful we have this Choice and Responsibility; Resistance; technology that allows us to do it.” Resilience and Returning to Life; and Currently, the Holocaust Memorial Center Camps/Final Solution. is booking VMEs for the summer and fall.

Once a teacher expresses interest in Teachers can email VME@holocaustcenter. scheduling a VME, a Holocaust Memorial org to schedule a VME. Center educator has a one-on-one call with the teacher to discuss what the students are learning and the themes that shape the VME content, tailored to each classroom.

These wooden shoes are among the artifacts on the HMC Virtual Experience.

HMC is open Sunday through Thursday with timed appointment tickets available. Beginning Memorial Day weekend, HMC will be offering public tours on a limited basis. Visit holocaustcenter.org for more info.

HMC

Frankel Center’s Undergrad Award

Every spring the Frankel Center for Judaic Studies at University of Michigan honors Miriam Saperstein a graduate with the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award.

This year’s recipient is Miriam Saperstein of Huntington Woods, who uses the pronoun they. In addition to majoring in Judaic Studies, Saperstein also minored in creative writing.

“This award really is a reflection of my excellent professors who helped me take on challenges both academic and personal during my time in undergrad,” Saperstein said. “It’s as much a testament to their teaching as it is to my learning.”

Faculty nominate students who have made standout academic achievements and have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.8 in Judaic studies courses. Professor Devi Mays said Saperstein was one of the most impressive students she has had the pleasure of teaching.

“They are a thoughtful and astute writer, researcher, and thinker, whose classroom contributions propelled discussion forward and encouraged other students to think more deeply about entrenched historical narratives,” said Mays.

After graduation, Saperstein plans on working with the U-M history department on Michigan in the World, an internship program where students, in partnership with the Bentley Historical Library and the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, develop online public exhibitions of research about the history of U-M and its relationships with the wider world. Saperstein then plans on attending Wayne State University’s Master’s in Library and Information Science program.