The Levine JCC Butterfly Project Annual Homeschool Workshop

August 2024

By Lori Semel and Emily Russell

“This is one of the most memorable field trips I have taken my kids to,” said a homeschool parent in 2023. This is a high compliment from a homeschool parent, as this community of educators relies on various field trips to enhance their children’s learning. The Levine Jewish Community Center (LJCC) Butterfly Project will host its Annual Homeschool Workshop on Sept. 23 for students ages 10 and older, each accompanied by at least one parent or chaperone. This is one of three workshops during the school year that offer opportunities for parents and students to attend together. Homeschool parents have shared that this format is impactful because post-workshop discussions can be more detailed and nuanced.

The Butterfly Project is a worldwide initiative with the goal of painting ceramic butterflies in memory of the 1.5 million children who perished during the Holocaust. The LJCC Butterfly Project workshop expands upon that goal, using the history of the Holocaust as a vehicle to teach what can happen when biased attitudes, biased acts, and discrimination are allowed to flourish.

Participants walk away with an awareness of the effects of the Holocaust on its most innocent victims – the children.

The 2½ hour workshop includes:

- A Holocaust survivor sharing their story.

- An examination of the Anti-Defamation League’s Pyramid of Hate, encouraging students to Take a Stand against bias and discrimination.

- Painting a ceramic butterfly in memory of a specific child who perished in the Holocaust.

- A visit to the Margaret and Lou Schwartz Butterfly Garden Holocaust Memorial.

Similar to the NC public school curriculum, homeschoolers encounter WWII starting in 6th grade and revisit it at various times during high school. The Holocaust might appear in their history lessons, a novel, or artwork. Our workshop gives parents and students a reference point for engaging with these other historical materials and a way to relate the hatred of that time to the hate we still see persisting in various communities today.

The LJCC Butterfly Project coordinators feel it is important to reach out to this diverse and dynamic community. It provides an opportunity for homeschoolers to access resources to enhance their learning, build community engagement by coming to Shalom Park, and network with other homeschoolers in the area.

Catherine, age 15, who attended in 2023, said it best:

“This event was so touching and inspiring! Everything discussed during the presentation felt very close to my heart, and I would love to someday raise awareness as this organization does. I have always been fascinated by the heartbreaking stories of the Holocaust and am so excited that I had the opportunity to meet a survivor in person. Her story was beautiful, and I am so glad this organization has given me the amazing opportunity to hear it.”

To register for the workshop, visit charlottejcc.org or call LJCC Customer Service at (704) 366-5007. There is a $5 fee for the workshop, which will be held at the Sam Lerner Center for Cultural Arts, Levine JCC, 5007 Providence Rd., Charlotte.