Shem Olam Faith & the Holocaust Institute for Education, Documentation & Research

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A Journey of Circles, Time and Place

About the journey
It exposes its participants to the strength of mind and spirit in the Holocaust period.
The participant gains deeper understanding and insight into faith, ideas, values and identity within the reality of destruction, evil, instability and degeneration in the Holocaust.
The journey moves in circles between the Holocaust issues to issues in a different historical setting, whereby the similarity of the corresponding issues are the moral dilemmas and the same humanitarian and spiritual values which were challenged.
A journey where the Holocaust is presented as a' compass' and yardstick for coping in a world of contradictions.
 
Rationale
In a Journey of Circles, students learn about the Holocaust through observation of the manner in which Jews coped in the ghettos, camps and extermination camps. They are exposed to the mental, spiritual fortitude that comes to light at such a fateful and critical time, the decisions, dilemmas and insights manifested in the stark reality of human existence. Later, the students travel the same route in a lighter reality in their own historical space and deal with the issues that were previously discussed. This way, the Holocaust gains expression as a resource for any life issue.
 
Framework:
• A journey for youth, students, and soldiers from various sectors of Israeli society.
• A journey of three or four days based on study content units with site tours connected to the program
• Accompanying qualified guide.
• Experiential evenings
• Full Board + half-day study + half-day trips

CENTRAL ISSUES IN THE JOURNEY OF CIRCLES
1. From Personal to National Identity
Students will be exposed on the one hand to social and moral conduct in the Holocaust, and on the other hand, to the stories of the illegal immigrant survivors. This is prior to clarifying the significance of the concept of nation and society and being caught up in a struggle suddenly defining them as a "state".
 
2. Transformational Leadership through tools of Moral Values
Within this framework students become familiar with the principal leadership groups in the ghettos and camps in a reality without a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, and later become acquainted with the leadership dilemmas in the nascent Israeli society.
 
3.Humanity and Fundamental Issues
Students engage in the humanitarian values which operated in the reality of an annihilation force. This is seen within a framework of events, statements and messages imprinted on the Jewish people for generations.
 
4. The heroic spirit of women
Within this framework, students become acquainted with the emergent and changing world of the female gender in the reality of annihilation and the new revelations in the imminent society.
 
5. Tormented Body and Heroism of Mind and Spirit
Students are introduced to both the strength of mind and fortitude of spirit among Jews during and after the Holocaust within the reality of grave physical and social hardship and also to questions encompassing the trust and faith in Man himself, with significance and reference to underprivileged sectors in society.