Holocaust Education Session

We were privileged to host Bernd Koschland at the Shul last Sunday, 30 November.  He came to speak to children in the Cheder and the Community generally who are in school years 5, 6, 7 and 8, together with their parents.

Bernd is a Holocaust survivor who came to England on the Kindertransport in 1939.  Bernd talked to us about what it was like to be a child growing up in Germany in the 1930’s.  His story is very powerful and, in a masterful way, Bernd communicated to his audience what it was like for him to leave his family behind and come to England to build a new life.  It was a really moving and wonderful experience for both parents and children alike.  This was apparent from the numerous and meaningful questions posed to Bernd at the end of his talk.

Thank you to the (approximately) 50 children and 35 adults who supported this event.  If you did not manage to make the event, or just want to read about Bernd’s story, please go to the link below:

http://hmd.org.uk/resources/stories/bernd-koschland

Before Bernd spoke, the children took part in two workshops.  In the years 5 and 6 group, the children wrote about what they might pack in a suitcase if they had to leave their home and thought about what the parents and children would be saying to each other and thinking at the train station in Germany.  We have put together a display of the results of that workshop which will be in the Shull Hall over next weekend.  If you are in the Shul, plesae take time to have a look at their wonderful work.

Thank you to Jude Vandervelde for hosting the event and to everyone involved in making it happen.

Ilana Swimer and Tamara Broido