TOLI provides professional development seminars for educators in the US and abroad that link the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides to current world events, thereby working with teachers to promote a human rights and social justice agenda in their classrooms.
The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, TOLI had to change its in-person seminars on Holocaust education - planned for 10 European countries and one transnational program - to an online format. The programs were spread out in weekly sessions, some lasting up to three months. The response by teachers, from Bulgaria to Ukraine, was very positive and reaffirmed the importance of TOLI's work in Europe. It is thanks to the remarkable efforts of TOLI International Program Director Oana Nestian-Sandu and her colleagues that we are able to fulfill our mission to bring Holocaust and human rights education to Europe in 2020 and add to our growing network of over 1500 teachers in Europe. 
TEACHERS FROM 15 COUNTRIES IN TOLI'S FIRST TRANSNATIONAL SEMINAR
Over 40 teachers from 15 countries – from Azerbaijan to Portugal, Lithuania to Greece – are participating in TOLI’s first transnational seminar. This 11-week teacher professional development program (Sept. 21 – Dec. 7) is conducted online with weekly thematic sessions and features assignments, discussions, and best practices to learn from the past, the Holocaust, and the historic events that proceeded it and to understand its relevancy in today’s world. “The program provides a rich opportunity to integrate national and international approaches in teaching about these topics and in understanding the contemporary relevance of this important part of modern history,” says Oana Nestian-Sandu, TOLI International Program Director who is overseeing the program. The seminar is a joint endeavor with the Intercultural Institute of Timisoara (Romania) with support from the Council of Europe.

One task for participants was to describe the history of the Jewish community in their town/region, many of which were wiped out in the Holocaust. The result was an impressive collection of presentations, using texts, photos, and personal stories of Jewish heritage in their communities. Experts from seven countries are guest speakers.
POLAND: TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST AND HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH ART
Some 40 educators in Poland took part in a unique eight-week program, Teaching about the Holocaust and Human Rights through Art, a TOLI seminar conducted in partnership with POLIN, Museum of the History of Polish Jews.

During the online program from Sept.7— Oct.30, prominent lecturers in the visual arts – graphics, painting and photography – gave multi-media presentations on aspects of the Holocaust and art: documentation and depiction of Jewish life pre-Holocaust and imagery of the Shoah; the history of the Lodz Ghetto through photographs; how post-War comic books and graphics were influenced by the horror of the Holocaust; and the use of art to teach high school students about the Holocaust.
Emphasis was placed on Polish artists, such as Isaac Celnikier, who was trapped in the Bialystok ghetto and subsequently sent to concentration camps. Celnikier survived and his paintings and etchings of the Bialystok ghetto have become an important resource for educators.

The program, with expert input from Yad Vashem, was organized by Katarzyna (Kasia) Laziuk, TOLI Program Coordinator in Poland. (see article below) This was TOLI’s third annual seminar for Polish teachers and the first online program, because of the COVID-19 crisis.

The TOLI Poland Seminar is made possible by a gift from Sara Mostysser and her family. 

Featured Painting: The Holocaust Survivor, by William Bernheim
SUPPORT FOR TOLI EUROPEAN GRADUATES
TOLI is offering two programs to support its widening network of teachers and educators throughout Europe. First, TOLI has developed a pilot professional development program for 500 teachers from Romania and Bulgaria. The program consists of a series of webinars for teachers to expand their understanding of the Holocaust and human rights, learn about new and meaningful ways to address these topics with their students, exchange experiences, and plan inter-school collaboration.   

The second program is TOLI’s Mini-grant program, where all alumni teachers of TOLI seminars in Europe have the opportunity to receive financial assistance and educational support for student projects focusing on the Holocaust and human rights. 
SECOND ANNUAL PROGRAM FOR LITHUANIAN TEACHERS
TOLI’s second annual seminar for teachers in Lithuania is now underway, a seven-week program (Oct. 13 – Nov. 24) with 40 participants. Unlike last year’s program, which took place in Vilnius, the seminar had to be shifted online due to the COVID-19 health crisis. 

The program is organized in the framework of “The Year of the Vilna Gaon and Lithuanian Jewish History,” marking the 300th anniversary of the birth of the legendary scholar and rabbi.  

The seminar focuses on teaching the Holocaust, Jewish heritage, and culture, and applying lessons to contemporary human rights issues. It is organized in partnership with the International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania and the Lithuanian Jewish Community. Funding for the program was provided, in part, by the Good Will Foundation. 

Photo: US Holocaust and Human Rights expert Vadim Altskan spoke at the TOLI seminar for Lithuanian teachers. 
BILATERAL SEMINAR FOR TEACHERS IN ROMANIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Teachers from Romania and the Republic of Moldova have come together online for the first bilateral TOLI seminar (Oct. 1 – Dec. 14) to develop collaborative approaches for Holocaust education. The program in Romanian, the official language of both countries, is in partnership with the the Elie Wiesel National Institute for Studying the Holocaust in Romania and the Intercultural Institute of Timisoara. Funding, in part, comes from the Dutch Jewish Humanitarian Fund.

During and following the program, teachers from each country will be encouraged to develop collaborative education projects, with support from the TOLI Mini-grant program
KASIA LAZIUK- KEEPING JEWISH MEMORY ALIVE IN POLAND
Katarzyna Laziuk, TOLI Program Coordinator in Poland, says she knew little about the Jewish history of Mińsk Mazowiecki, the small Polish city east of Warsaw where she grew up. But as a teacher, Kasia, as everyone calls her, has been in the forefront of documenting and presenting that history to educate about the Holocaust, which ended 400 years of Jews living in her city. Once she began this mission some 11 years ago, it became a special journey for Kasia. 
DECEMBER 1ST IS GIVING TUESDAY- SAVE THE DATE!
Amidst the global pandemic, TOLI educators continue to teach the Holocaust to students across America. Their dedication is high, their work essential. With rising extremism and intolerance, TOLI teachers are a precious resource for fighting prejudice, hatred, and strengthening values of human rights. One thing we know we can count on is the dedication of our teachers to the lessons of the Holocaust and the community of people who come together to support them. #GivingTuesday is a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses, and communities in countries around the world. Millions of people donate each year and champion the causes they believe in. This year Giving Tuesday is December 1, 2020, beginning at midnight, and we ask you to keep TOLI in your hearts.
 
Anyone, anywhere can get involved and give back in a way that’s meaningful to them. There’s no minimum or limit to how people can do good! #GivingTuesday isn’t just about fundraising, it’s about communities banding together and giving their time, power, skills, expertise, and resources. Amidst social distancing, police brutality, protests, and with anti-Semitism and ignorance on the rise, Giving Tuesday is one cause we can all rally behind. It's about the collective spirit of generosity that brings change to our communities.

Email clepetiuk@tolinstitute.org for more information or to join the fundraising team this Giving Tuesday!

NEVER AGAIN BEGINS IN THE CLASSROOM ®
Please support TOLI programs, enabling thousands of teachers in the US and Europe to educate their students about the Holocaust and against hate and intolerance.
Did You Know You Can Donate to TOLI Through Donor-Advised Funds?
A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a type of giving program that allows you to combine the most favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to support your favorite charities. DAF Direct enables you to recommend grants to The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI).
‌
DON'T FORGET TO LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!