The Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Initiative

The Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Education Initiative, part of the Hammel Family Human Rights Initiative, offers a customized, state-of-the-art approach to Holocaust education. Grounded in trauma-informed practices, asset-based approaches, and culturally and contextually responsive teaching, our experienced facilitators partner with schools, districts, and organizations seeking to deepen and strengthen their Holocaust education programs. While all offerings are fully customizable, this work intentionally re-envisions how Holocaust education is approached and taught. Rather than relying on traditional, fact-heavy models that can retraumatize students, the Initiative centers student voice, background, and curiosity. Educators are equipped with tools that honor students’ lived experiences, build on existing strengths, and invite inquiry. Through this approach, students are empowered to ask meaningful questions, think critically, and engage at their own pace—leading to deeper understanding, reflection, and connection beyond rote memorization.

Our Initiative creates space for educators to explore how antisemitism functioned historically, how it operates today, and how it intersects with broader conversations about prejudice, genocide, and human rights. Through carefully facilitated inquiry, we support schools in tackling difficult issues with honesty, nuance, and care.

Our programming does not shy away from the moral and emotional weight of this history, but we adopt a nonpartisan approach. We provide educators with practical tools and frameworks to approach Holocaust and genocide education responsibly and effectively.

“Holocaust and genocide education must be student-centered. We have a responsibility to bring students safely into — and out of — these lessons by creating an environment rooted in safety, support, compassion, and collaboration. At the same time, we must use relevant examples that connect the past to the present and ensure that families, communities, and school leaders understand our objectives. When everyone is aligned, meaningful and responsible learning can take place.”

Molly Dallmeyer , High School Social Studies Teacher, Dallastown Area High School

This work delves deeply into the historical contexts, causes, and aftermath of these atrocities. By examining the Holocaust and other genocides through a trauma-informed lens, it fosters critical thinking, empathy, and meaningful understanding. It raises awareness of warning signs, promotes human rights, and encourages responsible, fact-based engagement

Jessica Fernandez , English Language Arts Teacher, Hola Dual Language Charter School, Hoboken, NJ

“Students need to be actively involved in their learning. They can’t simply sit and listen — they need opportunities to collaborate, reflect, and respond to one another. Engaging in discussion, moving between groups, and even silently interacting with peers’ ideas expands thinking and deepens understanding. When students are encouraged to explore multiple perspectives, they begin to see the complexity within any topic.”

Eli Shoshoni , Director of Writing, Columbia Prep School

“I believe deeply in the importance of students thinking from diverse perspectives and drawing on multiple sources. When their inquisitiveness and curiosity guide the learning process, it leads to deeper understanding — and ultimately, to action.”

Becky Zanardi , former middle and high school English teacher; Instructor for the Nebraska Institute for Holocaust Education’s Searching for Humanity; Facilitator for the traveling exhibit program at the Anne Frank Center at the University of South Carolina–Columbia

“This learning must extend beyond the historical moment. Remembering the Holocaust is essential, but equally important is asking how that memory helps us grow — not only in preventing injustice, but in becoming better people. More empathetic. More compassionate. More willing to stand up for one another.”

Farrell Kelly , Social Studies Teacher, Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School (International Baccalaureate World School), Falls Church City Public Schools

Partnerships and National Engagement

The Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Education Initiative has partnered with respected national and regional organizations to strengthen the quality and reach of this work. We have collaborated with the National Endowment for the Humanities through a dedicated Holocaust education program that supported rigorous scholarly engagement and educator research. Participants in this program produced substantive inquiry-based papers, including Melissa Bryan's paper "Interdisciplinary Literacy: An Integrative and Inquiry-Based Effort," demonstrating the depth of reflection and classroom application fostered through our approach.

Our work has also been informed and enriched through collaboration with the South Carolina Council on the Holocaust and the Center for Holocaust Education of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. These partnerships allow us to remain grounded in pedagogy while tailoring our offerings to the unique needs of each school community.

We offer specialized professional learning workshops focused on Holocaust and genocide education. Rather than centering solely on historical content, our sessions emphasize equipping educators with the tools and confidence to facilitate student-centered learning experiences. We support teachers promoting student agency— fostering inquiry, critical thinking, and responsible engagement with complex history.

Our workshops also guide educators in making developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed decisions about instructional resources. We prioritize preventing retraumatization, promoting psychological safety, and ensuring that difficult histories are taught with care, intention, and respect for students’ lived experiences.

Each session can be customized to meet the specific goals and needs of your school or district, and our programming aligns with Pennsylvania’s Act 70 requirements.