School of Dialogue at Stefan Żeromski High School No.40 in Warsaw

| 2014 |

Students from Stefan Żeromski High School no.40 did not participate in the 2014 School of Dialogue program by accident. Their school is located in the area of what before World War II was Warsaw’s Jewish district; the ghetto wall had been erected not far from the school building. Nowadays, the institution is a place not cut off from its past – for many years now, the high school has worked on shaping tolerant attitudes and organizing meetings with Polish Righteous Among the Nations. The group of students involved in the School of Dialogue had some knowledge on Jewish history and culture through their trip to Israel, which was organized as part of another school project.

Before joining School of Dialogue workshops, students had a general understanding of Warsaw’s prewar Jewish past, the size of the city’s prewar Jewish community and the area where most of its Jewish residents lived.

However, they lacked details and specific information, which were imparted to them by Forum’s educators in the course of two workshops conducted in the school and two walking tours in the city.

The topic of the workshops met with participants’ enthusiasm from the very first session. Students were interested in Warsaw’s Jewish past, but also multiculturalism-related they experience on everyday basis. A visit at the Jewish cemetery on ul.Okopowa made them realize just how diverse the prewar Jewish community of Warsaw and Poland were. For most of the youth, this was the first visit to a Jewish cemetery. Symbolism behind matzevah headstones, burial and funeral rituals and the history of the site were all new and fascinating issues. A walk through a non-existent city and a visit to sites closely related to the history of the ghetto made students even more interested.

By reading excerpts from memoirs, students had a chance to understand for the first time the everyday reality in the Warsaw ghetto. Another important topic of interest was commemoration; the group willingly discussed the different forms it may take, the issue of historical reenactments as well as the role of “classic” museums and memorials.

Thanks to the open and tolerant attitudes demonstrated by the students, participation in the workshops provided them with an opportunity to acquire new information and encourage further individual studies. The workshops also inspired students to learn more about Warsaw’s Femina movie theater, which in 2014 was being prepared to shut down.

Warsaw

School:
Stefan Żeromski High School No.40 in Warsaw
Students:
a group of students from different years
Teacher:
Elżbieta Kiedysz
Educators:
Katarzyna Czajkowska-Łukasiewicz, Aneta Kulińska

To read more about Warsaw visit Virtual Shtetl:

Contributors

In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this educational program. Through recovering the assets of the victims of the Holocaust, the Claims Conference enables organizations around the world to provide education about the Shoah and to preserve the memory of those who perished.

Program co-financed from the funds granted by Citizens for Democracy program, financed through the EEA grants.

In appreciation to Friends of the Forum for supporting the School of Dialogue educational program.