The unit "A Calendar for Life" presents the story of a Dutch Jewish family before, during and after the Nazi period, in an age-appropriate way for students aged 12 and up. The core of the educational unit is the so-called life calendar, an historical document that Nico Herschel illustrated for his then-unborn baby in the winter of 1942, depicting his child's life as he envisioned it in a series of colorful pictures. As the young father, an ardent Zionist, imagined it, the family would emigrate from the Netherlands to Israel later on. While Nico Herschel and his wife Ammy's vision of life came to an end in the Sobibor extermination camp, their baby, Tswi Herschel, was rescued by two non-Jewish Dutch families. As an adult, Tswi set his parents' dream in motion and immigrated to Israel. Through the richly illustrated materials and texts that are kept short and in simple language, the students work on the story of the Herschels and their historical background with an inspiring and interactive methodology. Fundamental historical concepts and contexts from the Holocaust will be developed, as well as the human dimensions of this tragic and yet so optimistic family history.
Supported by: ICHEIC - The International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims
