Onondaga County is partnering with a New York-based organization that will educate more middle and high school students about the Holocaust and anti-Semitism. The Holocaust is already being taught in nearly every school across the state. But 3GNY makes it personal and meaningful by bringing in the descendants of survivors to share their family stories. Executive Director Dave Reckess says students are attentive and respectful.
“You never know what kinds of questions students are going to ask," Reckess said. "But every time I've gone in to share a story, to share my grandmother's story, students asked about the people who helped her along the way. They asked about how she managed to pick up her life and move on beyond that and create a new life here in America.”
The county has set aside $30,000 in matching funds for the program, which the county executive says became more of a priority after the Hamas attack on Israel last fall. 3GNY is already in Syracuse city schools. Director of Social Studies Education Nick Stamoulacatos says the program has been a welcome and essential part of their curriculum.
"We know that many people are not aware, but at the heart of the New York State social studies standards is Holocaust education and many other forms of education that promote diversity, equity and belonging.”
3GNY trains the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors how to share their family stories in classroom and community settings. Program officials say that history informs how Jewish people see the world today, and how painful it can be given the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
