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Bearing Witness
recipients: Diane Williams, ANSER Charter School, ID; Angela Harvey, Les Bois Junior High School, ID
date: 4/29/09

After a webcam conference with Holocaust survivor Irving Roth, Diane Williams and Angela Harvey, who along with Kellie Hannum, lead the Library’s Idaho Satellite Seminar, found their students to be inspired by his positive, forward looking vision of life. At one point during their “virtual” visit, a student asked Roth if he felt an obligation to “bear witness” to the past. His response was, “Now that you have heard my story, it is your responsibility to bear witness. It becomes your obligation.” This became a central theme for their study of the Holocaust, and in 2009 they were awarded a mini grant to help bring Roth to Boise. Mr. Roth spoke with students at Les Bois Junior High School and ANSER Charter School, and was the main draw at an open community night at a local high school, an event attended by 1,000 people. In addition, teachers participating in a for-credit professional development class on Holocaust education, sponsored by the Boise State Writing Project and taught by Ms. Williams and Ms. Harvey, met with Mr. Roth in a small group setting.

 

 

Contact

For more information about The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI), please contact info@tolinstitute.org

TOLI is located at 58 East 79th Street in Manhattan. (get directions)