WORKSHOPS
Our workshops are:
- appropriate for students (grades 5 to 12 as indicated), educators and adults of all ages
- presented by VHEC educators, either in person or online
- subject to availability of our education staff
- scheduled for 60 or 90 minutes, depending on the age of participants and workshops selected
- offered at a cost of $200 per session (subsidy or fee waiver available upon request thanks to generous support from Summit Ice)
Available Workshops
(Click each item for workshop details)
Art During the Holocaust
Grade 10+
Secret artwork created by Jewish artists during the Holocaust was a powerful form of defiance and resistance against dehumanization and erasure of individuality. In this workshop, participants explore and interpret this body of work to gain insight on struggle of Jewish artists to preserve their dignity, identity and culture through artistic expression.
Introduction to Propaganda
Grade 8+
Propaganda was an important tool for the Nazi regime which shaped public responses to the persecution of Jews and other victim groups during the Holocaust. Participants in this workshop critically analyse propaganda, identify antisemitic tropes and consider how propagandists tailored their messages for specific audiences. The workshop looks at historical examples of propaganda from the Reformation and the First World War in addition to primary sources from the VHEC’s collection of Nazi propaganda and survivor testimonies.
Martha: A Short Film
Grade 10+
In his short film Martha, local filmmaker Daniel Schubert offers a deeply personal and moving account of his grandmother, Martha Katz, a Holocaust survivor. It blends light-hearted moments with harrowing memories from Auschwitz, highlighting both her enduring trauma and her remarkable strength. Participants in this workshop view the film and explore its major themes of Holocaust history, intergenerational memory and Jewish life.
Moral Courage and Decision Making During the Holocaust
Grade 6+
Participants in this workshop are presented with real-life examples of moral decision making during the Holocaust by those who saved the lives of local survivors. Featuring primary sources from the VHEC collection, this workshop explores the backgrounds, character traits and circumstances associated with helpers and rescuers. Participants consider how the behaviours of individuals in times of moral crisis can impact others around them and shape history in the process.
Survivor Video Testimony Workshop
Grades 6+
The VHEC’s testimony workshops translate the impersonal statistics into the meaningful individual experiences of children who lived through the Holocaust. Participants learn about the stages of the Holocaust as they are guided through the video testimony, photographs and artefacts of local Vancouver survivors. The following testimony workshops are available:
- Regina Feldman, a child survivor of ghettos and concentration camps in Poland and Germany
- Coming Soon: Alex Buckman, a hidden child in Belgium and Serge Vanry, a hidden child in France
The Basketball Game: A Short Film
Grade 6+
Local filmmaker Hart Snider’s animated short film, The Basketball Game, recounts the real-life encounter between campers at a Jewish summer camp and the former students of convicted Holocaust denier, James Keegstra. Participants watch the film and learn about the nature of Holocaust denial, its impact on individuals and society, and consider how it can be combatted today.
Workshop Request Form
Please complete this form to request a workshop. Answer all required sections and indicate any special requirements of your group. A member of the education staff will contact you to discuss your request. We will try our best to accommodate all requests, subject to availability of our staff.