Expanding Holocaust Education: Moreshet Center Introduces Curriculum on Non-Jewish Victims of the Nazi Regime
The article discusses a new educational initiative in Israel that for the first time introduces a formal curriculum about non-Jewish victims of the Nazi regime. Developed by the Moreshet Center (Mordechai Anielewicz International Center for Holocaust Documentation) in collaboration with scholar Sarit Zeibert, the curriculum highlights the persecution of groups such as Roma, homosexuals, political dissidents, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the disabled, and others who did not fit the Nazi “Aryan” ideal.
Historically, Israeli education has given minimal attention to these victims, focusing almost exclusively on the Jewish Holocaust. Surveys revealed that most Israeli students and the public were unaware of the symbols representing these persecuted groups.
The curriculum aims to foster deeper understanding of the Nazi regime’s broader policies of oppression, showing how repression against various minorities was a precursor to the Holocaust against Jews. Students are encouraged to engage in critical thinking about moral, social, and political issues, including the roles of science, medicine, and civil society under totalitarian regimes.
Despite the Education Ministry’s claim that non-Jewish victims were already mentioned in Israeli curricula, in practice, these references were marginal. The new program seeks to address this gap by providing a more humanistic, values-based learning experience.
Educators stress that studying the persecution of non-Jewish victims does not diminish the memory of the Jewish Holocaust, but rather offers a more complete understanding of how oppressive regimes operate and impact all segments of society. They hope this broader view will also help reduce the strong sense of victimhood among Israelis and encourage critical historical awareness.
Finally, Zeibert emphasizes that commemorating all victims aligns with international standards and calls for this expanded curriculum to become a turning point in Israeli Holocaust education.
read full article here
