On Friday 13 March 2020, the South African Friends of Beth Hatefutsoth will be hosting a presentation by Eli Rabinowitz, from Perth.
Eli, who is the founder of the education project the We Are Here Foundation, will be giving a talk accompanied by video footage about the programme for youth across the globe. The foundation focuses on the importance of educating Jewish youth about the Jewish partisans during the World War II. He will be giving an update on the success of this project, which is funded by the US government.
The project which started at schools in Australia is now functioning in Belarus, Lithuania, Israel and the USA. Communities across the globe have been taught to sing the famous Partisans Song (Shir HaPartizanim).
His message is loud and clear: WE MUST NEVER FORGET!
WE ARE HERE! An Education Program That Inspires Upstanders
With Barbara Miller and Ken Wyatt, Federal Minister 2019With Vince Connelly MP 2020
Kristallnacht Cantata Melbourne – World Premiere 2019
With Benny Rabinowitz in Birzh, Lithuania 2019With Ambassadors of of China, Israel and Japan in Birzh, Lithuania 2019Ground Turning at Lost Shtetl Museum, Seduva LithuaniaWith Finnish, UK and US Ambassadors in Lithuania 2018Yad Vashem, Jerusalem 2019With Ian Stein and Dimitri Coutras at Sea Point School in 2019At Beyachad meeting in 2019
Footballers urge fans to ‘stand together’ against racism in Holocaust Memorial Day video
Footballers urge fans to ‘stand together’ against racism in Holocaust Memorial Day video
Harry Kane, Jurgen Klopp and Gary Lineker are among two dozen leading football personalities featured in a video to be shown at FA Cup fourth round matches u…
‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’ – Edmund Burke, philosopher.
CONTINUE TO REMEMBER AND TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Today, 10 November, we commemorate Kristallnacht, also called Night of Broken Glass or November Pogroms, when German Nazis attacked Jewish persons and property in Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland on that date in 1938.
The Perth ceremony will be held at Perth Modern School at 5pm tonight. The keynote address will be delivered by Malcolm McCusker, the former Governor of WA, who will speak on:
“Evil Creeps Back, If Good People Stand Aside”.
The final item on the program is the Partisans’ Song, to be sung in four languages, Yiddish, Hebrew, Noongar and English, by the joint choirs of Ellenbrook Secondary College and Carmel High School, under the direction of Stuart Rhine-Davis. The song was originally written as a poem by Hirsh Glik in 1943. Jesse John Fleay, a lecturer at ECU translated it into Noongar, and Suzanne Kosowitz re-arranged the music by Dmitri Pokrass to fit the Noongar. Michele Galanti coordinates the Carmel School Choir.
The joint Ellenbrook Secondary College – Carmel High School choir first performed this inspiring anthem on 5 August at Ellenbrook Secondary College in front of 2000 people, and then repeated it at Carmel School on 7 August. The original recordings are here: https://wah.foundation/program/
The Kristallnacht ceremony this year will be attended by Lance Turner, son of Uncle Boydie Turner and great grandson of William Cooper, the indigenous Australian, whose protest against the pogroms, at the Nazi consulate office in Melbourne, was finally recognised by the German government in 2017, 79 years later!
Eli Rabinowitz
Perth, Australia
Show your support for our growing band of Upstanders here in Perth WA
‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’ – Edmund Burke, philosopher.
Each year on 9/10 November, we commemorate Kristallnacht, Night of Broken Glass or November Pogroms, when Nazis attacked Jewish persons and property in Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland on that date in 1938.
Some 30000 Jewish males were rounded up and taken to concentration camps. As a result of Kristallnacht, the Nazis ordered the Jewish community to pay one billion Reichsmark as compensation for the damage, and introduced many anti-Jewish laws.
Kristallnacht was a turning point or watershed in the Holocaust. It was the first time that violence against Jews was coordinated on such a large scale in Nazi Germany.
This year, the Perth Kristallnacht Commemoration will be held at Perth Modern School. It is being organised by the CCJWA – Council of Christians and Jews of WA. The keynote address will be delivered by Malcolm McCusker AC CVO QC, a former Governor of Western Australia. The title of his address is: “Evil Creeps Back, If Good People Stand Aside”.
The final item on the program is the Partisans’ Song, to be sung in four languages, Yiddish, Hebrew, Noongar and English, by the joint choirs of Ellenbrook Secondary College and Carmel School, under the direction of Stuart Rhine-Davis.
The song was originally written as a poem by Hirsh Glik in Vilnius in 1943. Jesse John Fleay, a lecturer at Edith Cowan University, translated the poem in 2018 into Noongar, a Western Australian indigenous language. Perth composer Suzanne Kosowitz skilfully re-arranged the music by Dmitri Pokrass to fit the Noongar words. Michele Galanti coordinated the Carmel School Choir performance.
Hirsh Glik
The Partisans’ Song has been sung since 1943 as the anthem or hymn of the Partisans and since the Holocaust by survivors. Traditionally sung in its original Yiddish, the poem is now available in 28 languages, including Noongar.
Abba Kovner & The Vilna PartisansBielski Partisans, Belarus
Carmel School welcomed at Ellenbrook Secondary College
The joint Ellenbrook – Carmel Schools Choir first performed this stirring anthem on 5 August at Ellenbrook Secondary College in front of 2000 people, and then repeated the performance at Carmel School on 7 August. The original recordings can be seen and heard here: https://wah.foundation/program/
The Kristallnacht ceremony this year will be attended by Lance Turner, son of Uncle Boydie Turner and great grandson of William Cooper, the indigenous Australian leader who marched the 10 km from his home in Footscray to the Nazi consulate office in Melbourne, to protest against the Kristallnacht pogrom. William Cooper’s petition was ignored, and was only recognised by the German government in 2017, 79 years after his march!
The Argus, 7 December 1938Eli Rabinowitz, Lance Turner, Stuart Rhine-Davis, Nance Adler & Jesse John FleayEli Rabinowitz & Uncle Boydie Turner in Mooroopna VICStatue of William Cooper in Shepparton VICPlaque in front of the statueGiant Mural Of William Cooper In Shepparton VIC
The US government funded our WE ARE HERE! Upstanders Project for educators in 2019. This enabled us to bring Seattle based educator, Nance Adler to Australia to headline our project. This was most successful, and opened the door for teachers and students around the globe to use our free resources. More information to follow.
Presentation In Novogrudok, Belarus
Nance Adler, Aron Bell (Bieski), Henryka Bell & Eli Rabinowitz in Novogrudok, BelarusMaty Belsky & Eli Rabinowitz in Forest Jerusalem, Naliboki, Belarus
WE ARE HERE! Perth Team Lisa Marino – US Consulate Perth, Eli Rabinowitz – founder, Jill Rabinowitz, Suzanne Kosowitz – composer, Stuart Rhine-Davis – Music Director Ellenbrook Secondary College, Richard Cohen, Professor Lynne Cohen – retired Vice Chancellor and Head of the School of Education at Edith Cowan University, Anne Rhine-Davis, Michele Galanti – Jewish Studies Carmel High School, Shirley Atlas – Educator at the Holocaust Institute WA & Bob Marino
THE BIRZAI/BIRZH MEMORIAL PROJECT, LITHUANIA – SA Jewish Board of Deputies
THE BIRZAI/BIRZH MEMORIAL PROJECT, LITHUANIA – SA Jewish Board of Deputies
On 16 June 2019, a new memorial for the victims of the massacre that took place near Birzai, Lithuania, was unveiled. Located in the Astravas Grove in the Pakamponys forest four kilometres outside the town, it is the third memorial in Lithuania to bear the names of the victims at the massacre site.
Atzalynas Gimnazija, Kedainiai Lithuania 13 June 2019 VIDEO OF OUR EVENT IN LITHUANIA They Are Returning ââTILTAI-BRIDGES-×ר×ק×â’ For video, click here: Source: www.youtube.co…
9 July 2019, Naliboki Forest A Day with the Bielskis 9:00 – All the guests are brought to the village of Naliboki by minivans. 11.00 – meeting Alexander Pilinkievich…
My visit to the Naliboki Forest in Belarus on 16 May 2018, with Tamara, Alexander and Ivan. This is where the Bielskis and many other partisans had their camps in the latter part of WWII. Aptly nam…
Coming Up in the UK, Europe and Israel in June, Europe and the US in July, and Australia in August!
I will be participating in:
a commemoration in June in Birzai & a shabbat weekend in Kedainiai, Lithuania;
an eight day educators’ seminar in June at the International School of Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem;
a 100-strong gathering in Novogrudok, Belarus in July, where a full and interesting program will include learning about the Partisans’ Song, and then singing it in the Naliboki Forest, where the Bielski’s lived and hid from 1942 to 1944;
the IAJGS39 conference in Cleveland in July, where I am giving two presentations, including one as part of the educators program – see below; and
WE ARE HERE! An Education Program That Inspires Upstanders in Australia in August.This educational program, which promotes universal human rights and inclusive development, is funded by the US Dept of State, and brings Holocaust educator and specialist Nance Adler of Seattle to Australia.
POSTED
Busy times ahead!
Chag Pesach Sameach and Happy Easter
Please contact me for further details.
Best regards
Eli
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Further details:
I have been invited to be one of six speakers who will presentat the Educators Program at IAJGS39 (International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies) in Cleveland OH, USA on 28 July, the opening event at thisconference.
My topic is:
Projects That Draw Youth to Ancestral Roots.
The details appear below
My second talk is on 30 July on the WE ARE HERE! Project for Upstanders.
The IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy is being held in Cleveland for the first time. It features a special day designed specifically for Jewish educators!
Who Should Attend
Educators who:
Work in formal and informal settings
Work in day or synagogue schools
Create and facilitate family and intergenerational programs
Teach history
Teach writing and research skills
Sunday, July 28th is the date. The program begins with breakfast and a keynote by noted Jewish educator and genealogist Carol Oseran Starin, former Vice-President of the Jewish Federation of Seattle. Participants may select from two workshop time periods, each with a choice from three nationally known presenters, followed by lunch and idea exchanges.
Program Details
Goal
To introduce educators to how Jewish genealogy strengthens students’ Jewish identity through the experience of researching their roots and how their history shaped family and community.
Schedule
8:30–9:00
Registration and light breakfast
9:00–10:00
Keynote speaker: What is Jewish about Jewish Genealogy, Carol Starin
10:15–11:15
Three workshop sessions
Jewish Genealogy for Beginners, Maurice Kices
Designing an “Introduction to Jewish Genealogy” Program: Being Ready for Surprises, Sylvia Abrams
Projects That Draw Youth to Ancestral Roots, Eli Rabinowitz
11:30–12:30
Three workshop sessions
DNA as a Genealogy Tool, Gil Bardige
JewishGen—Everything You Need to Know, Phyllis Kramer
How to Get Kids Involved in Family History, Daniel Horowitz
12:30–1:15
Lunch and “tachlis” how to implement ideas
1:15–2:45
Participation in SHARE Fair and Exhibits
2:45–4:00
Education track participants are invited to the conference keynote address
Title of the Presentation
Projects That Will Draw Our Youth Back To Their Shtetl
Short Title
Visit the shtetl: the virtual way forward!
Type of Session
Presentation
Topic or Category
Jewish History and Culture Methodology and Mechanics Telling Your Family Story Using Technology for Research
Brief Abstract of Your Presentation
Since 2011, and after nine trips to Poland and Lithuania, as well as travel to Belarus, Germany, Russia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Turkey and Israel, I have compiled a sizeable collection of information, stories, photos and contacts. My focus is not only about my own family history, but that of Jewish cultural history, general history, as well as contemporary Jewish life. Working with schools in these countries, I have been able to bring students together online to collaborate and to exchange information about the lands of their heritage.
My presentation takes you on a tour of how you can use this body of work to further your own knowledge on family research, Jewish cultural heritage and Jewish life. This includes a tour of my 86 JewishGen KehilaLink websites, including 55 in Europe, plus over 600 posts and pages on my Tangential Travel and Jewish Life website and associated social media.
Presentation is best suited for
All skills
How will your presentation help your intended audience?
Expand research skills Develop interview skills Teach best practices Expand social media skills Teach innovative strategies Assist with personal research
Second Talk – Tuesday 30 July 2019
Title of the Presentation
WE ARE HERE! Project: Becoming An Upstander Rather Than A Bystander
Short Title
How Jewish Partisans Inspire Our Youth To Stand Up
Type of Session
Presentation
Topic or Category
Genealogy and Jewish History Related to WW2 Jewish History and Culture Methodology and Mechanics Preserving our Jewish Past
Brief Abstract of Your Presentation
WE ARE HERE! Project This project seeks to inspire in young people the confidence and ability to stand up in the face of prejudice and oppression. Encourages and inspires Upstanders through the stories of Jewish Partisans and the learning of Zog Nit Keynmol Provides role models for standing up for yourself in the face of prejudice, hatred, violence and evil Shows that an individual can make a difference – regardless of their personal circumstances Translates the stories of Jewish Partisans and the words of Zog Nit Keynmol into a universal message of hope and inspiration for all who are victims of prejudice and oppression Empowers young people to create the change they want to see in their communities and the world. Teaches that while the partisans used weapons – they were fighting the Nazis – you can fight oppression with only your voice and presence
Presentation is best suited for
All skills
How will your presentation help your intended audience?
Teach best practices Expand social media skills Teach innovative strategies
With Heather Blumenthal and Richard Freedman at the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre
Carmel School welcomed at Ellenbrook Secondary College
