Timeline

On 11 January 2017, I was asked by Rabbi Craig Kacev, head of Jewish Studies at King David High Schools, Johannesburg, South Africa, whether I could make a presentation to the 1000 students at the Linksfield and Victory Park campuses.

Students sing the song in Yiddish at the annual Yom Hashoah ceremonies, but do not understand the inspiration, meaning and significance of the Jewish Partisans’ Song, Zog Nit Keynmol – Never Say You’ve Reached The End of the Road…..

I researched what I could in the limited time available. My first presentation was at the Linksfield campus on 7 February 2017. Since then, I have found more resources to add to our database.

This seemingly simple request has now snowballed into an international project involving schools in South Africa, Australia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Mexico

This has become an amazing opportunity for this beautiful and inspiring poem and song of hope to be presented in a fresh approach by young students. The legacy of the partisans and survivors is being adopted by future generations.

Rabbi Craig Kacev, Rabbi Mendel Rabinowitz, Principal Andrew Baker, Eli Rabinowitz and Victory Park School Captains.

King David Linksfield

My full presentation at KDHS – Keynote Video

Phillip Maisel, Holocaust survivor talking the 11 year old students of Sholem Aleichem School in Melbourne in 2015. Philip was a friend of Hirsh Glik.

Freydi Mrocki, their teacher made the audio recording of the visit, to which I added subtitles. I also edited the audio of the meeting.

For more on Phillip’s work visit: http://www.jhc.org.au/museum/collections/survivor-testimonies.html

Several people provided invaluable help and I want to particularly thank Joseph Toltz, Freydi Mrocki and the teachers and students of the six schools who contributed to the initial stages of the project.

Freydi sen me a recording of her reciting the poem in English:

Herzlia High School hosted 5 other schools online on 15 February 2017

SCHOOLS that were in the online learning lesson in the hangout about the Partisans and the Partisan Song:

Herzlia in Cape Town, South Africa – Mark Helfrich (a Jewish day school) HOST

Atzalyno Gimnazija in Kedainiai, Lithuania – Laima Ardaviciene

ORT Herzl Technological Lyceum in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova – contact
student & IT support Sandu Kiritsa Teacher: Mrs. Anna Curilova (Jewish school)

ORT Solomo Aleichemo in Vilnius, Lithuania – Teresa Segaliene (Jewish school)

Kalvarija High School in Kalvarija, Lithuania – Teacher Giedre Guzaviciene

ORT Kiev School #142 in Kiev, Ukraine (Jewish school) – Teacher Marina Psyanet.

Novogrudok School #8 in Belarus – Teacher Helen Tretyak.