A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity to Fight Holocaust Denial Through Education

I have been teaching for over 25 years as a high school and college professor, and I am also the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor. Because of that, Holocaust education is not just a unit I teach or a topic I cover; it is my family history. It is personal, it is urgent, and it matters deeply to me.

I have been accepted into the Alan Cornell U.S. Campus Faculty Seminar at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem, one of the most respected Holocaust education programs in the world. This invitation-only seminar brings together a small group of educators for intensive study at the world’s leading Holocaust memorial and research center.

I am deeply honored to have been selected.

At a time when antisemitism is rising worldwide, Holocaust denial is becoming louder and more openly expressed, and historical truth is being distorted online and even in classrooms, this opportunity feels more important than ever. Students are encountering misinformation before they encounter real history. As an educator, I believe it is my responsibility to meet that challenge directly.

This is not a trip.

This is not tourism.

This is professional study at the highest level.

Why This Matters Right Now

I teach Holocaust and Genocide Studies, U.S. History, Civics, and AP Government. I see firsthand how students struggle to separate truth from distortion and how denial narratives spread easily in the digital age.

This seminar will allow me to:

Study original documents, archival materials, and survivor testimony at their source

Learn directly from leading historians and educators at Yad Vashem.

Strengthen my ability to teach Holocaust history accurately, ethically, and responsibly.

Develop lessons that directly confront denial, antisemitism, and historical distortion.

The rise in antisemitic incidents and Holocaust denial is not abstract. It is happening now — in our schools, communities, and online spaces. Education remains one of the most powerful tools we have to confront it.

Why I’m Asking for Help

Yad Vashem and the Alan Cornell family are generously covering the program itself, including lodging, instruction, and on-site transportation. However, participants are responsible for airfare and related travel expenses, which must be paid in advance.

Like many educators, I do not have the personal resources to absorb the costs of international travel. What I do have is a deep commitment to bring this learning back to my students and my community in a meaningful and lasting way.

Your support will help cover:

International airfare to and from Israel

Travel insurance and required flexibility

Essential out-of-pocket travel expenses

Every donation matters. Every share helps.

The Impact of Your Support

This experience will not benefit only me. It will impact:

Hundreds of students over the coming years

Fellow educators with whom I share curriculum and training

A broader school community is learning how to recognize the dangers of hatred, denial, and indifference

Holocaust education is not only about the past. It is about recognizing warning signs in the present and teaching students to value truth, human dignity, and democratic responsibility.

If you believe education matters

If you believe history must be taught accurately

If you believe silence in the face of hatred is dangerous

Thank you for considering supporting this journey.

I promise to bring this experience back to my classroom with intention, integrity, and purpose.

Thank you for being part of this important work.