High school assignment debating Holocaust pulled, banned in upstate NY school district Jewish Telegraphic Agency A homework assignment asking students in an upstate New York school district to argue for or against the Final Solution from the perspective of a Nazi official was withdrawn and will never be assigned again. High school students in an advanced class in Oswego County were assigned a project to pretend they were members of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party in order to argue for or against the Holocaust’s Final Solution. “This is an exercise on expanding your point of view by going outside your comfort zone and training your brain to logistically find the evidence necessary to prove a point, even if it is existentially and philosophically against what you believe,” according to the directions of the assignment. Two students who complained about the exercise were given an alternative assignment. But the students, Archer Shurtliff and Jordan April, took their complaint further and called for the teacher to apologize and for the school district to permanently ban the assignment, Syracuse.com reported. Neither of the students, both 17, is Jewish. On Monday, New York State
Education Department Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said the assignment has been permanently banned. “Since first learning of the assignment, I’ve done my homework to determine the facts in this situation,” Elia said in a statement. “I spoke with district officials about this serious matter. We agree the assignment should not have been given. The teacher apologized and the assignment will not be used in the future.” Evan Bernstein, the AntiDefamation League’s New York regional director, praised the district and Elia after saying in a statement that “There is no assignment that could ever be given to students that even hints at a balanced perspective to the horrors of Nazi actions during the Holocaust …” “The notion that students were asked to engage in such thinking trivializes the horrific experiences of the victims and we are pleased that it will no longer be part of the curriculum,” he also said. But State Assemblyman Dov Hikind of Brooklyn called for Elia’s resignation, noting that previously she defended the assignment as “critical thinking,” according to the New York Daily News.
JCC to bring Stagemakers performance of Fame Jr. to Easton By Michelle Cohen HAKOL Editor On May 28, join the Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley’s Stagemakers for a performance at Temple Covenant of Peace in Easton. The Stagemakers performance of Fame Jr., a play taking place in the 1980s at the prestigious New York High School of the Performing Arts that includes a contemporary pop soundtrack, is traveling to Easton as part of the JCC’s outreach efforts. “We wanted to bring Stagemakers theater to Easton,” said Brenda Finberg, director of camp and children’s services. “We want to help the Easton community learn about our theater and see our productions,”
and Temple Covenant of Peace is the “perfect location” thanks to Rabbi Melody Davis “graciously opening her doors and helping us get the word out.” As for the day of the performance, “we’re taking as much of the set and props as we can,” Finberg added, in addition to the costumes and the cast, composed of students in 5th-12th grades. The play is one of several initiatives bringing JCC programs to Easton. An older adult exercise program takes place at Bnai Abraham Synagogue every week, and Finberg is making plans to deliver even more JCC services across the valley. Easton residents are just as excited as JCC personnel about the new partnerships. “We’re looking forward to having
Broadway come to Easton,” said Rabbi Melody Davis of TCP, adding that “this can show more of what the JCC offers to Eastonians.” “We are very excited to be having a show in Easton and we hope to make this a regular occurrence for future productions,” Sarah-Jane Appleman, the play’s director, concluded. The show will take place on May 28 at 2 p.m. For more information, contact Brenda Finberg at 610-4353571 ext. 183 or bfinberg@lvjcc.org.
Awards Heavy hors d’oeuvres Open bar
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