Let's get to know each other

My students are curious to know about you, your country and about your educational system.
So, we have a few questions!

1. As Christmas is getting closer, what traditions are there in Birmingham? Do you have some special activities related to this at school?

2. Do you learn about the history of Romania as we learn about America and its government?

3. What foreign languages do you study? And what languages would you like to study?

4. Are you satisfied with the school system in your country?

5. How many hours do you spend at school daily? Do you have classes on Saturday?

6. What happens if you skip classes?

7. Are you allowed to access social networks at school?

8. Would you consider living in another country?

End of story!

One day I was able to get up, after gathering all my strength. I wanted to see myself in the mirror hanging on the opposite wall. I had not seen myself since the ghetto.
From the depths of the mirror, a corpse gazed back at me.
The look in his eyes, as they stared into mine, has never left me.

This is the final passage of Night. Seen from different perspectives, it might seem either deliberately limitted from the point of view of the perspective or rather incomplete from a more traditional point of view. A historian or biographer would not like the manner in which the book ends, they would want to know what happened afterwards. 

Do you agree with Wiesel's choice?

If you were the author, would you have chosen a different ending?

Reading between the lines...

I would like to draw yout attention towards two fragments of the book that I find particularly important and which offer us some food for thought

Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky.
Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.
Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.

How do you explain Wiesel's words here? He was just a Jewish boy but the statement sounds bold. Does Wiesel believe that God is dead?

Historical Background - Antisemitism

Hello everyone! In addition to reading Night, it is very important to also discuss historical background (I'm a history teacher.  I can't help it! :) )  Before beginning our discussions about WWII and the Holocaust, we need to talk about the causes and effects of antisemitism.  Please watch the attached 12-minute video, European Antisemitism From its Origins to the Holocaust, and answer the following questions.

https://www.ushmm.org/confront-antisemitism/european-antisemitism-from-its-origins-to-the-holocaust

1.  What is antisemitism?
2.  What is the meaning of “scapegoat”? What do people gain from scapegoating?
3.  What is the effect of hateful images and speech? Do images and words reflect existing attitudes
     or create them?
4.  Why would political or religious leaders espouse antisemitic ideas?

Some "Get to Know You" Questions! :)

In addition to starting reading Night, we worked together to come up with a few questions about Targu Lapus and your school.  We are looking forward to your responses! Feel free to ask us any questions you may have.

1.  What is it like in a Romanian classroom?
2.  What are your favorite holidays?
3.  What are some cultural traditions in Romania?
4.  Is learning English part of your school curriculum?
5.  How does it feel to work with other students from the U.S.?
6.  What do teenagers in Targu Lapus do for fun?

Just a Quick Quiz!

Hello, everybody!

We have started reading "Night" and we are anxious to actually talk about it! We believe that it is our moral duty to find out about what happened and not let people forget! It may seem like talking about things will not change them but it will surely keep everything alive! Let us not forget and never allow such terrible things to happen again!

So, here comes the quiz!

1. What is Elie Wiesel's country of origin?
2. Which concentration camp were Elie and his family taken to?
3. Apart from Elie which characters appear more frequently in the book?
4. Where does Elie last see his mother and sisters?
5. Why did Wiesel write "Night"?
6. There were publishers who were reluctant to accept "Night". Why do you think this happened?

Feel free to answer any of these questions!

Holocaust Studies - Ms. McDonald

Hello, Targu Lapus!!!  :)

By way of introduction ...

I teach English at Petru Rares Highschool in Targu Lapus, a small town in the north-west of Romania, in the county of Maramures. I met Amy in June when she came to our town in her quest to find Max Steinmetz's roots. I was impressed by Max's story but I was also impressed by Amy's determination not only to write about it but also to retrace the difficult road Max was forced to take. I truly believe that we need to know about everything that happened in our history and especially about those moments when humanity was on the verge of disappearing. In my opinion, the Holocaust is one of those moments and it is our duty to never let this happen again!
Since Amy and I connected so quickly, we started talking about a future collaboration that was meant to bring our students together in a project that was basically a book study. It is my belief that our students will benefit from doing this project on so many levels and we are all very anxious to start it.

An Introduction to This Blog and Myself

I teach AP US History and Holocaust Studies at Shades Valley High School in Birmingham, Alabama.  In addition to teaching, I have spent approximately the last two years writing a book about Holocaust survivor, Max Steinmetz.  To make a long story very short, this past summer I received a grant from Fund for Teachers and had the opportunity to visit Max's hometown of Targu Lapus, Romania.  Not only was this trip invaluable for purposes of writing the book, it was an incredible experience where I met many wonderful people.  It is because of meeting these people, also teachers, that this blog evolved. 

Before leaving Romania, I had a conversation with Florina Ciupe, teacher of English at Petru Rares High School in Targu Lapus, Romania.  We talked about the possibility of our classes doing a project together during the next school year.  That school year is now here, and we are ready to embark on connecting my classroom in Birmingham, AL with her classroom in Targu Lapus, Romania.  The project is almost finalized, but we will be working together on a book study on some aspect of the Holocaust.  It is my goal that we will all learn from each other.  It is also my goal that Max Steinmetz, who never returned to his hometown in Romania, will be touched and amazed by these connections. 

I needed to learn how to create a blog.  How am I doing so far?