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JFR AND inSIGHT THROUGH EDUCATION RECOGNIZE THE FIRST GOLDSMITH STUDENT SCHOLARS OF THE HOLOCAUST
During the 2024-2025 academic school year, teachers in Palm Beach County Florida have been piloting JFR’s new online Holocaust education program, How Was it Possible? A Holocaust Curriculum For and By Teachers™ (HWIP). This was done under the direction of Kimberly Coombs, JFR Lerner Fellow 2022, with the support of inSIGHT Through Education, one of the JFR’s Holocaust Centers of Excellence Program. The JFR has spent the past three years developing HWIP. Prior to launching the program nation-wide, it was decided to pilot HWIP for a school year. The Palm Beach County Florida School District, which is the tenth largest district in the United States, was the perfect district to pilot the program due to Kimberly Coombs's unique position as Program Planner of Holocaust Studies and Jewish History (K-12) for the district, the large number of JFR Alfred Lerner Fellows in the district, and because Florida mandates teaching the Holocaust.
On Sunday, April 27, 2025, inSIGHT Through Education held a special luncheon to recognize and honor the students. At the luncheon, students and their teachers from twelve schools across the district participated in the program and received their Goldsmith Student Scholars of the Holocaust recognition. Their teachers received their Goldsmith Fellow of the Holocaust recognition. Approximately 500 students participated in the program and passed sixteen quizzes with a score of 80% or higher to qualify as a Goldsmith Student Scholar. More than 100 students and their parents attended the luncheon. In addition to recognizing these outstanding students, inSIGHT awarded its outstanding teacher award to Julie Gates (Lerner Fellow 2018). Also in attendance at the luncheon were Holocaust survivors and members of the Palm Beach County School Board.
The JFR would like to thank Kelly Warsaw, President and CEO of inSIGHT, Carly Beno also of inSIGHT for planning the luncheon which was outstanding. A thank you to Kimberly Coombs and the Palm Beach County teachers who worked with HWIP this past year. Click here for photos of the luncheon. Luncheon photos taken by Coastal Click Photography.
The JFR is now launching the program for the 2025-2026 school year. If you are interested in leaning how you can bring HWIP to your school or school district, please email the JFR at jfr@jfr.org. HWIP is being offered at no cost. For information on the program please click here.
V-E DAY – MAY 8, 2025
On May 8, 2025, we will commemorate V-E Day – Victory in Europe. Please consider showing JFR’s award winning documentary Following the Footsteps of My Father. Here is a link to the documentary.
If you would like to screen the longer version of the documentary, Footsteps of My Father please email Stanlee at sstahl@jfr.org and we will make it possible for you to screen the documentary with your students. The longer version is 38 minutes in length. Stanlee is also available to “meet” with your students online to discuss the making of the documentary, Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds, and the historiography of the Battle of the Bulge. The Teachers Guide for “Footsteps of My Father” is available on the JFR website. Here is a link to the Teacher’s Guide.
2025 SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS
Our 2025 Summer Institute got off to an early start! We have been Zooming with our 2025 Lerner Fellows. It is a great way for everyone to “meet” each other prior to arriving at the Hilton Newark Airport the end of June and to discuss topics of interest to the group.
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