Year 10 Excursion to Melbourne Holocaust Museum

On Monday 15th June our Year 10 students travelled to the Melbourne Holocaust Museum in Elsternwick for an experience they will never forget. Renovated in 2023, the museum is very impressive and moving place to visit. It is not just an educational facility but also a memorial so we never forget those who lost their lives and were robbed of their humanity during the horrors of the Holocaust in WW2. 

During three educational sessions were able to explore the topic of the Holocaust through discussions on discrimination and the 'Pyramid of Hate', replicas of artifacts from the Holocaust and interactive and engaging museum displays. We were also fortunate to hear from Mr Peter Gaspar - a Holocaust survivor who now lives in Melbourne. Peter recollected his experience of the Holocaust as a very young child. He recalled being told he could no longer attend his Primary School because he was Jewish and having to wear the yellow Star of David on his clothing. He told us of the hunger and fear he felt whilst hiding in a dark, cold and wet dug-out under a house - standing in silence, all day and all night, fearing they may be discovered. He also told us the story of his family surrendering themselves to the police so he could be treated for an illness he might have otherwise died from. Thankfully, Peter and his parents were reunited after the war but we learnt that millions of other families faced the ultimate of horrors instead in the camps and ghettos. 

At the end of the day students and teachers were invited to 'vote' for a character strength that they now felt inspired to try to demonstrate more often. The most popular choice was 'hope'. Alongside the English incursion from the Courage to Care organisation, we hope this experience has inspired our students to be upstanders, not bystanders, when witnessing discrimination and injustice in the lives they lead now and in the future.  As Peter says, "You all have choices and your choices define who you are to yourself and others".

Thank you to Mr Shannon, Ms Boyd, Mr Grant, Ms Moschetti for making this day possible. 

Mrs Graham

Humanities Curriculum Area Leader and Year 10 Humanities teacher