Today T4H was at a Kindergarten to Grade 12 school in Wiarton, Ontario - northwest of Owen Sound. It was another great day and Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) Educator Elena taught 6 workshops in total to students in a range of Grades (Grade 4, Grades 5-6, Grade 8, and Grades 9-11). Elena taught 4 Canadian Experience workshops, 1 Simon’s Story workshop, and 1 Genocide workshop so the variety was nice! The school also assigned a Grade 11 student, Will, to hang out on the bus and help guide all of the classes there in a timely fashion which was very much appreciated. 

Elena handed out copies of the Jewish Heritage Month Resource Guidebook and this led to a great question from one student in Grade 5, who asked Elena what the difference was between Judaism and Christianity. Elena found that difficult to answer but she explained that Judaism is the older religion and Christianity was founded by Jesus who was himself Jewish. He was believed by many to be the son of God and his followers became the first Christians. Elena said that the two religions share a lot of core beliefs and are strongly connected in history. Elena also told the group that all religions share the common idea that you should treat others as you yourself would want to be treated.

FSWC was also in Peterborough today with two Holocaust survivors, Faigie Libman and Susan Pasternak. FSWC was invited to take part in the school's Diversity Week, where the school was addressing different issues of diversity and incorporating speakers who could provide testimony about their personal experience along with motivating students to be positive change-makers in their school and community. Both Susan and Faigie received thoughtful questions at the end of their presentations that reflected thoughtful listening on the students' part. Many are in the midst of writing papers and conducting research on the Holocaust and the Second World War so the experience was truly meaningful for them. The school's culinary class cooked a delicious lunch for FSWC to take part in before departing as well.