Year 9 recently embarked on a powerful journey of learning and reflection with a visit to Finchley Reform Synagogue, where they attended a Holocaust Remembrance event undertaken with the support of the Holocaust Education Trust. The workshop, designed to educate and inspire young minds, provided a multifaceted exploration of this dark chapter in history, emphasising the importance of individual action and the enduring human spirit.

The program began with a warm welcome from the Synagogue’s rabbi, who explained that in addition to being a site of Jewish worship (and hosting the annual Holocaust Remembrance Event), the synagogue is also a Winter Shelter and has even been used as a place of Islamic prayer when a local mosque was being repaired.

This introduction was followed by an informative talk from a trained Holocaust educator, who first elicited what the pupils already knew about the Holocaust and then built an introduction to the day atop this foundation. A short film then offered a visual introduction to the atrocities of the Holocaust, setting the stage for the most impactful element of the workshop: a personal testimony from a survivor of the camps. Two different survivors spoke of their harrowing experiences and these accounts brought the historical narrative to life for Year 9, better than any school based lesson could have.

Recognising the emotional intensity of the content, the organisers wisely incorporated a refreshment break. This served as a moment for pupils to process the information, engage in casual conversation with the survivors and even explore religious artifacts like the Torah scrolls displayed during the break.