Chaplain

Redlands encourages students to make connections in their learning across curriculum areas. Yr 9 attended an excursion to the Sydney Jewish Museum on Tuesday,  a joint excursion between Christian Studies and History, Students were privileged to hear a testimony of a holocaust survivor. This was both confronting and moving as they shared their positive and victorious outlook on life even though they had survived the worst that humanity could offer. It was delightful to have a student, Katina Casimaty, who has Czechoslovakian heritage, thank the survivor in Czech.

The students also participated in a seminar examining different aspects of the Holocaust and history. They touched on topics such as Propaganda and the participation of so many people in the “final solution to the Jewish question”.

Students also explored the exhibits in the Museum.

This is the fourth time I have attended and each time I am newly impacted by the honesty of the guides and the complexity of the issues that the recounts and artefacts stir. Students are often shocked to learn that it was not just a few people who humiliated, violated and murdered Jewish men, women and children. People from all walks of life volunteered and actively engaged in this, proudly posing for photos. This leads to valuable discussion about what causes an everyday educated person to descend to such violence. Students identified the impact of repeated lies, de-humanising the other, the fallen nature of humankind and mob mentality. This also leads the students to reflect on their own lives. They are encouraged to think about how discriminating they are to messages in the media. They think about the acts of isolation and humiliation of others that might happen online in social networks. Students also built empathy and a sense of justice, while reflecting on forgiveness.

Yr 9 students have been learning about Judaism in Christian Studies and so this excursion helped them understand the practice of Judaism today as well. As we debrief over the next few weeks, I am confident that students will look back on this excursion as an important contribution to their understanding of the world.

Blessings

Ms Bronwyn Lihou
Senior Campus Chaplain
blihou@redlands.nsw.edu.au
9968 9830