What will a first visit to the SJM achieve? Will the majority of students feel sadness, anger, disbelief? Indeed they will. Will students learn about tolerance, compassion and the courage of the human spirit? Most certainly. To make the lessons of the Holocaust unforgettable, students need to meet with people who suffered through it, in a powerful and meaningful context, imbued with the symbols of the enduring stream Jewish life through the ages. The SJM is the only institution providing this environment in New South Wales.

The best way to learn about the Holocaust is through hearing the voices of those who lived through it; those who are able to harness their pain and despair in order to educate future generations of Australians. The heart and soul of the Museum are our 90 volunteer guides, of whom approximately 70 are Holocaust survivors. We believe that our program is unique in the world in its utilization of survivor guides to facilitate for students and casual visitors alike. Nothing can replace the impact of meeting a survivor of the Holocaust within the powerful surroundings of the Museum.

Students who visit the Museum complete response cards at the end of their time there. These responses are displayed on the noticeboard and read with great interest by the public and the survivor volunteers.

"This was my first visit to the Jewish Museum in Sydney, and it was very informative and it showed me the horrific events that happened in that period close up. I have family that were in the Holocaust. Now I can understand and share the experience with my grandfather. For that interesting experience, you showed us around the Museum, now I will make a stand and bring all of my family."

"The visit was very valuable for me and it filled in a lot of blanks for me. One which stood out was when our guide. answered my long waiting and unanswered question. The question was: 'Why didn't you just commit suicide?' Judith gave the most courageous and outstanding answer: "I did not want to give the Nazis the satisfaction" This filled in my blank unanswered question that I have always wanted to know."

A school visit is normally two hours long and serves as an introduction to the Museum. To gain the most from the resources, students should return to browse, take advantage of the primary source materials and the video monitors, read the texts, contemplate the images and of course engage the survivor guides on the Museum floor in conversation.

Before bringing their students, teachers are sent materials to help them prepare for the visit. The school excursion commences with the screening of a 15-minute documentary overview of Jewish history and the Holocaust. This is followed by a 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hour tour of the different levels of the Museum. With larger groups a question and answer session rounds off the excursion if requested.

Some teachers have articulated concerns about the confronting nature of the Museum, especially for younger students. However, I am convinced that students leave us uplifted, rather than traumatised. A perusal of the student views board outside the resource centre is proof of that.

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