A healthy debate among educational leaders exists on the subject of when and how to
introduce children to the subject of the Holocaust. Some maintain that children should learn
this material unsimplified without glossing over any of its difficulties. Others contend that it is
developmentally inappropriate to mention the Holocaust at all in elementary school. Still
others advocate an approach of “preliminary” education about themes that will prepare
children to encounter the Holocaust more fully in middle and high school.

MJCDS follows this third approach. MJCDS graduates need be prepared for middle and high
school when they will likely learn the details of the atrocities of the Holocaust. We believe that
are ill-prepared to understand or emotionally process. In the context of Yom Hashoah,
students at MJCDS focus on 1) learning how Jews commemorate sad events and loss, and 2)
exploring relevant themes that will be helpful to them as a basis for their future learning on
this topic.