Fellows in Focus – December 2021
Fellows in Focus
Michael Waxman
Where do you teach and what subject do you teach?
I teach Social Studies at Stuyvesant High School in New York City.
How did you get involved with the JFR?
Stanlee personally reached out to me and offered to partner and collaborate on furthering Holocaust education in our school.
What drew you to the organization and its programming?
The JFR’s stellar reputation as the “go to” in this field of study, and their steadfast commitment to providing top notch programming and professional development and more.
What was the most compelling thing you learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow?
The depth and extent to which many brave and selfless righteous gentiles risked their lives to rescue their Jewish neighbors.
What is your favorite memory from your participation in JFR programming?
The camaraderie created as being part of the JFR worldwide “family.”
The annual JFR gala dinners to honor righteous gentiles I attended each year with a colleague and students are special memories to be treasured.
How do you feel the Lerner fellowship has impacted your life, both personally and professionally?
The fellowship’s impact on me cannot be underestimated both personally and professionally. I have pledged to honor, promote, and advance the incredible work the JFR does globally.
Anything else you’d like to share with the JFR’s followers and supporters?
Please continue to follow and generously support the tireless and groundbreaking work that the JFR does!
Heather Lutz
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Wayne, New Jersey and reside in Ringwood, a northern New Jersey lake community.
Where do you teach and what subject do you teach?
I am proud to work at Pascack Hills High School in Montvale, New Jersey. Though I am an English teacher by trade, I predominantly teach Literature of the Holocaust, a full-year course that upperclassmen can take either in lieu of a traditional English class or as an elective.
How did you get involved with the JFR?
I was made aware of JFR’s Alfred Lerner Fellowship through my affiliation with the Holocaust Resource Center at Kean University. As soon as I heard about it, I was eager to apply.
What drew you to the organization and its programming?
I’m always seeking fresh pedagogical approaches to teach about the Holocaust and reading new material that can enrich my own knowledge and that of my students. I was very impressed by the professional nature of this Institute and quite moved by JFR’s philanthropic mission to support and preserve the legacy of non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.
What was the most compelling thing you learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow?
It’s difficult to isolate one lesson or takeaway. However, one compelling aspect of the Summer Institute was the way in which it addressed its Fellows as educators and as scholars, which was not only unique but also empowering. The experience offered a balance of research and pedagogy, and I learned that I thoroughly enjoy that environment.
What is your favorite memory from your participation in JFR programming?
Undoubtedly the collegial collaborations and enduring relationships. It’s hard to describe the camaraderie that is built almost immediately amongst Holocaust educators in this type of enriching and intense setting, but it happens every time and is truly fulfilling.
How do you feel the Lerner fellowship has impacted your life, both personally and professionally?
Most notably, the Alfred Lerner Fellowship gave me the confidence and eagerness to pursue other prestigious opportunities like it. Since the Institute, I have presented at numerous national and local conferences, become a Teacher Fellow at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, spearheaded professional development programming, and joined a small cohort of teachers to revise the curriculum for the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education. I can say with gratitude and conviction that JFR propelled my career and personal endeavors within the fields of Holocaust scholarship and education.
Anything else you’d like to share with the JFR’s followers and supporters?
The JFR is literally and figuratively ever-present in my classroom. Its poster set, Traits that Transcend, adorn the back wall and spotlight qualities of humanity I aspire to nurture through studying individual stories of rescue. The books written by the presenters that I received during, or have purchased since, the Institute line my bookshelf. I’m grateful and proud to be affiliated with JFR in this way and hope for more opportunities to connect and collaborate in the future!
Emily Taylor
Where are you from?
Although I was born and raised in Virginia. I have lived in rural Swansea, South Carolina, right in the center of the state, for over 30 years. This is my 30th year teaching English at Swansea High and Swansea Freshman Academy.
How did you get involved with the JFR?
I first became involved with the JFR in June of 2007 when I participated in a JFR Program for teachers at Columbia University. I also attended a JFR Advanced Seminar in Newark.
What drew you to the organization and its programming?
I was drawn to the JFR program initially because I had participated in numerous Holocaust/Genocide workshops, seminars, conferences, etc. but I had never truly studied the Holocaust through the lens of the rescuers. I had attended conferences and workshops that focused on history, literature, and resistance, but I only had only a superficial understanding of the complexities of rescue. I love learning and challenging myself to expand my depth of knowledge on such a complex period of human history.
What was the most compelling thing you learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow? The most compelling thing I learned as an Alfred Learner Fellow was the power of the individual to make a difference in the life of another individual no matter how small the contribution. Studying the moral courage that upstanders took to not be bystanders or perpetrators but to step out of their comfort zone to make a difference in the lives of others is an example that students need to see, especially in modern times.
How do you feel the Lerner fellowship has impacted your life, both personally and professionally?
My experiences with JFR not only impacted my own knowledge and understanding but also gave me the tools and knowledge to help teachers in South Carolina influence their students. Looking at the lives of rescuers should remind us how we should want to impact our sphere of influence. My time at JFR challenged me to make the most of every opportunity to leave a positive impact on my world. I want to leave that sphere better when I leave.
I feel truly honored to be part of such a meaningful organization as a Lerner Fellow. JFR makes the world a better place through its impact on future generations.
Tom DeCou
My name is Tom DeCou. I am from Shiloh, New Jersey, a small 1 square mile borough in Southern New Jersey five miles from the Delaware Bay.
I teach history at Millville High School in Cumberland County. I have taught a variety of subjects during my almost 20 year teaching career – they include: U.S. History I and II, World History, AP U.S. History, Diversity and Tolerance, African American History and of course, Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
I became involved with the JFR through Mr. Steve Marcus. Mr. Marcus is the coordinator for the Holocaust and Genocide Studies dual credit program at Stockton University. I was teaching an elective, Diversity and Tolerance, when Steve contacted me and asked if I would be interested in joining the Holocaust and Genocide dual credit program that Stockton University offered to high school students. I was excited at the opportunity and changed the course name to, “Holocaust and Genocide Studies”. I have since attended many seminars and symposiums at the Sarah and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton University. I was honored to be nominated by Steve to attend the JFR conference at Columbia University and become an Alfred Lerner Fellow.
It was an incredible experience becoming an Alfred Learner Fellow. The conference was a career changing experience for me. The information that I learned and the experience that I had at the JFR conference was amazing. A few things stand out to me as I look back and remember the conference. These are not in any specific order!
#1 was the quality of speakers that lectured to us. I remember listening to world renowned Holocaust scholars from all over the world. I still refer to, A Holocaust Reader, edited by Peter Hayes when teaching different topics about the Holocaust.
#2 was the chance to collaborate with so many Holocaust educators from all over the country and the world. Having the opportunity to discuss activities and lessons with teachers, museum curators, professors really helped me become a better Holocaust and Genocide educator.
#3 was the resources that were given to all the Alfred Learner Fellow participants. I use the books, lesson plans, videos, activities for many of my lessons teaching about the Holocaust.
#4 was listening to and meeting the late, great Roman Kent. He was an inspiration to me as I listened to him address the Alfred Learner Fellows about his life and experience as a Holocaust survivor. We received his book, My Dog Lala, which he also signed.
I have always focused on social and moral issues in my classes. Teaching the Holocaust has deepened my desire to help students understand the complexities of our world as it has become ever more difficult for students to understand our increasingly divided country. The JFR increased my desire and ability to teach issues of tolerance which unfortunately has become ever more important in a country and world that has sadly become less tolerant. I thank the JFR for giving me the opportunity to become a better qualified educator and person!
Kate Sullivan
Where are you from?
I currently live in Bayville, NJ, but I was born and raised in Elizabeth, NJ.
Where do you teach and what subject do you teach?
I teach English Language Arts to eighth graders at Forrestdale School in Rumson. I also teach Teaching the Holocaust and Prejudice Reduction courses to educators through the Kean Holocaust Resource Center.
How did you get involved with the JFR?
I became involved with the JFR through my schools relationship with the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights, and Genocide Education at Brookdale Community College. My school had a partnership with CHHANGE, and they provided excellent professional development opportunities for all of our teachers in teaching the Holocaust. As one of the JFR’s Holocaust Centers of Excellence, CHHANGE offered to sponsor me as an Alfred Lerner Fellow, and I attended the weeklong Summer Institute for Teachers at Columbia University in July of 2017. I had such a wonderful experience that the following summer I attended the JFR’s European Study Program in Germany and the Netherlands in 2018
What drew you to the organization and its programming?
I had heard incredible feedback about the JFR and their commitment to supporting the Righteous Among Nations and educators, but nothing could have prepared me for the level of scholarship I would be immersed in as an Alfred Lerner fellow. At the Summer Institute, I enjoyed lectures and workshops from some of the most esteemed scholars in Holocaust studies, and met with educators from all over the world who were committed to learning more about Holocaust education.
What was the most compelling thing you learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow?
I think the most compelling takeaway from the program was the depth, breadth, and magnitude of the Holocaust as one of the most significant historical events in history. As an educator, I think it is so important to impart that understanding to my students, so that they understand the importance of studying the Holocaust.
What is your favorite memory from your participation in JFR programming?
There are so many! I will always remember hearing Roman Kent speak at the Summer Institute for Teachers at Columbia, and I feel so honored to have met him. Some other impactful memories I have are from the 2018 European study program to Germany and the Netherlands. I will never forget visiting Bergen Belsen, the Anne Frank House, Dora Mittlebau, and Westerbork. Some of my favorite memories are the sense of community built among other Alfred Lerner Fellows. Stanlee Stahl creates a welcoming and supportive environment for educators to connect and reflect on their experiences. The JFR makes educators feel so valued, and I will never forget the people I met in this program!
How do you feel the Lerner fellowship has impacted your life, both personally and professionally?
The Lerner fellowship made me a lifelong student of Holocaust studies. After completing the Alfred Lerner Summer Institute for Teachers and the European Study program, I continued to take courses through the Kean Holocaust Resource Center, another JFR recognized Holocaust Center of Excellence, and received a certificate in Teaching the Holocaust and Prejudice Reduction. I now teach other educators about the Holocaust and how to implement lessons and units of study in their curriculum. Several of my colleagues at Rumson are JFR fellows, and we have collaborated to produce an outstanding Holocaust curriculum for our 7th and 8th grade students in Rumson. We even presented our unit of study and strategies for teaching the Holocaust at the 2019 National Convention of the National Council of Teachers of English.
Anything else you’d like to share with the JFR’s followers and supporters?
I am very thankful for the many people that continue to support the JFR’s mission to empower educators with a strong foundation in Holocaust education. The JFR and their centers of excellence are part of the most incredible network of educators, and I am proud to be among them as an Alfred Lerner Fellow.