Fellows in Focus – October 2022
Fellows in Focus
Carson Phillips
Where are you from?
Toronto, Canada
Where do you teach and what subject do you teach?
I am Adjunct Faculty at Gratz College, Holocaust + Genocide Studies program
(I teach graduate courses in Nazi Medicine and the Holocaust, Geographical Approach to the Study of the Holocaust and Gender + Genocide)
I am also Managing Director of the Holocaust Education Centre, soon to be the Toronto Holocaust Museum
How did you get involved with the JFR?
In 2002 the JFR Study Program visited the Auschwitz Jewish Center in Oswiecim, Poland where I was interning. This is where I first met Stanlee Stahl and the scholar-in-residence Prof. Robert Jan van Pelt. I was deeply impressed with the depth of knowledge in their programming and the empathy with which Stanlee and Robert Jan approached the study of the Holocaust.
What drew you to the organization and its programming?
After this initial encounter, I started using the Traits that Transcend poster series in my teaching and it personalized for students in a very real and tangible way, the range of responses that was possible during the Holocaust- and the dangers associated with such risk.
What was the most compelling thing you learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow?
Without a doubt it is that the human facet of the Holocaust; the humanity shown by those that rescued and offered the help and the choices made by the perpetrators and the struggle to maintain dignity and hope by the Jews targeted for persecution. The approach was historical but emphasized the personal context.
What is your favorite memory from your participation in JFR programming?
Simply the camaraderie that developed between the participants and knowing that there is an ever-growing network of educators committed to teaching the Holocaust with care and depth of knowledge.
How do you feel the Lerner fellowship has impacted your life, both personally and professionally?
The Lerner Fellowship exposed me to leading scholars and to new ways of looking at and studying the Holocaust. The classes were rich in content and the opportunity to interact and engage with scholars who taught these sessions was unlike any experience I had at the time – I still remember the lectures given by Nechama Tec on research on rescuers, Robert Jan van Pelt discussing Auschwitz-Birkenau, Deborah Dwork exploring Jewish life during the Holocaust, and Roman Kent discussing the subject of his children’s book- his childhood dog Lala. These were unforgettable sessions that I have drawn upon in my teaching with learners of all ages and backgrounds.
Anything else you’d like to share with the JFR’s followers and supporters?
The JFR learning programs are unparalleled and combine the academic with the personal to create an educational approach that impacts learners of all ages and backgrounds.
Patricia Bullman
Where are you from?
I am from Wayne NJ.
Where do you teach and what subject do you teach?
I currently have a new teaching position at Morris Catholic High School in Denville, New Jersey.
How did you get involved with the JFR?
I got involved with the JFR through my studies in Holocaust and Prejudice Reduction at Kean University, while working on my certificate in Genocide Studies. As a theology teacher in several schools in the Diocese of Paterson, I include studies on the Holocaust, antisemitism and the “righteous gentiles” who stood up to hate during the Holocaust.
What drew you to the organization and its programming?
The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous is a powerful organization that passionately shares the stories of amazing people who have saved the lives of Jews, facing daunting circumstances. These people and their sacrifices are recognized by the JFR and it is so important that the JFR provides lifelong support to these rescuers.
What was the most compelling thing you learned as an Alfred Lerner Fellow?
The most compelling part of my experience as an Alfred Lerner Teacher Fellow is the access I have to the quality academic studies, especially while attending the summer program at Columbia University. The importance the JFR places on facts and information is one part of the program, with amazing guest scholars including Alexandra Zapruder, Dr. Robert Jan van Pelt and historian, Peter Hayes, to name but a few. Additionally working alongside of dedicated Holocaust educators from around the country and Europe was an experience I will never forget. I keep relationships with many of the people I met during my time at the summer institute.
What is your favorite memory from your participation in JFR programming?
My favorite memory of my participation was meeting Roman Kent, a survivor who shared his witness with us, read from his book, “My Dog, Lala”, and then opened our eyes and minds to the reality of the Holocaust on children and their families.
How do you feel the Lerner fellowship has impacted your life, both personally and professionally?
The JFR fellowship continues to impact my life as I share my teaching of the Holocaust and my passion for social justice with my students each year. As a catholic school educator, I have always had the opportunity to delve deeply into the topic of antisemitism and the Holocaust and I continue to do so in my new position at Morris Catholic. I am teaching a course on the History of the Catholic Church, and the resources I have access to through the JFR augment my curriculum.
Personally, I have been changed forever by knowing the people from this wonderful organization. Stanlee Stahl has been an amazing resource, who, through her many years working with the Jewish foundation for the Righteous, has been able to connect people from all backgrounds in a common goal of being on the right side of history.
Anything else you’d like to share with the JFR’s followers and supporters?
I am grateful for the opportunities the JFR has made available to me and subsequently to all who have benefited from the lesson I continue to share.
