Character and Learning from History

This week, alongside Miss Bowers and the Pre-VCE Germany in the Twentieth Century class, I had the privilege of visiting the Jewish Holocaust Museum. The museum is dedicated to preserving the memory of the six million Jewish people murdered by the Nazi regime and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945. Through the program, students were provided with a powerful opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Holocaust by exploring individual stories and engaging with survivor testimonies, all within the newly redeveloped museum space.

A particularly moving aspect of the visit was hearing from Holocaust survivor Sarah Saaroni. At 99 years of age, Sarah shared her extraordinary story of resilience, courage and hope. Born in Lublin, Poland in 1926, Sarah and her family were forced into the Lublin Ghetto following the German invasion. When deportations began, the family went into hiding in a nearby village. Her parents instructed her to assume a Christian identity and travel with other young Polish workers to Germany. Living under the name Lidia Wornik, Sarah survived the war years as a Christian labourer after escaping from the Gestapo on numerous occasions.

At the conclusion of the war, Sarah returned to Lublin only to discover that no family members remained. Eventually, she reunited with one brother and later travelled to Palestine, where another brother had settled prior to the war. With the assistance of her brother in Australia, Sarah migrated to Melbourne with her husband and two young children to begin a new chapter of life.

Sarah’s testimony was one of profound loss, determination, perseverance, hope and love. One statement she shared resonated deeply with all in attendance:

“Study hard, because what you learn they cannot take from you.”

The program also highlighted the character strengths demonstrated by Holocaust survivors, drawing upon research conducted by The University of Melbourne. As our school continues to develop and strengthen its own Character Education Program, it is fitting to reflect upon these virtues, consider the lessons history provides, and ask ourselves an important question:

How can these character strengths influence the choices we make each day?

· Bravery – demonstrating courage and facing challenges with resolve.

· Kindness – showing compassion and care towards others.

· Fairness – treating all people with justice and respect.

· Hope – maintaining optimism and perseverance in pursuit of positive outcomes.

· Judgement – making thoughtful and considered decisions.

· Perspective – developing the ability to see the broader picture and understand the experiences of others

Andrew Perks – Deputy Principal: Culture and Character Education