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Schools shun Shoah education over Gaza 2 May 2024
24 Nisan 5784
Issue No.1365
@JewishNewsUK
Charity founder tells of ‘heartbreak’ after 85 percent fall in bookings for play about survivor Susan Pollock EXCLUSIVE by Lee Harpin lee@jewishnews.co.uk @lmharpin
Schools nationwide have snubbed a play about Holocaust survivor Susan Pollock amid claims by teachers of a “contemporary political agenda” and even threats of parent protests. The founder of a charitable organisation that works with schools to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust are taught to students through the voices of survivors this week revealed a “shocking” drop in bookings since the 7 October Hamas terror attacks on southern Israel. Cate Hollis told Jewish News that numerous schools had postponed or cancelled staging a drama made by her Voices of the Holocaust organisation telling the life story of Auschwitz-Birkenau survivor Susan Pollock. Hollis, who left 15 years of
Play tells Susan Pollock’s story
classroom teaching having gained postgraduate qualifications in genocide and human rights history, to set up the charity said there is now a disturbing “conflation of Holocaust education with contemporary Middle Eastern politics” among school leaders as a result of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The play was adapted by Hollis, the theatre’s founder and artistic director, and British playwright Mark Wheeller. A special performance of the play, Kindness: A Legacy of the Holocaust, takes place in St John’s Wood, north London, next
week to mark Yom HaShoah, with Pollock also attending to take part in a question and answer session. She has previously described the production as “excellent” and “very faithful” to her experiences. It was adapted by Hollis, the artistic director, and the British playwright Mark Wheeller. Revealing that schools had now shunned putting on the play in response to 7 October, Hollis told Jewish News: “How do I look Susan in the eye and tell her [that] senior leaders are turning away from this fundamental period of human history? “It’s honestly heartbreaking, and frankly frightening for the future. And the distortions and denials are going to wriggle further and further in the absence of true knowledge and remembrance.” Hollis also revealed she had clashed with one school head after Continued on page 3
A scene from Kindness: A Legacy of the Holocaust. Insets: Cate Hollis and (below) Auschwitz survivor Susan Pollock, who is the play’s inspiration
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