29 December 2021
Today, Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan spoke to Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat following the announcement of his appointment as Special Advisor to the US Secretary of State on Holocaust Issues. Amb. Eizenstat is a knowledgeable and experienced diplomat, wholly committed to the values that his new office advances.
Dayan thanked Eizenstat for taking on this key role, and expressed how vital Holocaust remembrance, education, research and documentation is, especially today.
"Given the alarming trends of Holocaust distortion and trivialization, and the whitewashing of history, as well as the spread of antisemitism in the United States and worldwide, we need a person of your stature and professionalism to ensure that the United States of America continues to raise awareness of the atrocities of the Holocaust and the dangers of unchecked antisemitism," remarked Dayan. "Yad Vashem is committed to working together to bring historically accurate, relevant and age-appropriate content about the Holocaust to the American public of all ages."
The news of Eizenstat's appointment comes one week after reports regarding a Washington, DC, 3rd-grade teacher, who had students reenact scenes from the Holocaust and role-play Adolf Hitler.
"Any type of role-play or gaming in general does not contribute to the education process, as these methods can dilute and distract from the information that can be gained from studying historical sources and survivor testimonies," Dayan told Eizenstat. "Yad Vashem has developed a 'spiral' method of teaching, bringing students of all ages 'safely in and safely out.' This is the expertise Yad Vashem brings to the American public through its international educational activities and Echoes and Reflections program, in which we are a key partner."
Yad Vashem has developed several resources for elementary school students that can be found on our website: https://www.yadvashem.org/education/educational-materials.html
