To help educators and parents better engage in difficult conversations with their students and children about current events, the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum is launching a new “Communicating in Crisis” series. The first programs in the series will take place on Nov. 20 and 29.
“Since Oct. 7, the museum has received numerous inquiries from parents and educators seeking guidance on how to address challenging topics and global events, such as the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza,” said Helen Turner, director of education, in a statement. “In response, we’ve developed a new series specifically tailored to support parents and educators. It’s designed to provide them with the necessary resources to effectively discuss current world events with young people, meeting them at their level of understanding.”
The “Communicating During Crisis” is a series of programs designed to help parents and teachers engage in difficult conversations about current events. Each session will include resources and discussions about how to support and talk to young people about current events taking place in Israel and Gaza. The museum will provide a space to discuss:
• How to digest current events
• How to approach children/students about these events
• How to address social media
• How to report incidents
This program is part of the Museum’s Change Begins with Us Campaign, an initiative designed to empower St. Louis area visitors to work collectively to fight antisemitism and all forms of hate. “Change Begins with Us” is a reminder that we cannot do everything, but we can all do something to make the world a better place.
“We understand that it’s often difficult to know how to make a difference when confronted with challenging issues or crises,” said Executive Director Myron Freedman. “As a Holocaust museum, we frequently interact with visitors who are uncertain about how to react when confronted with the distressing history of the Holocaust. ‘Change Begins with Us’ is our response to these uncertainties. It serves as a reminder that the process of change commences with small actions, community involvement, and taking meaningful steps.”
To learn more, and to register, visit STLHolocaustMuseum.org/Change-Begins-With-Us
