The Charlotte Jewish News- October 2025- Page 11
My Personal Journey in Becoming a Holocaust Educator in North Carolina
By Meredith Howell
The first time my students walked into the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum( USHMM), they went quiet on their own. No reminders. No stage whispering. Just a shared understanding of what we were about to see mattered. In that silence, I recognized the same turning point I’ d had years earlier – and the beginning of theirs.
My path started in 2017 on a professional trip to the USHMM in Washington, D. C., funded by the North Carolina Holocaust Foundation and the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust. It wasn’ t the usual“ sit-and-takenotes” training. It changed how I teach and connected me with colleagues who felt the same urgency to do this work well.
Back then, I was new to Holocaust education. Now I lead a Holocaust Literature elective at my school and, in June 2024, co-led a group of North Carolina educators back to the museum. That first bus ride also introduced me to Council members who later helped implement the Gizella Abramson Holocaust Education Act – proof that shared learning can ripple outward.
Since that visit, I’ ve kept going: NCCAT’ s annual gatherings for Holocaust educators, the USHMM Belfer program, and a study trip to Poland with Jewish rabbis and fellow teachers. Each step stretched me – intellectually, personally, ethically. Teaching this subject demands accuracy and humility in equal measures.
Teaching in North Carolina can feel heavy some days. What steadies me is our statewide network of Holocaust educators. Together, we build the tools to teach Jewish life and the Holocaust responsibly, to make room for empathy, and to hold difficult conversations without looking away. The topic is hard by nature. The growth it produces – in students and in us – is real.
One concrete outcome of that 2017 trip is my Holocaust Literature elective. We’ re a small high school with only a few upper-level options, and the class now has a waitlist. It gives students a serious, safe space to read, discuss, and create – sometimes alongside local elementary and middle schools in age-appropriate ways. Each year we visit the USHMM. My students arrive prepared: they know the history, the etiquette, and why their presence there is an act of respect.
Watching them move through the exhibits remains the most meaningful part of my job. What started as my own turning point has become theirs. I don’ t go to the museum just to learn anymore; I go to guide them, so they can carry what they’ ve learned beyond our classroom.
I’ m grateful – to the Council, the Foundation, mentors, peers, and the students who ask brave questions. The opportunities I’ ve had have equipped me – and I hope the teachers who come after me – to confront prejudice and
Congregation Connects Jewish Mitzvot to an Beloved American Holiday
by Michelle Silva
Temple Kol Ami will host our annual Friendsgiving, a cherished tradition that has been part of our congregation for over a decade. Held during a Friday night Shabbat service in the round, the evening blends prayer, song, and fellowship with a shared meal centered on family, friends, and gratitude. Rooted in the mitzvot of hachnassat orchim( welcoming guests) and kehilah( community), the Friendsgiving gathering reflects the heart of our mission: be a Jewish home for all“ All the People”— welcoming the stranger, nurturing connections, and strengthening bonds within our small but vibrant southern Jewish community. Families and friends and strangers come together not only to enjoy a warm meal together but also to lift our voices in prayer and thanksgiving, recognizing the blessings that surround us.
Over the years, Friendsgiving has grown into one of Temple Kol Ami’ s most beloved events, providing an opportunity for members to deepen relationships and welcome newcomers into the circle. Each gathering reveals new stories, strengthens friendships, and fosters a sense of belonging that extends beyond the walls of the building.“ Sharing gratitude and welcoming others with hospitality are as important to the individual as they are to the community. I love that at Kol Ami we are able to take this secular observance and connect
it with Jewish mitzvot— where we can welcome others into our temple home and support a connection for Judaism at the same time we are celebrating a truly American holiday,” shares Michelle Silva, service leader of
Temple Kol Ami.
Gratitude and thanksgiving hold a special place in Jewish life, reminding us to pause, reflect, and appreciate the gifts of one another, the joy of shared traditions, and the enduring spirit of hatred with knowledge, context, and moral clarity.
With the Gizella Abramson Act, North Carolina is at an important moment. We have momentum and a mandate. After two decades in the classroom, I believe this work isn’ t just impactful – it’ s essential. I’ m one voice among many, proud to stand with Holocaust educators across our state as we keep doing the necessary work, together.
Please contact Mitch Rifkin via email Rif121 @ carolina. rr. com with any questions about the North Carolina Holocaust Foundation.
Jewish hospitality. Temple Kol Ami’ s Friendsgiving continues to be a beacon of warmth, gratitude, and togetherness, embodying the values that sustain and uplift Jewish life in the South. Join Temple Kol Ami for Friendsgiving, November 21, 2025, at 6:30 p. m. Visit templekolamisc. org for more information.
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