Ettie Zilber Consulting

 DEVELOPING RESPONSIBLE AND EMPATHETIC CITIZENS-

through Holocaust Education

An invaluable resource for developing responsible global citizenship and civic awareness is the study of the Holocaust. By analyzing the impact of the destruction of a democracy, students learn to identify the forces and the stages of development which led to the largest genocide and robbery in history. By learning about this violent, repressive, and racist period in modern history, through first-hand storytelling by survivors or descendants, students will:

• gain a macro, micro and personal perspective about the Holocaust

• learn about the extremes of human and political behavior

• develop awareness and sensitivity to the human rights of “others”

• become inspired by survivors’ stories demonstrating strength and resilience despite trauma

• learn about the impact of trauma on descendants

• become kinder & empathetic global citizens

• learn to identify historical markers which ‘rhyme’ with current events

• become aware of the fragility of democracy & become active in protecting it

ABOUT DR. ETTIE ZILBER

contact Ettie: aholocaustmemoir@gmail.com

Dr. Zilber served as an educator and school director at international schools in 6 countries and has presented to many audiences on various topics.

Her birth in a Displaced Persons camp in Germany to Lithuanian parents who survived the Holocaust, marked her with a special responsibility. Retirement from her career in international schools has given her the opportunity to fulfill that responsibility - to research, document and publish her family’s Holocaust experiences, share their stories to educate adults and youth at schools, universities, and conferences worldwide.

She reflects on the impact of the Holocaust on descendants of survivors, on the dangers of social apathy, and the importance of civic awareness and action in protecting democratic values and government.

She serves on the Board of the Phoenix Holocaust Association,** helps train Holocaust educators, translates documents about the Holocaust, interviews Holocaust survivors, * and serves as a docent-educator for various museum exhibits about the Holocaust.

* USC Shoah Foundation  https://sfi.usc.edu/

** https://phxha.com/

BOOK:

A HOLOCAUST MEMOIR OF LOVE & RESILIENCE: MAMA’S SURVIVAL FROM LITHUANIA TO AMERICA

***http://getbook.at/Zilber

TESTIMONIALS FROM EDUCATORS

& EDUCATIONAL LEADERS

 Thank you so much for visiting BIS and for sharing your research, experiences, and heart and soul with us. I've worked with many consultants over the years and haven't had the experience of a person who can bring such diversity in their presentations and areas of expertise. 

 Sharing your mother's story is a gift for schools and families everywhere. Thank you for carrying this work forward. I heard many -- students, teachers, parents, and community members -- comment on the power and impact of your voice and message.  

 Your carefully designed lessons for students on migration, identity and what it means to be a refugee were met with high levels of engagement and deep thinking for our learners.  Your ability to share your research on Third Culture Kids and "Edkids" who grow up in international schools was also powerful for our teachers.  

 A final comment on the work you did at City Campus with parents and community members must also be noted.  They left your session with new ideas, clarity, and understanding of what it means to attend an international school, particularly for a person from the host country.  Thank you for all that you did during your brief time here. It was a sincere pleasure to meet and work with you.

-Dr. Chrissie Sorenson, Head of School/Vorstand, Bavarian International School gAG 

-Shary Marshall, fmr Deputy Head of BIS; current Director of International School of Belgrade

Through her engaging presentations, Ettie Zilber brings the personal stories of the Holocaust to young audiences in ways that are accessible, understandable, and transformative.  We were fortunate to host her at Colegio Roosevelt and her impact on our students was much-appreciated.  A Holocaust Memoir of Love and Resilience is a meticulously researched tale of survival through a period of human horror.  Ettie Zilber's presentations provide the context for young students to understand the human dimensions behind how these events can happen and what individuals, groups and nations can do to make the world a place in which the recurrence is less likely.  This story is a lifeline to humanity.

-Kerry Jacobsen, fmr. Superintendent FDR American School, Lima, Peru

In August,2022 Vilnius International School had the privilege of spending a week with Dr. Ettie Zilber. Dr. Zilber led a whole staff workshop on the topic of culture. Additionally, she shared her work on the Holocaust with students ages 13 and older and with the parent/staff community which was notably profound.

Dr. Zilber’s presentation on the Holocaust was well-received by students and staff/parent stakeholder groups. It was structured around her mother’s memoir which was effective at striking a balance between informative and personal.

Dr. Zilber is a dynamic and engaging public speaker.  She can fill the room with her robust affect through which she inspires within her audience an inner dialogue around accountability for historical malfeasance without imposing feelings of shame or guilt. She invites us to make time for opening to the unpleasant reality that crimes against humanity happened, not in our backyards, but on our front porch steps.  

I strongly encourage you to make Dr. Ettie Zilber a part of your journey in educating young people about the Holocaust, social justice, and the power of remembering as you strive to realize your DEIB goals by bringing voice to the trauma of past generations and the impact on their progeny.

Rebecca Juras, Director, Vilnius International School

In recent years, our school has been intentional about fostering learning conversations at all levels within the community, and we hope to reinforce this when inviting guests to speak with our students. On September 5th, 2023, Dr. Ettie Zilber discussed with our middle and high schoolers her book A Holocaust Memoir of Love & Resilience. As an experienced international educator, Dr. Zilber shared not only her family and personal history, but her knowledge of Genocide Education, all the while making curricular connections to various content areas. It was fascinating to see her ability to engage an audience of 500 students, and her Q&A time was remarkable. On the way to my office, I overheard students congratulating Dr. Zilber while several others continued asking questions. 

-Jaime Comandari, General Director, Colegio Decroly Americano, Guatemala 

Ettie Zilber’s presentations to my high school students are an engaging, interactive and a great way of learning history from a second-generation Holocaust survivor. My students are really able to connect with Ellie’s presentation through the slides and pictures she weaves into her mother’s story of survival. Students can ask questions and interact with Ettie both with her in-person presentations and her zoom presentations. Ettie and her presentations are always a highlight of my class.  When I ask my students at the conclusion of our class what impacted them the most, Ettie’s presentation is always at the top.  She does an outstanding job connecting with students of many ages and it’s very evident she has many years of experience teaching young people. I always look forward to having her present in my classes.

-Mr. Ashley Crose M. Ed, NBCT, 2022 AEF Semi-finalist AZ Teacher of the Year, Holocaust Educator, Social Studies Dept. Lead, Saguaro Teacher Instructional Leader, Saguaro High Social Studies, Arizona

 Dr. Ettie Zilber's enlightening talk, titled "Developing Global Citizens through Holocaust Education," offers a profoundly personal perspective on the crucial role of Holocaust education in shaping responsible and empathetic global citizens. Dr. Zilber's dynamic and interactive approach captures the attention of all audience members--from 6th graders to seniors, parents, teachers, and community members. Through the sharing of her family's stories, thought-provoking inquiries, and meaningful interactions with students, Dr. Zilber engages students, nurtures critical thinking skills, and fosters a sense of social responsibility. This ensures that students not only acquire knowledge about this somber chapter in history but also actively reflect on its implications for our world today.

-Laura Amlin, Secondary Principal, Antigua International School, Guatemala

 In short, Ettie Zilber is an excellent speaker.  She researched her subject extensively before writing a very good book that is a most helpful addition to the corpus of Holocaust books.  With her parents being survivors, she has first-hand knowledge of the aftermath and repercussions of what Nazi Germany did in WWII.  Her presentations are organized, fact filled, well supported, and are accompanied by corresponding photographs.  They are also presented in a manner which reaches every single person in the audience and helps them to understand better the horrors of the Holocaust.  Do not hesitate to go to Dr. Zilber's presentation; you'll never forget it.

-John Liffiton, fmr. Director Genocide Awareness Week Conference, Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, Arizona

 A flat, black and white ... depiction of reality with bubbles instead of words; with gutters instead of paragraphs; with silence instead of crying out loud for help, love and life ... MAUS ... a “graphic novel” and how to contextualize it? How to understand it? How to live through caricatures on paper ... This was when Dr. Zilber, shed light on the darkness depicted; shed meaning on the words that were missing; shed understanding to a generation that never knew; never lived ... never ... learned about the Holocaust! But they felt; they saw; they struggled! Then they cried; they stood up and vowed never to forget; never to pass by; never to neglect reality, values ... life itself with dignity, integrity and respect! It was our passionate Ettie through her mother’s life that brought literature to life; fiction to reality and eventually curriculum to context! An unforgettable experience for all; an example of learning in the beyond; salvation for the soul and the mind ... within the four classroom walls ... great things can happen everywhere!  Thank you, Ettie for this humbling experience ... we are grateful ... we know now ... we have changed!”    

-Antony Geralis,  Head of School Shanghai Liaoyuan Bilingual School

 I am the Programming Librarian at Desert Foothills Library and Ettie came to our library in April 2019. She was absolutely wonderful to work … Everyone felt deeply moved by the story and how Ettie delivered the information. I had patrons speaking to me for a couple weeks after the event! I look forward to having Ettie back at our Library to teach and inspire more of our patrons. 

-Ashley Ware, Programming Librarian

And, from public schools and a church in Germany:

Dr. Ettie Zilber proved to be a captivating narrator with her sympathetic manner, who succeeded in making the students understand the Nazis' acts of violence through the example of the film-like survival story of her parents. With her proven pedagogical talent, she elicited the undivided (full) attention and consternation of the different target groups. Among the young people was also a class of Syrian refugees who, contrary to their previous socialization, were introduced to this topic for the first time. Particularly impressive was the behaviour of the secondary school students, who were absolutely concentrated and impressed; one could hear "a pin drop" during Ettie Zilber's lecture.  Dr. Ettie Zilber and her book "A Holocaust Memoir of Love and Resilience" are a guarantee for the examination of German history from 1933 - 1945.

-H.Jürgen Ohrem – Leiter Musikschule Stadt Leverkusen

-Klemens Büsch – Landrat-Lucas-Gymnasium

-Julian von Hessert – Marienschule Opladen

-Mareen Lethaus – Leiterin Theodor-Wuppermann-Hauptschule

-Ferdinand Hackländer – ev. Pfarrer, Kirchengemeinde Leverkusen-Oplade

AND FROM STUDENTS…

·      “Dr. Zilber provided us with a better understanding of the atrocities of war focusing on Holocaust awareness and the everlasting debate whether the way people grow and develop, as well as their actions are the result of ‘nature’ or ‘nurture’. This has been an eye-opening experience!”   (S)

·      “What really resonated with me, following the sessions with Dr. Zilber, is that the survivors from the Holocaust would have PTSD and how such powerful experiences influence the rest of people’s life and even of their descendants. This is exactly what I am currently reading in MAUS. The main character Vladek is a survivor of the Holocaust and this tragic experience scarred him interminably!” (St)

“Since last week when we had the opportunity to learn with Dr. Zilber, I have been reflecting on a fundamental truth. What is ethical is not necessarily legal and what is legal is not necessarily ethical and how people over the ages have used and distorted this to justify their decisions and actions. I was inspired by the passion in Dr. Zilber’s narration, grounded on research-based evidence, and at the same time moved by the power of the images used to ensure understanding and convey messages!” (V)

MENU OF PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOPS

1.                                          “As Mama Told Us”

based on the book A Holocaust Memoir of Love & Resilience: Mama’s Survival from Lithuania to USA.   http://getbook.at/Zilber

 Being their first child after the horrors, born in a Displaced Person’s camp in Landsberg, Germany, I was deeply impacted by my parents’ experiences throughout my childhood.  Encouraging my mother to record her story, researching all her memories with historical sources, recounting my journey ‘in her footsteps’ and describing the impact on me, the Second Generation, all are presented in the book. The presentation focuses on the family story of suffering and survival.

2.                                         “From Germany to Germany”

 A presentation about how I came to be invited to participate in Kristallnacht memorial ceremonies and speak about the Holocaust at six schools in Germany, in 2 cities, to 2000 students and many adults from the German community. The presentation will include the story of how the invitation came about, how I was received, what were my concerns, and, what I think now…  

3.            “A Second-Generation Memoir: Growing Up with Holocaust Survivor Parents”

 Born in a Displaced Person’s camp in Landsberg, Germany, Ettie Zilber has spent her life hearing, learning about, and researching the details of her family’s Holocaust experiences-from their life in Lithuania to their immigration to America. As a “Second Generation” child of Holocaust Survivors, Ettie ‘absorbed’ stories from childhood as she was raised by parents who survived unspeakable trauma. How did that trauma manifest itself in her parents’ behaviors, world view, idiosyncrasies and parenting? When and how did she learn the details of their past and how did it impact her life, her thoughts, her career, and her own behavior? This presentation describes characteristics of survivors, impressions by other second- generation interviewees and her own reflections.

 Based on the book “A Holocaust Memoir of Love & Resilience: Mama’s Survival from Lithuania to USA”.   http://getbook.at/Zilber

4. “The impact of the Holocaust on Survivors: Diverse Profiles of Luck & Resilience”

What is the definition of “Survivor” and what were the common denominators for almost all Survivors? Certainly, fear, food insecurity/starvation and trauma.

But, it would be erroneous to paint all “Survivors” with one brush. In fact, each Survivor is very different. Clearly, the diversity is based on pre-war, war and post-war experiences. These would start with age, geography, socio-economics, family status, and lead into the endless variety of war-time experiences. The lesser-known post-war experiences also had a huge impact on the Survivors.  This presentation details more of the above, with examples from the speaker’s family, among others.

5. “Student Reactions to the traveling exhibit: “Holocaust by Bullets”

                                                https://www.yahadinunum.org/

As a docent, I oriented and then guided students through the exhibit on loan to the Phoenix Holocaust Association. As an educator and researcher, I wanted to learn the impact of the orientation and this visual experience on the young guests. Response cards were distributed to the student-visitors, aged 12-22. Response cards offered specific prompts in order to elicit the emotional and immediate reaction of the students. This presentation will describe the Holocaust by Bullets exhibit and the students’ reactions.

6.                     “How to give quality & engaging presentations about the Holocaust”

As educators know quite well, instruction and presentations on any topic take enormous preparation and are infinitely more effective when more of the senses are activated. Many 2Gs and 3Gs are taking up the gauntlet to tell their grand/parents’ stories. Come and learn how to create a visual presentation which will be effective, educational, evoke empathy, change beliefs, and, be stimulating, engaging and memorable. 

7.                         “From Liberation & Loss to Love, Lemonade & Laughter”

While the term ‘liberation’ conjures up celebrations and champagne glasses, it was nothing like that for those who were barely alive in 1945. The prisoners woke up one morning and suddenly discovered that their Nazi guards were gone and watched with worry as their liberators appeared. After 5 years of terror and abuse, what did the next five years have in store for Ettie’s family and hundreds of thousands of other Jewish displaced persons?  Without social media or telecommunications, how did they reunite with the ‘surviving remnants?’ How did they deal with their liberators, rehabilitate, and navigate the new dangers of war-torn and divided Europe… and then find a new home?

8. Yiddish for our Nostalgia, Camaraderie, and our Brains

These classes are designed to introduce (or re-introduce) the Yiddish language to eager nostalgic participants. It is designed for those who recall some vocabulary from a time in the past when relatives and/or friends spoke Yiddish or for those who have spoken the language in the past. This will NOT include reading/writing in Yiddish (only transliterations)

DR. ZILBER IN ACTION