|
|
M. René Valmont, Holocaust survivor, visits St. Edmund School
November 23, 2011
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hecht,
I invited myself to two of Anne Edgar’s classes at her school in Beaconsfield today. I was amazed at the participation of the children, their interest, eagerness, questions and knowledge on the topic. Ms. Edgar is a wonderful creative teacher who inspires and motivates the children and keeps their constant attention. I want to thank you personally and congratulate you for establishing this scholarship program and, as a Holocaust survivor, I am emotionally touched by the words ‘’may we never forget’’. I received forty hand-made cards as a gift from the children. I will read and re-read them; they are wonderful, artistic, touching and I will show them to my children and friends with great pride. Again,
THANK YOU.
René Valmont
"I am well prepared to enter the classroom and educate my students regarding life in Europe before, during and following the Shoah."
|
 |
|
Scholarship winners 2011:
Stacey Blumer, Lester B. Pearson High School, Montreal North, Québec
David Barbiero, Beaconsfield High School, Beaconsfield, Québec
Anne Edgar, St. Edmund Elementary, Beaconsfield, Québec
Jason Lipstein, General Vanier Elementary, St-Léonard, Québec
“I am well prepared to enter the classroom and educate my students regarding life in Europe before, during and following the Shoah. Using Echoes and Reflections, I hope my students can learn to treat others with dignity and respect in an effort to combat prejudice and discrimination in our society today.”
“The trips around Israel to see the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Dead Sea, Masada, Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, the visit to Oskar Schindler’s grave as well as monasteries and many churches and synagogues provided a unique opportunity to experience, appreciate and learn about the history, beauty and uniqueness of Israel firsthand.
For me, the human faces of survivor testimony impacted me the most as they were willing to relive that terrible time in their lives because it is only through education that we have hope for a better tomorrow and to never repeat the terrible events of history.”
|
World Patricipants 2011
|
|
“One of my favorite lecturers was Musicologist Tamar Machado. She gave an interesting account about how one of the Sonderkommando’s was trying to use music to relay the message about what was going on inside the gas chambers. The Sonderkommando would sing outside a window details of what he was seeing inside.
It was a moving experience, and one that I will share with my students this coming school year. My intention this year for my students is geared for my upper level, cycle 3 students. They will be learning songs of the Holocaust and singing them, both in class, and in public performance (TBA). We will also be having in-class learning on what went on inside the camps and ghettos with a focus on the musicians themselves, who they were, what their backgrounds were, who they played for, what obstacles they were faced with day in and day out and what role they played in "the resistance" against the Nazi Regime. We will focus on the music that was played, and how it was used to send out messages from the victims of the Shoah themselves. We will ask questions such as, how did the music of the Holocaust survive? What inspired these people to compose music while living under such brutality? We will have open dialogue, and discussion in order to try to grapple some of the questions and difficulties raised with this most sensitive topic and how all of these great "musicians" weren't just "musicians". They were people... And how they were all led down the road to the inevitable final solution. I have the contact information for Ms. Machado, and I hope to keep in touch with her as an important resource for my work with my students this coming year. “
|
|
|
|
