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if you would like to get in touch with a holocaust survivor and hear their story, you can contact me at logannoorily@gmail.com. My grandmother is a holocaust survivor who is willing to tell her story to whoever will listen. You can also donate to or read about the association of holocaust organizations. it was established in 1985 to serve as an international network of organizations and individuals for the advancement of Holocaust education, remembrance, and research.

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in the image below, there is an elderly woman with a holocaust tattoo. This tattoo is a visible reminder of her times of persecution. often, we see photos like these and think how sad they are. We ponder on them and then eventually forget.  I am not sure we can make changes for people such as the women in the picture. But maybe we can change for her children or grandchildren. We can teach our peers to accept these humans despite their beliefs. Sometimes we have to sit down and realize that people in the holocaust had brothers and sisters. 6 million is the number of friends, children, and partners that were lost. we were deprived of their souls and presence. the holocaust is something that won't fade away, we can't let it. Now and then, it's an ongoing battle.

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as a Jewish person, I was shocked to know that not all U.S states require the holocaust to be taught in school. if you know me, you know that I have great pride in being Jewish, it is a part of me. Often, it seems politically correct to separate religion from daily life, or normally talk about it. I believe this...to an extent. My grandmother grew up without resources, family, or money in a foreign country. she lived in a hole underground for 9 months to escape the nazis. So, in a way, I feel that it is my place to speak up. To speak up for my family members who never got the chance.
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The part I highlighted helps to manifest my thoughts and initial shocks. in the op-ed, I was excited to showcase a part of me that can be silenced at times. In this section, I am able to express my real reactions and utter disappointment.  I got to inform our peers on something that motivates me in life.

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What is wrong with us? With our society, I mean. We are so naive to think that there are nice enough people in this world to reach “perfection”. I hate to toot your little horn, but that seems more like an expectation than reality. The funny thing is, hate only seems real when your entire family is buried somewhere in what was once Nazi Germany and you don’t have any cousins. You can laugh! It's okay, it's my hate anyways. There’s no way to discard hate, however, there are ways to prevent it. All American schools should require holocaust information to be included in the curriculum.
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According to Eli Rosenberg from the Washington Post, currently, ten new states have created laws regarding the implementation of Holocaust content (Rosenberg). All of the students who have passed through these states’ education systems may not be informed on the Holocaust whatsoever. This lack of vital education on history can create a gap between society and its people within.  Not educating us students on the Holocaust is permitting the unjust beliefs of Jewish bias. It is a tactic used to continue anti-semitsim.
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As the world constantly changes, anti-semitsim stays true. Ryan Klemot a Stony Brook news writer from EBSCOhost, told the story of Saul, a Holocaust survivor who was facing physical and verbal harassment when walking to synagogue. Ryan, who was walking with Saul, lost patience and started screaming, emotionally describing what Saul had been through (Klemot).  Shortly after, the men stopped harassing Saul. All of a sudden there was this shift in their mentalities. That change in mindset is suggesting that informing people of significant historical events is in fact effective. Thus, teaching our peers could mimic this reaction. It seems absurd that a man cannot even walk independently without facing discrimination.
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Persistence, the idea of holding on to something until it gives out. Jewish individuals have “given out”, as they continue to endure assaults, harassment, and vandalism to their property because they identify as Jewish. In a News article from ABC-Clio, editorial manager Julia Dunbar states that the ADL has recorded an average of 982 incidents each year in the U.S. from 2010 to 2014 (Dunbar). Anti-semitism is only increasing, teaching society to avoid change regarding religious persecution. The entire motive behind educating people is to decrease Jewish discrimination. It is to protect future generations of jews and build defiance towards hatred.
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Some states are just now stepping forward. In an article from the Washington Post, author Eli Rosenberg said that Oregon passed a bill requiring the information regarding the Holocaust to be taught. The destructive effects of hatred would be included in the curriculum (Rosenberg). Education is the basis; not only can it teach you statistics and chemistry, but it can enforce the reflection of actions and eradicate racist views on jews. Imagine if we never learned about the holocaust in school. All of us would have fostered unethical views.  This leads to false stereotypes and stigma. Seriously?! Did it really take 80 years for a standard part of the curriculum to be put in place?
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Listen. I am all for freedom of speech - but when it comes to uninformed people, I’m kind of on the fence. In our CMS 8th grade class, in a survey conducted (Noorily), 7% of students said the holocaust should not be taught. This opinion can result in a domino effect, or the spread of beliefs. Influences are present in every aspect of life. In many ways, we learn from those around us, we take in what we hear. This can be detrimental if those views are biased or clearly stemmed from prejudice. A way to prevent this occurrence is through teaching.
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You may think that all of our classmates must know about the holocaust, yet one of them was not familiar. In an interview (Noorily), I told them about the numerous times that Jews have been victims of discrimination. They then stated that it was wrong to spread Jewish hate and felt empathetic. Their understanding shows the lack of exposure to information at home or resources. School may be one of the only places to inform students like us, as there are only a few opportunities before we are influenced by others. The only way to even translate the severity and greatness of discrimination is to inform them.
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We can say we want a more inclusive society,  one that disregards race and beliefs. However, once you talk the talk...you kind of have to walk the walk. We are the future, the people that will make up this world. So use your voice,  educate others. Speak for those who never could.  I may be one person pushing to educate, but there still are 6 million other reasons.