The Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship (CHES) will kick off its 2024 Holocaust Education Month (HEM) with a series of impactful events, starting on Nov. 7 with a focus on women’s underground resistance in Auschwitz. The opening event features a screening of Sabotage, a documentary by Israeli filmmaker Noa Aharoni, followed by a panel discussion exploring the little-known story of Jewish women who risked their lives to support a revolt at the camp.

The film highlights a little-known story of 30 Jewish women who worked as slave labourers in the munitions factory at Auschwitz-Birkenau and risked their lives in a smuggling operation that supported the camp's revolt. Through a blend of animation, archival footage, and live testimony, Sabotage offers a moving account of the women’s courage and resilience.

The documentary has a special connection to Ottawa through Anna Wajcblum Heilman, one of the women involved in the resistance. After surviving the uprising, Heilman emigrated to Ottawa in 1960, where she became a respected social worker. Her diary, which detailed the events at Auschwitz and later formed the basis of Sabotage, is housed at Library and Archives Canada and will be displayed at the launch event.

Heilman’s daughter, Ariela Heilman, will join filmmaker Noa Aharoni in a panel discussion following the screening. The event, which will also feature remarks from Stephen Victor, K.C., Ph.D. (h.c.), Honourary Chair of HEM, will take place at a location disclosed upon registration.

In addition to the screening, the evening will include the presentation of the Arie van Mansum Award for excellence in Holocaust education. CHES has expressed pride in supporting the Israeli film industry during this challenging time, and the evening will serve as a reminder of the importance of telling Holocaust stories through film and testimony.

The second major event for HEM is scheduled for Nov. 12. Titled "Through Their Eyes: A Next Generation Perspective," this program will highlight the experiences of children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. The multi-year project encourages Ottawa descendants of survivors to research and share their family stories through digital presentations.

The event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Artur Wilczynski, with a presentation by Professor Jan Grabowski on the "Long Shadow of the Holocaust." Grabowski will address how Holocaust memory is being distorted in parts of Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, and how survivors' testimonies remain essential to countering false narratives.

Organized in collaboration with the German Embassy, Through Their Eyes offers a platform for the next generation to share their perspectives and become active in Holocaust education. The project is sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, the Ottawa Community Foundation, the Beth Shalom Legacy Fund, and the U.S. Embassy.

Both events are free but require registration, with locations provided upon confirmation.

Women’s Underground Resistance in Auschwitz, HEM Launch Event, Nov 7th, 7:00 pm
Register here

Through Their Eyes: A Next Generation Perspective, November 12th, 7:00 pm
Register here