Holocaust Education Resource Center

The Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC), a program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, is dedicated to the building of a society resting on the values of tolerance and diversity, dignity, and respect toward all human beings. HERC teaches both students and adults the lessons learned from the Holocaust which led to the mass murder of six million Jews and five million non-Jews by the Nazis and their collaborators during World War II.

HERC is the ONLY organization in Wisconsin devoted solely to Holocaust education, remembrance & outreach providing education resources for middle, high schools and college campuses.  With the Holocaust Education mandate (Act 30) taking effect this upcoming school year,  HERC has launched an ambitious project to provide crucial support for Wisconsin teachers across 464 school districts.  Our teacher training workshops, will empower Wisconsin educators with Holocaust literacy through access to resources and instructional techniques.

Holocaust Education promotes empathy, combats antisemitism and racism, and empowers students and adults to become upstanders in their community. 

Of 400 students who participated in HERC programs, 77% found the program they attended meaningful.  

Our offerings include educator workshops; Speakers Bureau of Holocaust survivors, their families, and volunteers; community programs; in-class activities, and digital resources like our new https://teachholocaust.org platform. Developed by HERC, this one-stop toolkit for educators to access over 100 lesson plans, searchable by grade, class duration, and state social studies standards is at the heart of our work to engage youth and adults to become the change they wish to see. 

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HERC's Impact in FY 2022

•98,724 individual impacts through HERC’s digital content and social media offerings

•549 educators trained through workshops

•232 school districts reached through CESA workshops

•202 school districts scheduled for FY2023

•2,394 students engaged with Speakers Bureau

•822 students attending field trips

•510 students engaged through educator programs

•2,000 free copies of The Assignment sent to students

•3,309 people attended 20 community programs