Inspired by the experience, she began incorporating curriculum into her classroom and taking students to Lessons of the Shoah, co-sponsored by the BJC and the Klein Family Foundation. 

Held at the John Carroll High School in Bel Air, this annual event brings together high schoolers from public and private schools to hear from Holocaust survivors and learn around a Holocaust theme. This past year’s theme focused on the children of the Holocaust, which Natalie decided to use as a springboard for more comprehensive lessons about antisemitism. 

This included having her students read The Forbidden Daughter, the true story of a young Holocaust survivor. They examined the trauma experienced by children living through the Holocaust with the youngest Israeli hostages and drew parallels between the two.

“Prior to the program,” she says, “my students had a very narrow view of antisemitism. Many believed it
started around 1940 with World War II. They were shocked to learn the long history behind it—and how
it continues today.”

More importantly, she adds, “so many have limited exposure to the Jewish community. Now, they are asking questions, reflecting and gaining an understanding of their role in standing up against hatred.”