In January 2013, I contributed to a film that was made by the University and College Union (UCU) in order to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2013, which took place on Sunday 27 January.
The film gave me and other Jewish UCU members an opportunity to share our families' tragic stories with a wider public. Most of my family on my father's side was killed in Auschwitz. Though it was difficult to talk about these experiences and the impact they had on our families, especially on film, I think it is very important to not only remember those killed, but also raise awareness about genocide, ethnic cleansing and racism more broadly. As members of a teaching union and as educators, we have a particular responsibility to stimulate thinking on these critical issues. After all, if society is to change, it has to come through the education system. I therefore hope this film is not only a fitting memorialisation of the deaths of my family members and a tribute to their lives, but also reminds us of the importance of standing up against racism, sexism, homophobia and other ideologies of exclusion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m86B9WDvCiI&feature=player_embedded
Please share the film widely. Thank you.
