We Remember – the Holocaust survivors’ anthem

January 12, 2018 by J-Wire Newsdesk
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In the lead up to the UN Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27 January 2018 a series of recordings of The Partisan Song, Zog Nit Keynmol, sung and recited by ORT and other schools will be available to educators.

One of the first is a creative and inspiring creative video of students at the ORT Tekhiya School in Moscow reciting the verses in Yiddish, Hebrew. English and Russian:

The Holocaust Survivors’ Anthem was written in Yiddish by the poet, Hirsh Glik, in the Vilna ghetto in 1943. Glik was murdered by the Nazis in Estonia in 1944.

The thundering defiant optimism of Zog Nit Keynmol raised the morale of fighters against the Nazis, and at the same time it was sung by those incarcerated in the camps and ghettos. It is a poem of hope which still resonates with the youth of today, if they know about it.

To ensure that this magnificent song and its stirring message is not lost, World ORTis giving its support in our passionate campaign to introduce it to schoolchildren around the world.

Extensive over the past 12 months on the internet and in libraries such as the British and the New York Public Libraries, has uncovered a wealth of significant material. There are now 23 language versions, an eclectic collection of genres, numerous essays, and many videos and recordings.

A lesson plan has been added, enabling teachers and learners to utilise The Partisan Song in History, English, Jewish Studies classes, art and multimedia classes.

Eli Rabinowitz, the Perth-based man behind the Don’t Give Up Hope project said: “We have focussed on classroom activities around the poem, its author and the historical context: reading, analysing, watching a recital, comparing with other war and Holocaust poems and discussions. Related creative activities include art, creative writing, multimedia and singing.”

The UK-based  Holocaust Education Trust’s Martin Winstone said: “Don’t Give Up Hope is an inspiring project which encourages students around the world to learn and sing Glik’s anthem.” 

World ORT added: “The thundering, defiant optimism of Zog nit Keynmol, “The Partisans’ Song”, raised the morale of fighters against the Nazis but it can also be an inspiration to new generations – if they know about it. To ensure that this magnificent song and its stirring message is not lost, World ORT is supporting Eli Rabinowitz in his passionate campaign to introduce it to schoolchildren around the world.

To learn more about Zog Nit Keynmol and to view more creative videos of students, visit http://elirab.me/zog-nit-keynmol/

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