Program Overview

Introduction to the Max and Tessie Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies

The Max and Tessie Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies is a prominent institution dedicated to the advancement of Jewish studies. The centre offers a range of programs and initiatives, including the "Hear our Voices" project, which aims to educate students about the Holocaust and antisemitism through the testimonies of Holocaust survivors.

The "Hear our Voices" Project

The "Hear our Voices" project is a bilingual online course that utilizes the voices of Holocaust survivors to educate students about the Holocaust and antisemitism. The course is divided into four modules:

• Oral History: This module focuses on the uses of survivor testimony, ranging from the Nuremberg Trials to the present.
• Gender and Sexuality: This module investigates the depiction of gender and sexuality during the Holocaust.
• Religion and Culture: This module analyzes Jewish, Christian, and Muslim responses to the Holocaust.
• Antisemitism and Racism: This module explores the different types of anti-Jewish attitudes and behaviors over time and assesses how they contributed to the genocide against Europe's Jewish populations.

Project Team

The project team includes:

• Dr. Deidre Butler, Professor at Carleton University and project lead
• Marie-Catherine Allard, Doctoral candidate in Cultural Mediations and project coordinator
• Dr. Anna Sheftel, Associate Professor in the School of Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University and chair of the first module
• Jesse Toufexis, Doctoral candidate in the department of classics and religious studies at the University of Ottawa and co-chair of the third module
• Dr. Hilary Earl, Professor in Modern European History and Genocide studies at Nipissing University and chair of the fourth module
• Dr. Hernan Tesler-Mabé, Adjunct Professor in the Department History and of Classics and Religious Studies and Coordinator of the Vered Jewish Canadian Studies Program
• Research assistants: Jacqueline Girard, Erin Wilkins, Noë Bourdeau, Hannah Javanpour, Sarah Benson, and Dana Fischman

Partners

The "Hear our Voices" project is supported by several partners, including:

• The Azrieli Foundation
• The Vered Jewish Canadian Studies
• The Ottawa Jewish Archives
• The Montreal Holocaust Museum
• The Holocaust Literature Institute
• The March of the Living
• The Yad Vashem
• The Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship

Oral Histories

The project features oral histories from Holocaust survivors, including:

• Annette Wildgoose
• Thomas Paul
• Josef Eisinger
• Tom Deri
• Bryna Wallace
• Lisa Bogdonov
• Susan Bloomfield

These oral histories provide a personal and emotional perspective on the Holocaust, highlighting the experiences of survivors and their families. The project aims to educate students about the Holocaust and antisemitism, while also promoting empathy and understanding.