As a teacher, I have had the privilege of having my students participate in the Heal program for two consecutive years. This program offers a great opportunity for students to learn about the events that led to the Holocaust. They also get to connect with survivors and students from other districts. Jack, the program's educator and CEO is exceptional. Since completing the program, my students have grown in compassion, understanding, and knowledge. I highly recommend the Heal program to any student who wishes to gain more insight into the Holocaust.
I have been in this program for three years now and have completely enjoyed the experience. My knowledge on the Holocaust has been vastly expanded, I've gotten to meet several survivors and listen to their stories, and it has led me to take action within my own community. It is overall a great environment to be apart of and I would 100% recommend joining HEAL. The work that we have been able to accomplish as a team has been extraordinary. This nonprofit has inspired me to educate others about the Holocaust, just like how I was educated through this program. The staff is amazing and so patient, special shout-out to Jack Rosenbaum the CEO for encouraging me to be the best HEAL leader I can be. I will forever be grateful to this program and thankful all of the skills it has taught me as well as the growth I have experienced as a person.
HEAL is one of the most significant organizations of our era, answering a desperate need. If we learned anything in the aftermath of the depraved October 7, 2023, terror attack on civilians in Israel, it is the breadth and depth of anti-semitism in America, especially, and most concerning, among the younger generation. Perhaps now more than at any time since World War II, it is imperative that our students--the future leaders, teachers, and influencers in a multitude of roles--know about the Holocaust and absorb the lessons the world was supposed to have learned from that unparalleled genocide: about history and the human responsibility to fight evil too many of our educational institutions have failed to impart. HEAL is an antidote, giving teens the knowledge and tools to stand up for what is right and good and to educate and influence others to do the same. As a volunteer, I have worked with founder Jack Rosenbaum in the realm of Holocaust education for many years. In addition to being an excellent educator, he has long looked to broaden outreach to non-Jewish young people and is now succeeding with them. HEAL's effectiveness in empowering participants to find their own strength and have a positive impact on others is apparent among the "advocacy leaders" and the peers they affect. In our world rife with hatred, much of it the result of ignorance, HEAL fills a crucial role.
I've been volunteering for HEAL for three years now, and the program has been the most impactful on my life out of any extracurricular (and in general any activity) I've participated in. Jack is an absolutely amazing person, and the other volunteers are kind, cooperative, and very motivated. I feel that the work HEAL does has really made a difference in the schools that endorse it, and I hope to come back for a fourth year if possible!