Student Programs
The Sydney Jewish Museum offers a wide range of innovative programs for students, covering a range of subjects and levels.
Nobody could have predicted it in 1992, but our world-class exhibitions continue to attract tens of thousands of visitors a year. With hundreds of artefacts for students to explore, and over 30 survivors for them to meet, the experience of studying the Holocaust at the Sydney Jewish Museum is second to none.
At the Museum, we pride ourselves on our commitment to education. We invite you to bring your students to the Museum, and encourage you to speak to our team of highly-trained and motivated educators about tailoring a seminar to suit the needs of your students. All education programs are linked to NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) syllabus outcomes.
If you know which program you would like to book, follow the link below. To read ore about our program options, please scroll down to browse the listings.
Teacher Training
The Museum offers NESA Accredited professional development seminars for teachers throughout the school year. Participating teachers are presented with newly-developed materials and practical approaches to teaching these key subjects.
Click below for more details.
Teacher Training Teachers' NetworkSchool Education Programs
Introduce your students to studying the Holocaust. This program explores key historical events that contributed to this cataclysmic event unfolding.
Rights and FreedomsExplore the creation and role of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other crucial documents protecting human rights through the lens of contemporary issues in Australia.
Resisting the HolocaustThis program challenges the misconception that Jews went “like lambs to the slaughter”, with examples of Jewish resistance.
Windows into JudaismExplore the interactive and artefact rich displays on the Museum’s Ground Floor as a tool through which to learn about Judaism as a living religious tradition.
Fact Through FictionHistorical fiction is a unique way for students to engage emotionally and intellectually with the Holocaust. This interactive session will explore the issues of historical accuracy and authorship.
Discovering Human RightsIntroduce your students to Human Rights, with a focus on some of the issues we see on our own doorstep, in Australia.
Conflict in Europe: World War II and the War Against the JewsExplore Europe as a hub of conflicting political ideologies. Students will focus on Operation Barbarossa and the intrinsic link between the Holocaust and the aims of the Nazis to create a racial empire in Europe.
The Nature and Development of Human Rights: The Universal Declaration of Human RightsFocuses on the nature and development of human rights through the lens of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the immediate context of the Holocaust and World War II.
Children in a Vanishing WorldThis age-appropriate program will deepen students’ understanding of the historical context of these books and also speak to the themes that they raise about the rights of children and the complex ethical dilemmas that children faced during wartime.
Image credit: SJM Collection.
Power and Authority: Impact on SocietyLook at the experiences of youth, women and minorities within the totalitarian state of Nazi Germany to better understand the impact of dictatorships on society.
Power and Authority: The Rise of NazismUnderstand how two thousand years of European Jewish life were destroyed with the rise of Nazism by delving deeper into the circumstances under which the Nazi party and Hitler were able to rise to power.
Unearthing the Holocaust: Serniki and the Australian War Crimes TrialsEngage in a discussion of the massacre at Serniki and how it constitutes a war crime and, thus, a breach of international law.
Site Study: Memory and MemorialisationApproach the history of the Holocaust through looking at the Museum’s architecture and exhibitions. Students will explore how history is constructed through memorial spaces and display of historical objects.
The Nature of Modern History: Constructing, Contesting and Investigating the PastHow is modern history constructed by historians, and how can it change over time? This seminar puts the history of the Holocaust into a wider context of historical thinking.
Arrival Forever: Migration StoriesIntroduce your students to concepts of community, cultural identity, symbols and acculturation against the backdrop of Australia’s migration history.
Community and RemembranceLearn more about how the Jewish citizens of Australia have contributed in many ways to the local communities within which they have lived.
Serving Australia: Jewish Involvement in Australian Military HistoryExplore the contribution that Australian Jews have made to the Australian military against the backdrop of the country’s wartime history.
Genocide in the 20th CenturyWhat is genocide and how did the term arise? Students will explore the concept of genocide through examples drawn from the 20th century.
What People BelieveWhat do Jewish people believe? Learn more about Jewish rituals, festivals, celebrations and traditions.
Anne Frank: A Girl Writes HistoryAnne Frank’s diary has been read by millions. Come and discover why Anne’s words and reflections remain poignant for the world today.
Year 11 Studies of Religion DayIn-Depth Study Days provide a unique opportunity for students to experience Studies of Religion beyond the classroom.
Ethical Leadership DayThis leadership day brings together students from around NSW in a safe and open forum in order to discuss and think about the leader they can become.
Preliminary and HSC Studies of ReligionJourney through Judaism’s rich history and explore the religion as a living tradition.
Human Rights Discovery DayThe Human Rights Discovery Day is designed to introduce Year 6 students to the concept of Human Rights.
HSC Modern History Intensive: Peace and ConflictThis HSC Intensive addresses the Stage 6 Modern History module, Peace and Conflict Option C: Conflict in Europe 1935-1945.
HSC Modern History Intensive: Core StudyThis HSC Intensive addresses the Stage 6 Modern History Core Study – Power and Authority in the Modern World (1919-1946).
Four Hour ProgramBuild your own excursion by selecting two of our interactive seminars that fulfil your learning objectives.
Two Hour General ProgramEngage your students in discussions of racism, tolerance and persecution through the lens of the history of the Holocaust.
Joint Program with the Australian National Maritime MuseumLearn the stories of those who left their homelands to settle in Australia. Hear about their hardships to build a new life.
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