Week 1: From Hatred to Core Ideology

We will try to delve into Nazi ideology and the special place of Jews and Judaism in it. We will also discuss how the National Socialist Party converted the German Democracy of the Weimar Republic into a totalitarian regime within a short period of time, and its meaning for Jews and non-Jewish citizens.

Week 2: The World and the Jews in World War II
We will try to examine the broader contexts of the Holocaust and to place it, as part of World War 2. In this meeting we will also refer to the vital Jewish world to be found under various Nazi occupations and influences.

Week 3: The Isolation Abyss – the Perspective of the Individual
We will try to reveal different aspects of Jewish life in the face of the badge of shame, ghettos and segregation, as well as the formation of individual, societies’ and leader’s reactions in the face of a consistent policy of dispossession and discrimination.

Once you’ve completed this course, you can continue your learning with The Holocaust: an Introduction – Part 2.

This online course is offered in an innovative, multi-level format, comprising:

• Comprehensive lectures by leading researchers from Tel Aviv University and Yad Vashem.
• A wealth of voices and viewpoints presented by guest lecturers.
• Numerous documents, photos, testimonies and works of art from the time of the Holocaust.
• Novel learning experience: Crowdsourcing – involving the learners themselves in the act of collecting and shaping information, via unique, exciting online assignments.