Online Courses
Yad Vashem's Online Courses utilize materials from our extensive archives and resources, and the latest in Holocaust research and pedagogy. They provide a unique opportunity to broaden your knowledge on the subject, with the flexibility offered by online study. The entire course is conducted online, including submission of assignments, grading, and evaluation. Each course includes ten lessons, with appropriate reading material and assignments. Participants submit a brief assignment for each lesson.
Registration for all courses is open throughout 2010. Once approved onto the course system, participation remains open for a period of 6 months, after which the course access expires. We recommend reading the material and submitting the assignments at a rate of one lesson or more every two weeks.
Courses are now recognized for Israeli professional development credit (gmul hishtalmut) hours. These courses have specific start- and end-dates - see below for relevant course dates and details.
For additional details see our FAQ page. Registration fees are $100 / NIS 350 per course, with concessions for return students.
Online Course: Prewar Jewish Life
"At the Edge of the Abyss: The Holocaust of European Jewry”
It is necessary to learn about what was lost in the Holocaust in order to fully understand its implications. This course examines the vibrant mosaic of Jewish life throughout Europe leading up to the Second World War. Covering representative communities from eastern and western Europe, we focus on central trends within early 20th century Jewry – internal politics, representation vis-a-vis the local authorities, dilemmas of assimilation, the rise of modern antisemitism, Zionism, and more.
Online Course: Germany 1918-1943
"At the Edge of the Abyss: The Holocaust of European Jewry”
This course covers German Jewry in the post-war and Nazi period, and includes the rise of the National Socialist Party, the establishment of the totalitarian state, anti-Jewish policies, and responses of German Jewry in the face of racial persecution. Throughout, we view reactions from within the Jewish community through to the destruction of German Jewry in 1943.
An English-language course on this topic for Israeli teachers will begin December 7th, 2009, running through May 2010. Graduates are eligible for 56 professional development credit (gmul hishtalmut) hours and grade. For details, see our FAQ page or click below for further inquiries. These courses include a mandatory one-day seminar at Yad Vashem, and are subject to minimum enrollment.
Online Course: Jewish Life in the Ghettos
"At the Edge of the Abyss: The Holocaust of European Jewry”
This course explores the evolution of the ghettos, their function, and their role within the "Final Solution". A special emphasis is placed on daily life inside the ghettos – the day-to-day struggles, dilemmas, and acts of resistance in the face of diminishing living space and means.
Online Course: The "Final Solution of the Jewish Problem"
"At the Edge of the Abyss: The Holocaust of European Jewry”
This course covers the steps in the establishment of the "Final Solution," and its execution in various countries. Through personal testimonies, Nazi documentation, research, and photographs, we learn about the evolution of the "Final Solution", the camp system, daily life in the camps, and more.
Online Course: Commemoration and Remembrance
"At the Edge of the Abyss: The Holocaust of European Jewry”
This course focuses on Holocaust consciousness in the period beginning in the 1950s and continuing through the end of the 20th century. Particular attention is paid to the role of Survivors in Holocaust awareness, as well as artistic representation of the Holocaust in the arts, Holocaust denial, and more.
“Life Lessons – Bringing Holocaust History to Your Classroom”
Online Courses for Educators
Designed specifically for teachers and educators, this new online course provides chapters in Holocaust history alongside pedagogic tools applicable to the classroom. In keeping with Yad Vashem's educational philosophy, the historical content is explored through a multi-disciplinary approach. Participants will work with actual educational material used by the International School for Holocaust Studies and explore implementation of these sources for a variety of age groups, using a dynamic series of approaches.
