The National Council of Jewish Women Peninsula Section is expanding its efforts to bring Holocaust education into classrooms and communities with a special virtual screening of the documentary “The Barn” later this month.
Led by Holocaust Education Chair Pnina Knopf, the Lawrence-based organization is offering middle schools, high schools, religious institutions and community groups the opportunity to view the film free of charge. The initiative, Knopf said, reflects both the organization’s long-standing mission and the growing need to confront misinformation.
“We’ve been around over 87 years, and we serve the local community right here in Lawrence,” Knopf said. “We want students to really feel it not just learn it. Programs like this help them understand where hate can lead.”
The April 28 Zoom program will begin at 10 a.m. and feature filmmaker Rachel Kastner, who will join participants virtually from Israel. Kastner, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, began working on the film as a teenager, driven by a sense of responsibility to preserve her family’s story.
“I believe in the power of storytelling and documentary film to achieve this, and I am very moved to have many educators across the US are showing “The Barn” to their classrooms this year,” Kastner said.
That responsibility is at the heart of “The Barn”, which follows Kastner and her grandfather as they return to the remote Ukrainian town where he survived the Holocaust, hidden in a bunker beneath a barn for more than a year. The film, which premiered at the International Miami Jewish Film Festival in 2019, has since reached audiences worldwide and is increasingly being used as an educational tool.
“Beyond teaching the basic requirements of the history curriculum for this chapter of history of WWII and the Holocaust, I greatly appreciate educators who find ways to ensure students truly absorb the moral takeaways and lessons of the Holocaust,” Kastner added. “Especially amidst the rise of antisemitism and Holocaust denial, as well as xenophobia that extends to other minorities.”
Following the screening, Kastner will participate in a live question-and-answer session, giving students and participants the opportunity to engage directly with both the history and the filmmaking process.
The program is being presented with the support of community partners: Trinity-St. John’s Church, Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre, the Marion & Aaron Gural JCC, Sid Jacobson JCC, Temple Am Echad and Congregation Etz Chaim. This reflects a broader effort to bring diverse groups together around Holocaust education and remembrance.
Educators who have previously participated say the experience resonates deeply. Kaitlin GaNun, principal at Lynbrook South Middle School described the film as “a moving story,” pointing to the powerful bond between Kastner and her grandfather and its impact on students.
“It is such a moving story and the love Rachel, and her grandfather shared is so special, we should all be so lucky to have a relationship like they did,” GaNun said. “I look forward to keeping this story alive in our community for years to come.”
GaNun’s school is already signed up for the presentation with a minimum of 100 students attending.
“Facts matter, but stories stay with you,” Knopf said. “If even one student walks away and chooses to speak up against hate, then this program has done its job.”
To register for the viewing, visit https://tinyurl.com/fm8fye2d.
