Holocaust education charity warns of rising antisemitism at powerful film launch
Survivors honoured and urgent warnings issued as Holocaust Learning UK premieres new educational film
A leading Holocaust education charity has warned that its work is “more needed than ever” as antisemitism and Holocaust denial rise sharply across the UK.
Holocaust Learning UK (HLUK) hosted a moving event on Wednesday evening to launch its latest educational film, The Holocaust, and honour survivors who continue to share their experiences with younger generations.
Held at JW3 in north London, the evening began with a keynote address from Lord Ian Austin, HLUK’s honorary president, who praised the volunteer-run organisation for reaching nearly 250,000 schoolchildren over the past 5 years. “That’s 250,000 young people learning the truth about history’s greatest crime,” he said. “This is extraordinary for a charity run entirely by volunteers.”
Austin also issued a stark warning about the surge in antisemitic incidents since 7 October. “Restaurants and synagogues vandalised, Jewish children targeted, schoolchildren attacked, even protests outside the venue,” he said. “Learning about the Holocaust today is no simple task… but combating Holocaust distortion is a challenge we ignore at our peril.”
HLUK Chair Sue Krasner shared that more than 47,000 students have viewed the charity’s films this academic year alone. “Our figures suggest we may now be reaching the greatest number of UK secondary students of any Holocaust education organisation,” she said. “We do this with a team of just 12 volunteer trustees and no government funding.”
The Holocaust, HLUK’s fifth film, is designed for secondary school students and aligned with the Key Stage 3 curriculum. It includes powerful survivor testimonies, including from Hannah Lewis, who witnessed her mother’s murder as a child. Susan Pollack, who endured Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, described the emotional toll of her experience: “I didn’t cry,” she said. “Human feelings left me completely.”
HLUK trustee Julian Glicher explained how the charity adapted its work when in-person survivor talks became impossible. “We started making films to ensure their voices would still be heard in schools across the country,” he said. “They’re shown free of charge, with teaching resources developed in partnership with the Holocaust Educational Trust.”
The evening ended with a tribute to the late survivors Ann and Bob Kirk and a standing ovation for those still sharing their stories. Krasner concluded: “We owe everything to our survivors. Their courage and determination to educate are the heart of everything we do.”
HLUK’s new film is now available for schools nationwide, supporting the UK government’s pledge that every student should hear testimony from a Holocaust survivor before completing their education.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
