Face to Face ®

Our Impact

More than 58,000 students have participated in 135 schools in 11 Northeast Ohio counties.

Face to Face® strives to counter the influence of historical distortion and hatred. Our program teaches about the Holocaust and can help identify misrepresentation and inaccuracy when the Holocaust is used as a rhetorical device for political, moral, and social purpose. Face to Face® encourages moral development and fosters a sense of personal responsibility.

Our Education Director works with teachers of grades 7-12 to develop meaningful lessons presented through the lens of a Survivor or the adult child or grandchild of a Survivor. Presenters share personal stories to humanize the experiences of the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Offering firsthand testimony from a Survivor or his or her direct descendant is a more effective educational tool than anything students can read in a textbook.

Our program uses recommendations from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance to answer these four essential questions:

  • What were the historical conditions and key stages in the process of the Holocaust?

  • Why and how did people participate or become complicit in these crimes?

  • How did Jews respond to persecution and mass murder?

  • Why and how did some people resist these crimes?

Our Holocaust education programs meet Ohio Department of Education Standards, are appropriate for Diversity and Inclusion Programs, and are specifically designed to complement English, History, Art, Religion, and elective classes.

Formats

KIF has created innovative ways to reach students virtually, in-person at our Pepper Pike location, and/or in your classroom.

Our virtual format includes at least one speaker and discussion within a 45- to 90-minute session tailored to the needs of the specific class. Times available are Monday thru Thursday during the academic year. Upon registration, please specify dates, times, and topic from the list below:

  • Early Warning Signs

  • Rescue and Resistance

  • Final Solution

  • Refugee Crisis

  • Justice and Accountability

  • Introductory Discussion on Judaism

    Our program is offered in three ways to provide flexibility and convenience to our participants:

    1. The class visits our facility in Pepper Pike for an intensive 3- hour experience where students come “face to face” with a Holocaust Survivor or child of a survivor for a personal testimony. This program is available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00- 12:00. Please see registration for exact dates.

Face to Face Educational Booklet

The Program

  • Provides a true historical overview of the Holocaust through presentation, while applying the lessons to current events.

  • Includes an inspiring eyewitness testimonial and discussion with a Holocaust Survivor or adult child/grandchild of Survivors.

  • Explores the consequences of prejudice, hate, and apathy to teach tolerance and encourage moral development to foster a personal sense of responsibility.

  • Is coordinated by staff and volunteers with content from community Jewish educators, incontestable Holocaust resources, and Survivor/children of Survivor testimonies, a tool more effective than a textbook.

Face to Face® promotes remembrance, relevance, and personal responsibility through the lessons of the Holocaust. All formats are structured to be:

  • Flexible, dynamic, and designed to complement your curriculum.

  • Formatted and adapted to meet your educational objectives.

  • Used as stand-alone presentations or combined into a series of multiple presentations.

Testimonials

  • “I can't thank you enough for providing the opportunity for my daughter's class to hear firsthand the experiences of the amazing survivors. Undoubtedly, she will never forget this experience.”

  • “It may have been a horrible time but we, the people of the world, can learn from it.”

  • “Because of you I'm trying to stop the hatred that builds up in my heart when I get so mad. Seeing a real survivor who doesn't hate really tells me to never hold grudges against people.”

  • “It's one thing to talk about the Holocaust in class and read books about it but to have the opportunity to interact with a survivor left a lifetime lasting memory with the students.”

  • "Totally beneficial! It opened all our eyes and hearts."