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Middle School


The Soviet Refusenik Movement – Analysis of a Social Justice Movement
Students will explore the Soviet Jewry Freedom Movement through two powerful videos: U.S. Representative John Lewis Speaking for Soviet Jews (1987) and The Soviet Jewry Freedom Movement (Unpacked). By examining this historical social justice movement, students will gain insight into the broader themes of advocacy, solidarity, and global human rights. Using a set of 10 criteria, students will critically analyze the movement’s structure, impact, and legacy, applying these same


Social Justice or Control? Communism - When Justice Becomes Control
Grade Level: 7-8 Duration of video 1: 15 minutes, 26 seconds Duration of video 2: 3 minutes, 52 seconds Duration of video 3: 18 minutes, 10 seconds Themes : Propaganda vs. justice, Communism, authoritarian control, manipulated language, media literacy, moral responsibility Description: This lesson uses historical case studies of authoritarian regimes to help students tell the difference between authentic justice movements and propaganda movements that use justice-themed la


THE WAVE: Nazism: Real Social Justice vs. Hateful Hidden Agendas, Learning to Tell the Difference Between Unity and Division
Grade Level: 8–12 Duration of video 1: 7 minutes, 28 seconds Duration of video 2: 44 minutes Themes: Social psychology, Holocaust awareness, Nazism, World War II, media literacy and propaganda, social justice vs. hate movements, active citizenship, moral responsibility Description: This lesson begins with The Path to Nazi Genocide , a short introductory documentary that examines how the Nazis systematically excluded Jews from society and justified escalating violence. Stude


THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION SIMPLIFIED AND EXPLAINED
Explore our lesson plan for grades 8-12 on the Russian Revolution. Featuring a concise video, key events, and critical analysis of its social justice impact, this resource includes objectives, discussion questions, and activities to foster critical thinking and empathy.


LGBTQIA+ and Women's Rights in the U.S. and EU
This lesson introduces students to how the United States and European Union have worked to protect and advance the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Students will explore historical milestones, legal protections, and ongoing struggles for equality, while learning why these rights are fundamental to free and fair societies.


HAYM SOLOMON: The Financier Who Helped Fund America's Freedom
Haym Solomon was a Jewish immigrant, financier, and unsung hero of the American Revolution who played a crucial role in securing funds for the war effort. Born in Poland in 1740, he immigrated to America in 1772 and became a successful merchant and banker.


I Hated Them Until I Met Them: Loay Al-Shareef's Personal Story
Loay Al-Shareef is a linguist, educator, and peace activist known for his efforts in promoting Arab-Jewish coexistence and combating misinformation. Raised in Saudi Arabia, he was taught anti-Israel and antisemitic narratives. However, after studying in France and living with a Jewish family, he realized that much of what he had been taught was false. This transformation led him to advocate for truth, fight Jew-hatred, and educate others about historical facts and shared Arab


Asian American Activists in the Civil Rights Movement
The fight for justice has never been fought alone. Asian American activists worked alongside Black, Latinx, and Indigenous leaders to challenge oppression and demand equality. Their contributions remain inspiring and relevant today, offering powerful lessons on solidarity, resilience, and social change.


The Young Lords Grassroots Activism and Social Change - Fighting for Justice, Then and Now
Grade Level: 6-12 Duration of video: Under 7 minutes Themes: Multiracial and Multicultural Alliances, Solidarity, Advocacy Image: March...


Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel & Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – A Shared Struggle for Justice
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were united by a deep commitment to justice and human dignity. Heschel, a Jewish theologian and Holocaust survivor, believed that the fight for Black civil rights was a moral and spiritual imperative. He famously marched alongside Dr. King during the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965, later saying, “I felt my legs were praying.”


Miracle at Moreaux
An exciting, endearing film about how a Catholic nun, Sister Gabrielle (played by Loretta Swit), and a group of Christian school children in France helped three Jewish children escape the Nazis. Due to antisemitic lies their parents told them, the Christian children are, at first, not very friendly to these unexpected Jewish strangers. In a short time, however, the children develop a strong bond.


The Number on Great Grandpa’s Arm
This short family film, presented with the Museum of Jewish Heritage, introduces Holocaust history to a new generation. When 10-year-old Elliott asks his 90-year-old great-grandfather, Jack, about the number tattooed on his arm, he sparks an intimate conversation about Jack’s life that spans happy memories of childhood in Poland, the loss of his family, surviving Auschwitz, and finding a new life in America.
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