Housed in the bottom floor of the Jewish Community Centre, The Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre is a capsule of reverent history within a diverse complex featuring arts, sports, education, and community programs. A testament to Vancouver’s post-war diaspora, it was founded by Holocaust survivors who landed in Vancouver after World War II. It is an anti-racism teaching centre dedicated to educating students and the public with comprehensive tours and workshops complemented by a team of outreach Survivor speakers. The VHEC is passionate about quality education and accessible, engaging history, and it’s here for all of us.

With less than a month left in their current exhibit, Janusz Korczak and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto, a trip to this local institution comes highly recommended for those interested in learning about the complex legacy of the Holocaust, and more specifically, a tailored approach to the events’ implications in our global community. The current exhibit examines the international struggle for childrens’ rights through the lens of the tragic fate of those living in the Warsaw Ghetto, and the selfless heroism of Janusz Korczak, who sacrificed his life to be with the children of his Warsaw orphanage as they were taken to the Treblinka extermination camp by the Nazis in 1942. Janusz Korczak and the Children of the Warsaw Ghetto runs until April 12, 2012. Visit www.vhec.org for more details.

The VHEC orchestrates two docent-led exhibits a year – including a recent colourful biography of the Jewish authors of Curious George – and word is that they plan to launch an expansive travelling exhibit later this year focusing on the Jewish internment camps in Canada during the war. A strong team of volunteer docents trained in age-adaptive teaching methods make this institution a unique and worthwhile encounter for youth and adults alike – a substantial task given the complexity and difficulty of the core content.

The exhibits are aimed at students in grades 6 through 12 (but definitely worthwhile for adults, too), and designed to highlight facets of the Holocaust, rather than an exhaustive approach which tends to overwhelm. By linking the events to broader themes and ideas such as race relations, bullying, literature, and sports (their 1936 Berlin Olympics exhibit was a tremendous success), the visits are meant to educate, rather than alienate. A recent Skype session between a classroom in Kelowna and a Survivor speaker from the VHEC illustrates the innovative approach the Centre has taken to spread awareness and historical consciousness in new ways. Bridging the gap between textbooks and Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds doesn’t count as History education), the Centre is a unique place to learn about one of the most significant events of the 20th century and its impact on the world today. Who does’t love a good field trip?