Until this year, Arizona has done nothing to practice or aid in Holocaust Education Week. However, all K-12 schools in Arizona are now required to teach Holocaust history in the classroom. 

Cities around the world participate in Holocaust Education Week within the first couple of weeks of November. Florida holds it during the second week of November, which coincides with the anniversary of Kristallnacht, Nov. 9 to 10, 1938, which was a major turning point in the persecution of European Jews by the Nazi regime. In western Canada, the week is observed from Nov. 3 to 10.

Until now, Phoenix has not practiced Holocaust Education Week. 

However, Anti-Defamation League’s annual audit of antisemitic incidents revealed that antisemitic incidents in Arizona rose by 10% in 2020. Their audit also revealed that incidents are at a historically high level nationally. 2,024 total incidents occurred in 2020. 

Due to this stark increase, Gov. Doug Ducey signed house bill 224 on July 9, 2021, which mandates that schools teach Holocaust history at least twice between 7th and 12th grades. 

“This bill works to educate our youth on the atrocities of the Holocaust and other genocides. Tragedies like this must never be allowed to happen again,” Governor Ducey said in a press release.

“This bill is a step in the right direction to fight antisemitism in our state, but our work is far from over,” the governor said. 

Ducey recognizes that anti-semitism within Arizona is real and on the rise. 

“We have seen a rise in crimes against individuals in several communities, and we must do more to prevent any additional harm and suffering. Antisemitism is real,” he said. 

Daniel Levinthal, a member of the Jewish Community in Phoenix is concerned about the bill including Holocaust education for younger children. 

“A staff member at my old school was actually fired for teaching too advanced material to my brother’s grade,” Levinthal said. “Some parents aren’t gonna like that their kids are learning that at younger ages.” 

Levinthal grew up attending a Jewish elementary and middle school here in Arizona.

He says that Holocaust education was never something he thought about because he grew up learning about it. He’s surprised that kids around the state didn’t learn about it as extensively as he did. 

“I learned it as basic curriculum at my school,” Levinthal said. “We had a Jewish history class. They would go over things like the Holocaust and things that occurred after it.” 

Representative Alma Hernandez says this bill is important because it is essential that we allow members of Jewish communities to tell the stories of their past.  

“This was a community effort, and I am proud to see it finally get done. This legislation is an important step to honor both those lost in the Holocaust and the survivors who have worked tirelessly to tell their stories,” Hernandez said in a press release. 

She believes this bill is more than a step in the right direction, and serves as a preventative measure as a whole. 

“I’m grateful to Governor Ducey for signing this bill into law. Knowing that all Arizona students will learn about the Holocaust gives me hope. We must teach the atrocities of the past to ensure it never happens again,” she said.

Contact the reporter at aesteel@asu.edu.