By: Jessica Rockhold
Midwest Center for Holocaust Education
Introduction
Jewish responses to the Holocaust are best described as “choiceless choices.” They were put in positions to make judgements and decisions without there being real, viable alternatives to their situation. Despite this, many decisions were made.
This activity allows students to analyze the types of decisions four different people or groups made during the Holocaust. The same exercise could be accomplished with the primary source testimony of any victim of the Holocaust.
Teachers can adapt this lesson to focus on a specific experience such as women in the Holocaust or ghettos, or use it as it is written to be an overall snap-shot of the Holocaust experience.
Teacher Instructions
Student Worksheet
