YA Teacher Honored by Holocaust Group
SPECIAL FOR THE AJT //
Rabbi Reuven Travis of Yeshiva Atlanta has been named Distinguished High School Educator of the Year by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust as for his teaching of civil rights.
Each year, the Commission recognizes outstanding educators in the fields of Holocaust education, human rights, civil rights and character development. They focus on teachers whose work exemplifies a passion to eradicate hatred and discrimination.
“I was so thrilled when I heard the news,” said Dr. Paul Oberman, Yeshiva Atlanta’s Head of School. “Rabbi Travis’ teaching materials have forced his students to think about history in a more critical and questioning manner so that they can better see the relevance of history in their day-to-day lives.
“Living in the South, this was particularly important in teaching the students about the Civil Rights era.”
Eden Farber, class of 2015, is a student in Rabbi Travis’ Honors American History class.
“No teacher has ever presented that to me – the idea that history is written by the victors – but suddenly the world around me came to life in an entirely new dimension,” Farber said. “I’ll never forget that feeling of realizing how much harder the Civil Rights rioters had to fight than we thought and how we take that away from them in all our other classes.”
Rabbi Travis will receive his award at a ceremony to be held on April 12 at the Georgia State Capitol. His name will be placed on a permanent plaque located at the “Anne Frank in the World” exhibit, and his winning lesson plans will be posted on the official Georgia Commission on the Holocaust website, holocaust.georgia.gov.
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