CARMEL, N.Y. — For the first time since 1985, New York State has updated its Holocaust education curriculum, thanks in part to the dedication and expertise of Carmel High School Social Studies teacher Susan Tornatore.
A Passion for Holocaust Education
Tornatore collaborated with Steve Goldberg, director of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center in White Plains, to develop new instructional materials. Her primary focus was on the resistance leaders of the Warsaw Ghetto, a subject she has studied and taught with deep passion throughout her career.
Her connection to the topic runs decades deep. In 1999, Tornatore received a fellowship to study the Holocaust in both Poland and Israel. There, she met and learned directly from Holocaust survivors and resistance fighters Vladka and Benjamin Meed, experiences that shaped her commitment to teaching about resilience and resistance during one of history’s darkest periods.
“Working on this curriculum felt like coming full circle,” Tornatore reflected. “It honors their legacy and the stories of so many others.”
Bringing New Resources to Classrooms
The updated Holocaust curriculum is now published and available to teachers across New York and beyond. It offers educators a comprehensive database of readings, activities, and case studies designed to deepen students’ understanding of the Holocaust, with an emphasis on stories of resistance and survival.
For Tornatore, the work represents more than an academic contribution. It ensures that new generations of students will learn not only about the atrocities of the Holocaust, but also about the courage of those who resisted oppression.
Praise from School Leaders
Carmel High School Principal Brian Piazza commended Tornatore for her dedication, noting the far-reaching impact of her work.
“Susan’s dedication to this project will impact thousands of students across New York State now and in the future,” Piazza said. “The sharing of survivors’ stories is so important.”
Superintendent of Schools Erin Meehan-Fairben also praised Tornatore’s contribution, calling it “powerful.”
“Thank you for sharing your expertise with both our students and students across New York and beyond,” Meehan-Fairben said.
Honoring History for the Future
The creation of this new curriculum highlights the importance of keeping survivor stories alive as time passes and firsthand witnesses to the Holocaust become fewer. By integrating stories of resistance leaders and survivors into classrooms, Tornatore and her colleagues ensure that students not only learn about the horrors of the Holocaust but also about the enduring human spirit.
For Tornatore, the project has been both professional and personal — a way to connect her early experiences learning from Holocaust survivors to a lasting educational resource for generations of students.
Leave a Reply