JPEF Helps Lead California’s Premier Holocaust and Genocide Education Initiative

The Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation (JPEF) is proud to be a founding organization of the California Teachers Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education. This first-of-its-kind statewide network brings together California’s leading Holocaust and genocide education institutions and community partners to strengthen instruction, combat antisemitism and hate, and empower educators across the state.

This year, JPEF will once again play a major role in the Collaborative’s Summer Institute, an intensive professional development program for California middle and high school educators. The 2026 Summer Institute will take place June 21–24 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and is offered at no cost to participating teachers, with lodging provided and travel expenses reimbursed.

Three JPEF Workshops Featured at the Summer Institute

JPEF's Director of Operations, Development and Programs, Sheri Rosenblum, and educator Benjamin Ducoff will serve on the Summer Institute faculty, leading three interactive workshops that bring the history and life lessons of the Jewish partisans into today’s classrooms.

Through primary sources, survivor testimony, photographs, film clips, and standards-aligned lesson plans, participants will explore how Jewish men and women resisted Nazi oppression during the Holocaust and how their stories can help students examine themes of courage, leadership, resilience, identity, and ethical decision-making.

JPEF’s educational approach fills a critical gap in Holocaust education by highlighting the approximately 30,000 Jewish partisans who fought back against the Nazis and their collaborators. By teaching these stories of resistance, educators can help students develop a more complete understanding of Holocaust history while inspiring meaningful discussions about individual agency and standing up against injustice.

Building a Statewide Community of Educators

Since its founding, the California Teachers Collaborative has grown into a powerful statewide initiative dedicated to enhancing Holocaust and genocide education in California schools through educator training, curriculum development, and ongoing professional learning opportunities. The Collaborative’s work is supported through partnerships with leading educational institutions and the California Department of Education.

For JPEF, participation in the Collaborative reflects a longstanding commitment to ensuring that students learn not only about the horrors of the Holocaust but also about the individuals who resisted, fought back, and preserved their humanity in the face of unimaginable circumstances.

Only Ten Spots Remain

California educators interested in attending are encouraged to apply soon. The Summer Institute provides a unique opportunity to learn from nationally recognized experts, collaborate with fellow educators, and gain access to classroom-ready resources that can make an immediate impact on student learning.

Registration/Application:
California Teachers Collaborative Summer Institute 2026 Application

With only ten spots remaining, now is the time to join this transformative professional learning experience and learn alongside Sheri Rosenblum, Benjamin Ducoff, and an outstanding faculty of Holocaust and genocide education experts.