On Monday, January 27, 2025, Mount St. Dominic Academy honored Holocaust Remembrance Day with an informational presentation and a guest speaker. Students, faculty, and staff took time to remember the tragedy of the Holocaust and pay respect to its victims. From 1933 to 1945, the Nazi regime and its collaborators murdered six million Jewish people, along with millions of others.
Mount assemblies, including this one, are fully student-led, with guidance from a faculty mentor. Organized by Ms. Nicole Perez-Cheddie’s Holocaust and Genocide class, the assembly featured a well-crafted slideshow highlighting the Holocaust, World War II, and the significance of Holocaust Remembrance Day. Students also shared powerful and moving survivor stories.
Following the slideshow, junior Dylan Graf introduced guest speaker Rabbi Marc Katz, who leads the Temple Ner Tamid congregation in Bloomfield, NJ. Rabbi Katz, a published author of two books on the Jewish faith, addressed critical topics, including antisemitism, stereotypes, and violence against Jewish people. He spoke about how, as a rabbi, he has witnessed numerous instances of discrimination and threats. For example, he shared that his temple requires a higher level of police security than a Catholic church because synagogues are often targeted by antisemitic attacks. He told students that his temple was the target of a molotov cocktail in January of 2023, putting into perspective the reality of the violence associated with antisemitism.
Rabbi Katz also discussed the harmful nature of tropes, which, as defined by Merriam-Webster, are “a common or overused theme or device.” He explained that these stereotypes perpetuate harmful attitudes and further divide society, pushing people away from equity and unity. He encouraged students, faculty, and staff to be aware of such narratives and emphasized the importance of avoiding them to foster a more inclusive and understanding community.
Reflecting on the presentation, senior Nicia Peepas praised her classmates for their dedication and hard work. “I loved how the project came together,” she shared. “Hearing Rabbi Katz speak so passionately really hit home, increasing my understanding of the Holocaust’s lasting impact.”
Ms. Perez-Cheddie expressed her pride in her students’ work and acknowledged the challenges of organizing the presentation. “We started work in the second week of December, and in total, it was a six-week process,” she said. She emphasized the importance of Holocaust education and was impressed by the depth of research her students presented. “I assigned roles based on my students’ strengths, allowing them to contribute in areas where they would succeed,” she explained. She praised their dedication and the tireless work they put in week by week.
Overall, the Holocaust and Genocide class provided an informative and meaningful assembly, fostering reflection and awareness among the Mount community. Rabbi Katz’s presentation shed light on an issue that many may not have been fully aware of, reinforcing the importance of remembrance and education.
