Mémorial vs. Museum

Students' visit to Memorial of the Shoah sparked questions and discussion of history, language, and human rights. We learned why the French language chose to us the word Shoah instead of Holocaust to refer tothe destruction of European Jews. Students made connections in conversation about historical rhetoric and issues across US and international history that continue today.

The memorial also houses archives and documentation of people involed and impacted in these catastrophic historical events. This situates the collection as part of a living history that continues to evolve--in which we play an active role.

After our visit, we walked through the Marais, the well known Jewish quarter which represents the style--winding cobblestone alleyways-- of a Paris past, significantly changed across the city following Napoleon's rule.  Together, we traversed L'hôtel particulier de Sully to the park of Place des Vosges, for further reflection on what we learned, what surprised us, and what we want to remember.