A Beacon of Hope: Holocaust Education in the Muslim World

‘For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.’- the appeal of Elie Wiesel was for every living human being. The Holocaust remains one of the darkest chapters in human history, a systematic genocide that claimed the lives of six million Jews, including 1.5 million children. Pinchas Gutter, a survivor of the Majdanek death camp said, ‘I tell my story, for the purpose of improving humanity, drop by drop; by telling my story over and over again, I will achieve the purpose of making the world a better place to live in’. The wail of a child in a ghetto, the sorrow of a mother in a concentration camp, piles of dead bodies, gas chambers to burn human souls alive, targeting children, women, civilians for their race, beliefs, branding and isolating them, considering them as alien—these are human tragedies that go beyond religious and national divides. Yet after 80 years of this catastrophe, I am typing words to draw the attention of a significant nation, the vast majority of people-the Muslim world.

Muslims constitute approximately twenty four percent of the global population, totaling about 1.9 billion. There are 49 countries with Muslim majority and to them The Holocaust seem like a European tragedy—something distant, unrelated to their own historical experiences. The creation of Israel in 1948 and the ensuing Arab-Israeli conflicts diverted attention from discussions about the Holocaust in Muslim-majority countries. The Palestinian cause took precedence in regional politics, leading to the Holocaust being minimized or viewed through a lens that questioned its significance in comparison to Palestinian suffering. This politicization, combined with government-controlled education systems and restrictions, resulted in Holocaust education being neglected or misrepresented. For decades, Holocaust education became a taboo subject and the Holocaust was absent from public consciousness.

Why Holocaust Education Matters for Muslims
Holocaust is relevance to Muslims and it is significant for several reasons:

A Mirror to Own Histories: The study of the Holocaust also offers Muslim communities a mirror to examine their own histories of oppression and resilience. The Bosnian genocide, the plight of the Rohingya, the suffering of Uyghur Muslims—these tragedies resonate with the echoes of the Holocaust. When we recognize one genocide, we become more vigilant against others. Holocaust education fosters a culture of remembrance and resistance to dehumanization, reinforcing the Quranic teaching that killing one innocent life is akin to killing all of humanity.

Empathy for Oppressed Communities: Islam teaches compassion and justice. Learning about the Holocaust reinforces these values by highlighting the dangers of hatred and bigotry.

Countering Misinformation: Unfortunately, Holocaust distortion exist in some parts of the Muslim world due to political tensions or lack of proper education. Engaging with historical facts helps challenge these falsehoods.

Strengthening Interfaith Relations: Understanding Jewish suffering creates common ground for dialogue and cooperation between Muslim and Jewish communities.

Learning from History: Recognizing the consequences of racism and state-sponsored persecution can help Muslims advocate against Islamophobia, discrimination, and other forms of injustice today.

Progress:
An emerging wave of educators, historians, and policymakers is working to incorporate Holocaust education into Muslim countries.

Morocco:
In 2009, King Mohammed VI of Morocco became the first Arab leader to acknowledge the Holocaust at a UNESCO event in Paris. Two years later, in 2011, Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane hosted the country’s first Holocaust conference. Moroccan organizations have since led various efforts, including educational programs, conferences, and awareness campaigns, to promote understanding of the Holocaust. In 2020, Morocco became the first Arab nation to integrate Holocaust education into its school curriculum, highlighting the country’s historical connection to Jewish communities and its efforts to protect Jews during World War II.

United Arab Emirates:
In 2022, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, visited Yad Vashem, the global Holocaust remembrance center, where he laid a wreath. A year earlier, the “We Remember” exhibition at Dubai’s Crossroads of Civilizations Museum marked a significant step in Holocaust education within the Muslim world, becoming the first permanent Holocaust memorial exhibition in an Arab country. The UAE has also integrated Holocaust education into its academic curriculum, working in collaboration with Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education. Additionally, since normalizing relations with Israel, the UAE has hosted lectures by Holocaust survivors.

Egypt:
In 2022, Egypt participated in a UN General Assembly session that passed a resolution denouncing Holocaust denial and, for the first time, recognized International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Bahrain:
In 2021, Bahrain commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day for the first time, with the Jewish community gathering at the House of Ten Commandments synagogue in Manama.

Albania:
The Jewish Museum in Vlora, Albania, will honor a distinctive part of Holocaust history. The museums will explore Albania’s wider Jewish heritage and interfaith connections, with expected completion dates in 2026 and 2027. Notably, Albania was the only European nation where the Jewish population increased after World War II compared to before the war.

Indonesia:
The Indonesian Holocaust Museum, which debuted in January 2022, stands out as a notable example. It showcases impactful exhibits, such as a replica of a concentration camp bunk bed, historical photographs, and educational resources on Nazi atrocities and contemporary neo-antisemitism.

Saudi Arabia:
In recent years, an informal Jewish community has developed in Saudi Arabia. With approval from Saudi authorities, Chief Rabbi Jacob Herzog attends to the religious needs of Jewish visitors to the kingdom and is currently fundraising to construct a mikveh.

Tunisia:
In Tunisia, several independent educators and civil society organizations have conducted workshops on Holocaust history, with the goal of raising awareness and combating misinformation.

Turkey:
Turkey’s Jewish community has collaborated with global organizations to organize seminars and events aimed at raising awareness about the Holocaust.

Challenges
Though in recent significant steps have been taken, Holocaust education in Muslim-majority countries still faces several obstacles:

Political Sensitivities: Many governments fear that teaching about the Holocaust will be seen as endorsing or sympathizing with Israel, given the complex history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Lack of Educational Resources: In many countries, Holocaust history is absent from textbooks or included only in a cursory manner, often through an anti-Western or anti-Zionist lens.

Conspiracy Theories and Denial: Holocaust denial and distortion have found some traction in parts of the Muslim world, fueled by political propaganda, mistrust of Western narratives, and antisemitic tropes.

Religious and Cultural Perceptions: Some believe that the Holocaust is a “Western” tragedy with little relevance to Muslim societies, neglecting the broader lessons it offers about human rights and genocide prevention.

Hope:
Holocaust education in Muslim countries provides a glimmer of hope. Through education, conversation, and common values, Muslim and Jewish communities can progress toward greater understanding and unity. As an increasing number of Muslim educators, activists, and policymakers acknowledge the global importance of the Holocaust, there is optimism that the obstacles to teaching it will slowly diminish, leading to a deeper and more compassionate grasp of history across different cultures and generations.

People around the world who cherish peace are hopeful that by next year, on the eve of Yom Hashoah, promoting Holocaust education will no longer be considered taboo in the MENA region and other Muslim countries. Despite political, religious, and educational challenges, the youth in the region will become more open to discussing one of humanity’s darkest chapters.

The plea of Judy Weissenberg Cohen still echoes in my ears, ‘I am only asking you to work for a world where nobody will have to live with memories like mine ever again. Please heal the world.’ I and many others are able to see the path, but the question is, will leaders of the Muslim world will care enough to give it a try?

I remain optimistic because there is always “Hatikva.”