For the first time in 6 years: Ukrainian teachers arrived for the second part of training at Yad Vashem

November 23–29, 2025 in Jerusalem, an event is taking place that Ukrainian educators have been waiting for many years. For the first time since 2019, Ukrainian history teachers were able to personally arrive at the International School for Holocaust Studies at Yad Vashem to undergo the second part of the educational program.

The trip became possible thanks to the partnership between the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies (UCHS) and the International School of Yad Vashem. These organizations have been jointly preparing Ukrainian educators, researchers, and educators for many years, forming a modern approach to studying and teaching the history of the Holocaust.

Return to in-person format — despite the war

The last time Ukrainian educators traveled to Israel for the continuation of the seminar was six years ago. Since the beginning of the pandemic and then the full-scale Russian aggression, the program was effectively frozen: training was conducted partially, fragmentarily, online, and many graduates of the UCHS summer schools were unable to complete the second stage of the course.

According to the organizers, the opportunity to once again gather Ukrainian teachers in Jerusalem is an important sign of support for Ukrainian society and the educational environment, which continues to work under wartime conditions.

What the seminar is dedicated to

The program of the second part of the training includes:

• lectures by Yad Vashem researchers;

• work with archives and primary sources;

• study of Holocaust history teaching methods for different age groups;

• discussions on contemporary memory, anti-Semitism, and comparative experiences;

• development of their own educational projects to be implemented in Ukraine.

Ukrainian teachers note that training at Yad Vashem provides not only knowledge but also the experience of direct communication with Israeli specialists, which cannot be replaced by online formats.

Why it is important now

In Ukraine, despite the war, school and university courses dedicated to the tragedy of European Jewry continue. UCHS and its partners hold conferences, methodological seminars, regional schools for teachers, and the return of the in-person part of the Yad Vashem program helps strengthen international cooperation in the educational field.

For Israel, the arrival of Ukrainian teachers is also significant: it strengthens humanitarian ties, shared memory, and educational dialogue, which is especially important in an era of rising xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and wars.

Continuation of cooperation

Organizers expect that the 2025 seminar will mark the beginning of a new cycle of in-person programs to be held annually. Participants plan to apply the knowledge gained in Ukrainian schools and universities, creating new courses, projects, and educational initiatives.

All this confirms: despite all the challenges, cooperation between Ukraine and Israel in the field of Holocaust history studies not only continues but also returns to a full-fledged format.

The material was prepared using data from the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies and JewishNews.

NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency