The importance of the study of the Holocaust has been described by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum educators, and the local impact due to the refugee camp at Fort Ontario affords us a special opportunity for meaningful and personal reflection on this experience.
As students gain insight into the many historical, social, religious, political, and economic factors that cumulatively resulted in the Holocaust, they gain awareness of the complexity of the subject and a perspective on how a convergence of factors can contribute to the disintegration of democratic values. Students come to understand that it is the responsibility of citizens in a democracy to learn to identify the danger signals, and to know when to react. (US Holocaust Memorial Museum, 1995, p.2)
In order to weave a theme throughout our learner-centered academic community, we have chosen Ruth Gruber's book Haven for common reading during the 2002-2003 year. We want to help students understand the events about which it was written, and to think critically about implications for today. This packet is meant to aid you in designing experiences for your students in support of this initiative. These are suggestions only – a catalyst to spark your creativity. The interdisciplinary activities could be an easy starting point for your early class sessions. Feel free to adapt or adopt any activities as you see fit. Please also encourage your students to participate in the many Haven related events that will take place on campus this year.
We also welcome your ideas as additions to our instructional materials web pages, and hope you will share them with others by contacting Barbara Shaffer at 312-3557 or bshaffer@oswego.edu. See http:// www.oswego.edu/ori/haven for updates to this guide as well as information on resources, events, and more!
The accompanying resource guide provides a list of books, videos and Internet sites that might be especially useful to you in preparing or presenting these assignments, or in further educating yourself about this important piece of history and its local significance.

References
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (1995). Teaching about the Holocaust: A resource book for educators. Retrieved March 13, 2002, from United States Holocaust Memorial Museum web site http://www.ushmm.org/education/foreducators/