as the war in Gaza rages on and reports of rising anti-semitism continue here in New Jersey and across the US many are looking to the past to help with our future Governor Murphy today met with students at Kitatini Regional High School who were involved with the Holocaust and Genocide Research Center there A firstofits-kind resource for students and the community guided by one of the few remaining Holocaust survivors who want to ensure lessons of our history aren't forgotten Senior correspondent Brenda Flanigan has the story In the media and in pop culture there's a lot of anti-semitism that is laughed at or or brushed off that is then spread and almost made to seem okay Clara Stefen studies that issue here the Holocaust and Genocide Research Center at Kittatini Regional High School Governor Murphy today tooured its exhibits art and book collections evocative displays including the wall of shoes symbolizing victims murdered in the Nazi death camps and the 10 stages that end in genocide The center is a first for any New Jersey high school One of the things I'm impressed by this center is this is not just about the Holocaust and this is this challenge the tragedy the the behavior remains in our midst today I want to teach them about these things because I think we learn from history but it's also going on currently But I want them to feel empowered So I want them to feel like there's something that they can do about it which is really the genesis for these rooms Teacher Mary Hoffting felt inspired to create this collection and the course of study as she worked for her master's degree over the past 5 years with collaboration from Stockton State University Holocaust scholars and survivors like Ma Dama She's spoken to students about her experience being hidden from the Nazis as a child in Holland People hid us my sister and I So of of the goodness of people and I try to bring the message across to have respect and to be caring because of I'm here today because people risk their lives and cared to hide us and take care of us for three years Dhamma and others point to conflicts raging not just around the world but also here at home in the US where college campuses erupted in protest over the war in Gaza and the Trump administration launched its own version of anti-semitism crackdowns including controversial deportations of perceived political enemies It's very scary I think to most of us survivors to see what is happening in the world in this country as well as so many other countries That really scares us because it reminds us back of the 1930s of how things started The Anti-Defamation League reported anti-semitic incidents in New Jersey more than doubled in 2023 another record high It's a trend that's only getting worse The course avoids politics per se About 30 seniors study texts and travel to museums But the material the history offers unavoidable context It definitely sheds light on that things are going on today that people can't really be silent about because people are dying And I don't think being silent on an issue and just because you don't know about it is okay anymore And I think that this class kind of makes you understand that I'm very gentle with them It's never a case of you're wrong I'm right cuz that's not how teaching works Huff taling's teacher of the year in Sussex County She understands Kittatini sits in a deeply conservative region of New Jersey Kids could come in really rigid in one way and I talk to them I don't shut them out I don't chastise them for thinking the way they do or feeling the way they do And then we we sort of come around together The governor announced he'll be visiting Poland next month for a march commemorating Holocaust victims There's a lot of a lot of fear and a lot of trauma in the world right now So I think the notion of never forget is not just never forget the Holocaust but never forget in the bigger sense Murphy signed the cent's wall of hope never forget in Newton I'm Brenda Flanigan NJ Spotlight News [Music]