“The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again.”
George Santayana
(as posted at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum)
What Educators Are Saying
“94 Maidens by Rhonda Fink Whitman has been added as a resource on the PDESAS.org website. “94 Maidens” is a novel about the author’s family and the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. This resource could be used in the English Language Arts classroom as well as the Social Studies classroom for students to know the stories of individuals in this very difficult time in history. By studying the stories of individuals, students will develop the capacity to make choices to protect those whose rights may be in jeopardy. This resource has a teacher guide which is available for free at the authors website. ”
“94 Maidens is an incredible true story written as a novel that students find very engaging as they can relate to this story on a personal level and is included in the book list for the 9-12 NJ Holocaust Curriculum.”
“This novel held the attention throughout by offering “present time” vs. references to WWII. The information was being revealed as the author made her discoveries about her ancestors. The novel also offered several scenes representing flashbacks to reveal the horrors of the Holocaust. The eighth-grade students were thoroughly engrossed in the novel and learned a first-hand account of the painful experiences of the characters in the novel.”
“The Mandate Video is a must see for all students. Rhonda Fink-Whitman did an incredible job putting together various mini interviews of students on college campuses asking them what they know about the Holocaust. Shockingly, many were not able to answer basic questions surrounding this time in history. The students who were knowledgable about the Holocaust were educated in states where Holocaust education had been mandated. Fink-Whitman’s book and video are a great combo to use in the classroom. As a middle school teacher (7th grade), I show the 94 Maidens video before our Holocaust/WWII unit-every year, and my students cannot believe college kids aren’t very familiar with the Holocaust. This video is the best starting point to dive into this important topic. At the end of our unit, I show 94 Maidens again and it’s amazing to see my students vying to answer these questions with their new found knowledge. They feel empowered with their newly acquired learning of the Holocaust. 94 Maidens is a good story to bring Holocaust learning to life. As students read these historical stories, I used the book 94 Maidens for examples of: Multiple plot lines, suspense, character development, flashbacks, creating descriptive scenes in the reader’s mind, etc. I applaud Rhonda Fink-Whitman for her continuous work to help bring Holocaust and genocide studies to all states. Thank you for writing this book and making the video- it has made a BIG difference in my life and my students’ as well!”
“Loved this book! It was heartfelt and told a story of the Holocaust beyond a textbook! This book pulls you in and envelops you in multiple stories!”
“94 Maidens is a superbly documented real life account of surviving the Holocaust. While it has been 75 years since the end of WWII, we are losing more and more of our primary sources. These stories do not just document historical events. They educate the world about the past so that we are able to avoid future atrocities. 94 Maidens is inspiring and a perfect novel for upper grades and adult education. The teacher’s guide comes with creative, thought-provoking lessons that enrich our background of history as well as our lives. Now, more than ever, do we need to educate this next generation about the history of the Holocaust and other genocides. Learning about these tragic moments of our past help develop empathy and civic mindedness in our children today so that our world tomorrow is a better place.”
“94 Maidens was a fascinating story of the author’s family history as she discovered important historical knowledge in “real-time.” At first read, alone, the novel was gripping. As an English teacher, reading through it independently first, was a necessity. There were several times throughout the reading where there needed to be a pause– as it needed to be put down because the horrific circumstances described were emotionally gripping. This novel held the attention throughout by offering “present time” vs. references to WWII. The information was being revealed as the author made her discoveries about her ancestors. The novel also offered several scenes representing flashbacks to reveal the horrors of the Holocaust. The eighth-grade students were thoroughly engrossed in the novel and learned a first-hand account of the painful experiences of the characters in the novel.
From an educational standpoint, there were several opportunities for higher-order thinking activities, the inclusion of literary techniques, and deep discussion on the topic of the Holocaust.”
“I am a high school student and chose to read “94 Maidens” as my summer reading novel. The characters and storylines really moved me and will stick with me for a long time. Rhonda Fink-Whitman was a guest speaker at my school recently and spoke about her book and life story to us. It was an experience that I will never forget. The book generated a great discussion for my classmates and I, and really put the Holocaust in a new perspective for us. This book truly touched my heart and I would very highly recommend it because it really impacted my life.”
