The USC Shoah Foundation was founded by Steven Spielberg in 1994 to videotape and preserve interviews with survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust. Their mission is to develop empathy, understanding, and respect through testimony.
The Conscious Kid is honored to partner with USC Shoah Foundation to bring testimony-based resources for grades K-5 associated with The Willesden Project and author and Holocaust survivor, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, to educators and caregivers. These age-appropriate tools are suitable to the emotional and developmental needs of young learners for raising awareness to appreciate cultural, ethnic and religious diversity. Please see below for USC Shoah Foundation’s resources on The Willesden Project and Dr. Westheimer, including animated short films, lesson plans, testimony, and a read-aloud.
About the Willesden Project
The Willesden Project brings the power of music and story to reach young people globally and contribute to their development as empathetic, knowledgeable and resilient individuals.
The Willesden Project expands the reach of Lisa Jura’s story of survival, resilience, and triumph as she struggles to come of age separated from her family during World War II, as originally shared by her daughter, author and concert pianist Mona Golabek, in The Children of Willesden Lane books and musical performances.
Lisa Jura, a young Holocaust survivor, escaped from Vienna to London on the Kindertransport in 1938. The Kindertransport was a rescue operation which saved 10,000 child refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe.
To maximize impact, the partners have created a phased approach, with the development of new multimedia and multilingual assets, educator professional development opportunities, external partnerships, and other milestones to scale the program and engage educators and students across grade levels and learning settings. This five-year initiative offers a growing and unique constellation of educational elements—rooted in testimony, technology, and music—to open students’ hearts and minds, and expand the ways in which they learn about the history of the Holocaust and related resonant themes.
Hold On To Your Music: The Inspiring True Story of the Children Of Willesden Lane, is the inspirational story of 14-year-old Holocaust survivor Lisa Jura, who dreams of becoming a concert pianist. But pre-World War II Vienna is a dangerous place for Jewish people like Lisa and her family. In order to keep Lisa safe her parents decide to send her to London through the Kindertransport, a rescue effort for children.
But everything in London is different for Lisa, especially the home she lives in with other refugee children on Willesden Lane. While she longs to be reunited with her family, Lisa holds on to her music, which becomes a beacon of hope for all of her peers.
This true story of hope, survival, and determination is a
compelling tribute to a gifted young girl who escaped the Holocaust to become a concert pianist against all odds.
Lisa of Willesden Lane is the inspiring true story about one girl's escape from the Holocaust to become a concert pianist against all odds, made popular by Mona Golabek's acclaimed theatrical performance and the beloved novel The Children of Willesden Lane -- now available in an early chapter book format.
In pre-World War II Vienna, Lisa Jura was a musical prodigy who hoped to become a concert pianist. But when enemy forces threatened the city -- especially its Jewish population -- Lisa's parents were forced to make a difficult decision. They secured passage for only one of their three daughters through the Kindertransport, and chose to send gifted Lisa to London for safety. As she yearned to be reunited with her family where she lived in a home for refugee children on Willesden Lane, Lisa's music became a beacon of hope for all of her peers.
A story of the power of music to uplift the human spirit, this compelling tribute has moved and inspired hundreds of thousands of students and adults across the globe.
“Music Dreams”, New Animated Film for Young Students, Explores Refugee Displacement and the Power of Music to Inspire Hope, Healing
Separated from his parents, eight-year-old Carlos discovers magical sheet music that whisks him into the past, where he meets Lisa, a resilient young girl.
Teach The Children of Willesden Lane with Testimony
Seamlessly integrate USC Shoah Foundation’s flexible suite of teaching resources—rooted in testimony, music and history—into classroom instruction using the timeless narrative of The Children of Willesden Lane.
Download Teacher Guide for K-2 Educators
Download Teacher Guide for 3-5 Educators
Download Teacher Guide for Middle and High School Educators
Download Guiding Principles for Effective Teaching with Testimony in the Primary Classroom
Learning Materials
Explore USC Shoah Foundation’s curated activities to support teaching of The Children of Willesden Lane books, the Kindertransport and other related themes.
For additional teaching and supporting resources for middle and high school students, please visit The Willesden Project page on USC Shoah Foundation’s website.
Teach Ruth: A Little Girl’s Big Journey with Testimony
Discover clips of testimony, contextualizing resources and other inspiring stories from the beloved Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
Click below to find IWitness activities that support teaching with Dr. Ruth's stories.
More Stories from Dr. Ruth
Crocodile, You’re Beautiful!: Dr. Ruth reads her storybook in which she encounters an assortment of animals and spreads the message that everyone’s unique body has its own strengths.
Roller-Coaster Grandma: Using a trip to an amusement park with her grandchildren as its framework, this graphic novel for ages 8-12 depicts the ups and downs of Dr. Ruth’s life.
Dr. Ruth's full USC Shoah Foundation testimony is also available for viewing below.
