Charlotte Decoster, PhD serves as the Ackerman Family Director of Education for the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum. As an experienced educator, she has researched, taught and written about Holocaust history. She regularly speaks to a variety of groups about the Holocaust and child rescue during the Holocaust and in Nazi Germany. Presbyterian Village North (PVN) had the honor of hosting Dr. Decoster as she shared the pressing and timely issue of antisemitism with PVN residents and teammates.
In an insightful presentation on the history and impact of antisemitism —a hatred of Jews— Dr. Decoster explained the long-standing hatred directed at Jewish people, noting that Jews are a distinct people, and not a race. She highlighted the beauty and richness of Jewish culture and history, emphasizing the value of human life. In addition, she explained that antisemitism takes on many forms and can appear differently depending on the situation.
Dr. Decoster’s presentation identified three main types of antisemitism: racial antisemitism, which targets Jews based on supposed racial traits; anti-Judaism, which opposes Jewish religious beliefs and practices; and anti-Jewish conspiracy theories, which spread harmful and false stories about Jews. Each form of antisemitism is distinctive, but all share the common trait of discrimination and hostility. Dr. Decoster called for a deeper understanding of these different forms and urged residents to work together to fight against this ongoing issue of hate. To learn more about the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum and this important topic, click here.
