A Promise to My Father is a powerful Holocaust Education film that is also useful for teaching Anti-Bias Education, Genocide Education, History, Social Studies, World History and World War II History.
This short documentary film (under 60 minutes) follows Holocaust survivor Israel “Izzy” Arbeiter on an emotional and courageous return to the places where his life was forever changed. Decades after World War II, Izzy travels back to Poland and Germany to honor a vow he made to his father during the Holocaust: to survive, remember, share their story, and maintain their traditions. As part of this pilgrimage, he attempts to recover personal artifacts his family buried beneath their home in Plock, Poland, in 1939, just before the German invasion. More than a historical recounting, A Promise to My Father is a testament to resilience, the power of recollection, and the enduring importance of standing up against hatred and intolerance.
A Promise to My Father is part of our growing collection of documentary films from the World War II Foundation. To find out when we add more films to this collection, sign up for our newsletter.
The film is officially rated for ages 13+ but we recommend it for ages 15+ because of the Holocaust-related content. Educators should watch the film to assess its suitability for their learners.
This film is available to watch for free on Vimeo and through the World War 2 Foundation.
Healing Through Recollection: The Lifelong Impact of the Holocaust
Historical Witnessing: Listening, Learning, and Recognizing Injsutice
Preserving Culture as Resistance
The Power of Small Acts: Courage in the Face of Curiosity
Additional Resources
Antisemitism Today, revised in 2023, is a lesson exploring the rise of antisemitism within the context of white supremacy. It is a powerful resource for Anti-Bias Education and Holocaust Education. Appropriate for Social Studies, Civics, Current Events, Government classes, etc.
This lesson was created as part of our Schindler’s List curriculum, and also works as a standalone lesson. If you use this lesson without that film, advise learners to skip film-related questions.
Download Antisemitism Lesson
Preview Antisemitism Lesson
This Timeline of the Holocaust starts at 1918 and includes details regarding the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany as well as details about the Holocaust. The timeline ends in 1945. It includes additional resources as well.
These tips can help you create safe space for classroom engagement on the themes and subjects of this film.
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