Survival in Sarajevo -- Friendship in a Time of War

The story of how an old synagogue in the Bosnian war zone became a beacon of hope for everyone. During the Bosnian war (1992-1995), the Jewish community of Sarajevo refused to take sides, opened their own humanitarian aid agency inside the city's synagogue, and were soon joined by their Muslim, Croat and Serbian friends. While outside of the besieged Bosnian capital, nationalist politicians swore these ethnic groups could not get along, here's a group of people who never got the memo. In this European war, Jews were not the victims. In this war, Jews were saving Muslims and Christians. An inspiring story of friendship and commitment.

Study Guides

BREAKUP OF YUGOSLAVIA

During the 1990s, a series of conflicts and political upheavals resulted in the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, or simply Yugoslavia. The country was first formed as a kingdom in 1918 and then reorganized as a communist state under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito after World War II.

JEWS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

The history of Jews in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be traced back more than 500 years, when, in the late 15th century, many Sephardic Jews arrived after their expulsion from Spain as stipulated by the Expulsion Decree  from King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella of Castile.

SARAJEVO

Today, Sarajevo is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina and has about 300,000 inhabitants.

LA BENEVOLENCIJA

La Benevolencija was established in Sarajevo in 1892. This Jewish cultural, educational and humanitarian society gained international attention for the nonsectarian humanitarian aid that it provided for the people of Sarajevo during the infamous siege of 1992-1995. Here you can find more information about Bohoreta, the women’s club of La Benevolencija.

SEPHARDIM

A Sephardic Jew is a Jew descended from, or who follows the customs and traditions of, Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal) before their expulsion in the late 15th century. The are referred to as Sephardim, as “Sepharad” means Spain in Hebrew. For religious purposes, the term Sephardim also means all Jews who use a Sephardic style of liturgy and therefore includes most Jews of Middle Eastern background, whether or not they have any historical connection to the Iberian Peninsula.
 

YUGOSLAVIA

After the First World War, Bosnia and Herzegovina became part of the newly founded "Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes", which stretched from the Western Balkans to Central Europe. This territory was ethnically very diverse.

Lesson plans for this film

25 results
For grades Documents

Beyond Boundaries

Civic activism
The fourth and final unit I teach each year is entitled “A Nation Divided and Rebuilt.” The content begins with the events leading up to the American Civil War, moves...
8

How I used Survival in Sarajevo in a Greek school

History

A cross-cultural project on how to use the story of La Benevolencija, and the film "Survival in Sarajevo" in Greek and Serbian schools.

11

Überleben in Sarajewo

History

Im Fokus dieses Planes stehen der  Film und eine Ausstellung mit dem Titel „Survival in Sarajevo – Friendship in a times of war“.

Diese Planung Tag besteht aus vier Einheiten...

11

Survival in Sarajevo - Interviewing a Picture

History
"A picture is worth a thousand words"
 
In this lesson, students look carefully pictures from the Sarajevo exhibition / film; they read the captions and reflect about what they...
8

Begleitheft für Centropas Sarajewo Ausstellung

other projects

In diesem Begleitheft zu Centropas Sarajewo Ausstellung finden SchülerInnen

a) Arbeitsimpulse und Leitfragen zu den einzelnen Panels,

b) ein Glossar mit Erklärungen zu schwierigen Begriffen, die in der Ausstellung vorkommen.

Why is a civic society important?

Civic activism
10, 11, 12

La Benevolencija: Reaching Out to Welcome In

11, 12

American Civil Rights Movement and Sarajevo

Civic activism
Students build a more complex and deeper understanding about the Civil Rights’ Movement as well as the activists and their non-compliance/non-violence approach to halt the laws and people in positions...
10, 11, 12

Сарајево – мултиетнички и интеркултурални град

History

ЦИЉ ТЕМЕ: Упознавање ученика са географским положајем Сарајева и структуром становништва у прошлости и сада ради развијања интеркултуралних односа (дијалога) и проактивног става у борби против стереотипа и предрасуда, уважавања...

11

Righteous Remembrances

History

This 2015 Milton Wolf Prize winning lesson stresses the importance of individual responsibility and accountability in the face of difficult choices.  Students will learn about individuals during the Holocaust who...

12

Civil Society - Whose Job is it to Guarantee We All Live in One?

History

This 2015 Milton Wolf Prize winning lesson is designed to introduce students to the UN Declaration of Human Rights and to help them realize the need for individual civic responsibility...

8

Sarajevo Project for Jewish Day School Communities

History

The Bosnian-Serb siege of Sarajevo, from spring 1993 until winter 1996, was the longest in modern history. With electricity, water and food supplies cut off and only sporadically supplied, with...

9

When citizens take action in times of crisis

Civic activism

 A lesson plan and Project for 9th grade Civic Studies, inspired by the Centropa film: "Survival in Sarajevo"    

9

Survival in Sarajevo —— La Benevolencija

History

Course lesson taught in: when filling in for absent colleagues  (happening with high frequency —after all it’s Italy

This lesson plan can be adapted to nearly every context and...

9

Postcards to Sarajevo

History

We began this lesson by watching Centropa’s film, Survival in Sarajevo, and walking through the traveling exhibition of the same name, which we brought to our school. Each...

10

Personal Choice and Community Dynamics

History

In this 2015 Milton Wolf Prize winning lesson, students examine the extent to which individual choices shape community dynamics. By watching Survival in Sarajevo, examining images, engaging in group...

10

Együtt könnyebb

Óraterv
History, osztályfőnöki óra, etika, hit- és erkölcstan

A Centropa Túlélés Szarajevóban című kisfilmjéhez készült 2x45 perces osztályfőnöki/történelem/etika órára tervezett foglalkozás. Az óra elősegíti a csoportban való együttműködést, más kultúrák megismerését és érzékenyíti a diákokat, hogy elfogadóbbak legyenek...

9, 10, 11, 12

Interviewing a Picture

History

Using Edward Serotta's photographs from the synagogue in Sarajevo during the Bosnian war of the 1990s, students will study several pictures carefully, answer questions and use what they learn in...

Let All Who are Hungry Come and Eat

History

In these two back-to-back lessons, students will explore Jewish values, Jewish identity, and the question of how to balance their ethnic/religious identities with being a citizen of the world.  Students...

Survival in Sarajevo: Lessons in Civic Values

Civic activism

In these two back-to-back lessons, students will watch Survival in Sarajevo: Friendship in a Time of War - a story about a small group of Holocaust survivors and their children...

Let All Who are Hungry Come and Eat

History

Using Centropa's film, Survival in Sarajevo: Friendship in a Time of War - the story of a small group of Holocaust survivors and their children working with their Christian...

Roots in Spain, Trees in Sarajevo

History

This lesson aims to enlighten students about Sephardic history in the Balkans, and was originally taught in the context of a Jewish day school in the United States.  The Jews...

11

Survival in Sarajevo: cross-cultural tolerance

History

Using "Survival in Sarajevo" to discuss cross-cultural tolerance. Developed and tested in a school in Nahariya, Israel.

11

Survival in Sarajevo: Cooperation and Conflict

History

Survival in Sarajevo: Cooperation and Conflict: The History of Southeast Europe, Yugoslavia and the Arab-Israeli Conflict.

10

Divided by Faith, United by War: Teaching the citizens of the future using the lessons of the past

Civic activism

The Bosnian War (1992-1995) as a tool in History, Civic Education & Social Studies Lessons.

9