A film director Rod Freeman a half a year ago visited Lithuania and met the Executive Director of the International Commission Ronaldas Racinskas and had a discussion on the ways of using the film “Uncle Chatzkel” for educational purposes.
The film explores the history of Europe’s Lithuanian Jewish community and tells the life story of Chatzkel Lemchen who was one of Lithuania’s eminent intellectuals and scientists, a lexicographer of international reputation, a translator and a teacher. He and his family were prisoners of the Nazis in the Kovno Ghetto. His two sons were taken from the Ghetto and murdered. A film author, his nephew Rod Freedman, lives in Australia. The Secretariat of the International Commission on the basis of the agreement with the film director, made 400 copies of the film. The film will be introduced to the TECs together with the methodological recommendations for educators. The copies will be distributed during the film presentations.
In the middle of March Vilnius Jewish Public Library hosted the presentation of the film “Uncle Chatzkel”.
Film review was attended by students of two schools with active TECs. After watching the film, some discussions took place, the copies of the film were given to the teachers. The event was co-organised by the Secretariat of the International Commission and Vilnius Jewish Public Library.