Key Highlights

• Get to know the story of Sara Fortis. She was a brave Greek Jewish woman who led a resistance group in the ghetto under the watchful eye of the chief of police during World War II.
• Read about the Jewish Women Series. This series wants to share stories that give kids hope and teach them many things.
• Find ways to talk to kids in a gentle way about Yom HaShoah and what holocaust survivors went through.
• Hear how Sara’s story about moral resilience helps kids learn what it means to stand up for what is right.
• Learn some new activities you can do together as a family on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
• Respect the history of Greek Jews by showing your children Jewish role models who were strong and brave.

Introduction

As Yom HaShoah, also called Holocaust Remembrance Day, gets close, it is good to look for ways to teach our kids about the lessons from this time. The lives of strong Jewish women from World War II show what courage and resilience can look like. Kids can learn a lot from real people who faced hard times. When you tell them about people who stood up when things were not right, they see why we should remember the past and honor Holocaust survivors. This helps everyone understand more about the holocaust and what the world went through. For more insights, visit jewishwomenseries.com.

The Jewish Women Series and Its Mission

The Jewish Women Series was made to share amazing stories of Jewish women with a new generation in the twentieth century. The idea is to have picture books that are both inspiring and teach kids about their Jewish heritage. These books help young readers feel proud of their Jewish identity.

The series shares the lives of Jewish women who have done great things during Passover, emphasizing the role of the synagogue in fostering a sense of community. This helps kids feel closer to their background and history. These stories show the strength and important work of Jewish people, and give role models that are important for families and Jewish communities now.

How JewishWomenSeries.com Connects Kids With Jewish Heritage

JewishWomenSeries.com helps kids learn about their Jewish heritage in a way that is easy to get and fun too. The site has Jewish children books that turn hard parts of the history of the Jews into stories about being brave and strong. These stories do more than tell history. They help teach kids important values.

If parents or teachers want to know what Yom HaShoah can teach children about courage and memory, these books make it clear. Kids learn that even when times are very hard, a single person can still help. The stories show why it is important to stand up for what is right.

With Jewish picture books that have beautiful drawings, the series makes learning about Judaism and Jewish history fun. Children can:

• Discover women from Jewish history who inspire others.
• Learn about things like being brave, leading others, and resilience.
• Feel closer to their Jewish identity and heritage.

Introducing Sara Fortis: A Role Model for Young Readers

For parents who want to share stories about women during the Holocaust that are good for kids, Sara Fortis is a wonderful choice. She was a young Jewish woman from Greece who did not stand by and let things happen. In World War II, Sara became a leader among resistance fighters. She showed a lot of bravery and strong will.

People knew Sara as “Kapetanissa Sarika.” She formed and led a group of all-female resistance fighters. These Jewish women worked together to protect those around them and push back against the Nazi occupation. Sara’s story shows that anyone can show leadership and courage. It does not matter how old you are or if you are a boy or a girl.

There is a Jewish Women Series that shares the life of Sara Fortis with young readers. Her story makes her a positive role model. It teaches kids that, even as one person, you can make real change. Her life highlights how important it is to stay strong, do what is right, and speak out when you see something wrong. Sara Fortis inspires children to learn about strength and courage while facing hard times in history during World War II.

Understanding Yom HaShoah 2026 for Kids

Yom HaShoah is Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Day. In 2026, it will be on April 13th. On this day, people in Israel and everywhere remember the six million Jewish victims of the holocaust. They also honor those who lived through it. The full name, “Yom HaShoah Ve-Hagevurah,” stands for “Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and the Heroism.”

The day was set up so people do not forget what happened during the Final Solution in Europe and the strength shown by the ones who resisted. For kids, yom hashoah is a time to know why it is important to remember things, feel for others, and stand up against hate. This day is about being kind, caring, and showing empathy. It honors the good, the resilience, and the heroism of people.

Age-Appropriate Ways to Explain Holocaust Remembrance Day

Explaining Yom HaShoah to young children takes a soft and gentle way. It is good to use words that match how old they are. You can start by telling them it is a day when we think about a sad time. This was a time when many Jewish people were not treated in a good way. You can talk about how we need to be kind, brave, and help other people.

There is no need to talk about all the very bad things that happened at a concentration camp. Instead, tell them about the heroes who helped others and about the Jewish community’s strong heart. This is a better way to help the child feel for others without making them scared. When talking to young kids, the goal of Holocaust education is to grow care and love in their hearts and help them feel proud of their Jewish identity.

Here are some ways to help kids understand what Yom HaShoah means:

• Focus on hope and on people who got through the Shoah, not only on what was lost.
• Talk with them about being fair, and why we help those in need, using simple words.
• Tell stories about those who stood up and did what is right.
• Show why we remember Yom HaShoah, so something so sad does not happen again.

Activities and Crafts to Commemorate Yom HaShoah at Home

Commemorating Yom HaShoah at home can be a special time for your family. There are simple things and crafts you can do to help kids see why this day matters. One of the most common ways to honor Yom HaShoah is by lighting memorial candles (yahrzeit candles) for the people who were lost.

Making things with their own hands can also help kids deal with tough ideas. You can make a “remembrance stone” by painting a rock with something that means peace or hope, like a dove or the Star of David, which has significance dating back to ancient times. This stone will help everyone remember why we talk about Yom HaShoah.

Here are a few other craft and activity ideas to help kids understand Yom HaShoah:

• Plant a flower or tree for the victims.
• Create a “kindness chain” where every link stands for a good deed, similar to the silence observed when a siren sounds on Yom HaShoah.
• Draw pictures that show hope, peace, and love.
• Read a book that is good for their age, such as the story of Sara Fortis.

Sara Fortis’s Story: Moral Resilience and Leadership

Sara Fortis’s story is a great example of the strength people can show in tough times like World War II. She lived in Northern Greece. Many people there let fear take over, but not Sara. She made a choice to do something about it. She did not just get through those hard days. She became a leader of resistance fighters in Greece and showed others what real strength looks like. She stood for what is right.

As the leader of an all-women resistance group, she went against what many thought women should do. Sara and her group showed the world how important women were in the fight back then, much like influential rabbis during challenging times. The mark that Sara left reminds us all that true leaders need courage. They must stand up for what is right, even when times are very hard.

Lessons of Courage and Being an Upstander for Children

Yom HaShoah is an important day for children because it teaches big lessons about being brave and why it is important to be an upstander. An upstander is someone who sees something wrong and does something to help make it right, especially in the context of historical events such as WWII. The story of Sara Fortis shows what it means to be an upstander. She did not hide when things were hard. She stood up to help and protect people, and this is what it means to be an upstander.

This lesson lets kids in the united states know that all their choices do matter. For the children, it is good to learn that small acts of kindness and being brave can change things for the better. It is very important to teach them how to care about and for other people. It is also important to teach them to speak out when things are not fair. These are values that the Jewish people learned during the Holocaust.

Through Sara’s story, kids can see and believe that:

• Courage means you help people, even when you are afraid.
• Being an upstander is something that anyone can choose.
• What one person does can help other people decide to do the right thing too.

Conclusion

In the end, the story of Sara Fortis shows us that moral strength and leadership are important. It can help the youngest generation learn and grow. When we teach kids about her in the Jewish Women Series, we remember those who went through very hard times, and we help our children become “Upstanders” in their own lives. With Yom HaShoah coming soon, it is a good time to talk about courage and the need to stand up for what is right. Let’s use this chance to teach and lift each other up, turning these real Jewish stories into talks that build future leaders. For more stories and information like Sara’s, go to JewishWomenSeries.com and help your child learn about their Jewish roots.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Sara Fortis’s story suitable for elementary-age children?

Sara Fortis’s story is good for young children because it talks about heroism and leadership instead of talking about the darkest parts of World War II. It tells about a brave woman who led resistance fighters. This story helps kids learn about courage and the way to stand up for others. Sharing the story in this way lets children build empathy and feel inspired, all in a way that fits their age.

Can you recommend other Jewish kids’ books about Greek Jews during the Holocaust?

The story of Greek Jews in the Holocaust during the early 1950s is not often talked about, but the Jewish Women Series is a good place to begin. There is a book about Sara Fortis that talks about what the Greek Jewish community went through. If you want more books, you can ask jewish organizations or your local library. They can give you lists of Holocaust books made for kids.

How can parents address kids’ questions about Yom HaShoah sensitively?

When you talk to kids about Yom HaShoah, it is good to be honest but use simple words. Tell them that this day can make people feel sad. It is important to remember what happened in the state of Israel as well. You can use this time to speak about empathy and kindness. It can help make our Jewish identity stronger. Let kids know that they are safe. Remind them that we remember these things so they do not happen again.