How I Met Janusz Korczak
For over fifteen years, my life’s mission has been to educate students and the wider community about the Holocaust, genocide, and the dangers of extremism. Yet, it is not merely the facts or dates that have shaped my journey—it is the stories and the people behind them who have touched my heart most deeply. I came to know Janusz Korczak through the powerful testimonies of those isolated inside the Warsaw Ghetto and by hearing of his boundless compassion for the children in his care. In the spring of 2021, I was deeply moved to participate in a seminar on Children’s Rights—organized by the Janusz Korczak Association of the USA in partnership with Drew University’s Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study. Korczak’s enduring spirit and the ideals he championed still resonate with me and extend beyond my research or work on the Holocaust. As I have delved deeper into children’s experiences during World War II, I have felt an ever-stronger connection to Korczak’s legacy—a legacy that continues to inspire and guide me.
As a Holocaust studies professor who teaches about children's experiences, Korczak’s educational values hold profound significance for me. His unwavering belief in the dignity, individuality, and rights of every child serves as a moral compass in my teaching. Korczak’s approach, grounded in empathy, respect, and listening to children’s voices, inspires me to center my lessons on the humanity of the youngest victims of the Holocaust. I’ve done so first and foremost by presenting students with children’s diaries in the classroom, sharing the work of Korczak, and by curating and developing a curriculum for an exhibit on “Children’s Experiences in the Holocaust” at Temple Sinai’s Holocaust Remembrance Center. Often, children’s stories are told by adults, but children have their own voices, opinions, and thoughts that should be valued and heard. By sharing Korczak’s commitment to fostering resilience and hope, I strive to honor his legacy and inspire my students to view history not only through the lens of tragedy but also through the enduring power of compassion and ethical responsibility.
Being part of the Janusz Korczak Association of the USA holds special meaning for me as someone committed to carrying forward Korczak’s vision of a more just and compassionate world for children. The Association’s work bridges Korczak’s ideals to the present, inviting members to foster dignity, respect, and advocacy for children’s rights across every aspect of education and community life. Through collective remembrance and action, we honor Korczak’s courage to speak for the voiceless and to defend the vulnerable. These are values that I hold dearly in my personal and professional life. I care deeply about this work because it is through such shared commitment that we keep Korczak’s spirit alive, inspiring new generations to listen to children, champion their rights, and uphold the values he embodied even in the darkest of times.
As both a professor and a scholar, I find in Korczak’s life a beacon of compassion and moral courage that guides my own journey. Korczak’s unwavering devotion to his students, even in the face of unimaginable darkness, is a powerful reminder that true education is an act of love and hope. His insistence that every child’s voice matters and his refusal to abandon those in his care inspire me to teach not only difficult histories, but also the enduring strength of the human spirit. Korczak’s legacy is not only a lesson from the past, but a call to all of us to stand courageously for dignity and kindness in our own time for every child.
Dr. Angela West is an adjunct professor at Drew University in Madison, NJ. She is a historian and scholar specializing in Holocaust/Genocide Studies, Extremism, and Gender in the United States. She is also a board member of the Janusz Korczak Association of the USA and can be reached at awest@drew.edu.