Facing History and Ourselves Publishes New Study Guide for Documentary Blessed Is The Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh

Facing History and Ourselves announces the release of its newest educator resource, Blessed Is the Match. Created to accompany the film, Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, this study guide is designed to support teachers as they introduce their students to the story of Hannah Senesh, a World War II-era poet and diarist who was captured by the Nazis.  Developed in partnership with Katahdin Productions, Blessed is the Match is now available for download on the Facing History and Ourselves website.

Blessed is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, produced by Katahdin Productions, is the first documentary feature about Senesh, who was captured and executed by the Nazis in 1944 when she parachuted into Hungary as part of a rescue team of Jews from Palestine who were attempting to rescue Hungarian Jews at the end of WWII. With unprecedented access to the Senesh family archive, this powerful story unfolds through the writings and photographs of Hannah and her mother, Catherine Senesh.

Facing History's study guide, Blessed is the Match, provides teachers with classroom strategies and activities for how to incorporate the documentary into a middle or high school course that will support students as they consider the significance of Senesh's life and the legacy that she leaves for young people today.  Students study Senesh's poetry, letters and diary entries as they consider themes such as adolescent voice, heroism, and activism, as well as the historical context of the film.

"Blessed Is the Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh is about someone who refused to stand idly by in the face of injustice.  It seems appropriate that Facing History, with its thirty plus years of teaching against intolerance, would bring Hannah's example to students today.," said Roberta Grossman, the director and producer of Blessed is the Match.

Blessed is the Match study guide is available for download free-of-charge from Facing History's website, and printed copies will be available for borrowing through the Facing History library beginning in November.  Facing History will also lead teacher workshops that focus on the Blessed is the Match film and study guide in their office locations. To download Blessed is the Match, or for more information about educational materials and teacher workshops, visit www.facinghistory.org/blessedisthematch.