Today we’d like to introduce you to Luke Berryman.
Hi Luke, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I wrote a Ph.D. about the use of Richard Wagner’s music in Nazi propaganda before beginning a career in education and education management. I started out as a College Lecturer and a Director of Studies at the University of Cambridge, and then I became a classroom teacher in a British secondary school. In 2015, I joined a New York-based international education company that ran study-abroad programs for middle- and high-school students, and professional development programs for educators. The job involved meeting students, parents, and teachers, and forging and nurturing client partnerships, in over a dozen countries spread across three continents.
In 2020, I moved to Chicago and founded The Ninth Candle – a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to end antisemitism by sharing knowledge. It draws on my academic research, my professional experience in education, and my personal experience as the grandson of Holocaust-generation Jews.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
From the beginning, I’ve been struck by how much The Ninth Candle seems to resonate with people. There’s an overwhelming feeling in schools across the country that Holocaust education needs to be overhauled.
I’m sure it takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to get any nonprofit organization off the ground. But if you believe in the necessity of what you’re doing, then it doesn’t matter how smooth the road is – the incentive to keep going will always be there.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Ninth Candle?
The Ninth Candle is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Chicago, with a mission is to end antisemitism by sharing knowledge. We fulfill this mission through innovative educational programs for students and professional development programs for teachers. Our programs will always be free of charge.
As for what sets us apart, we’re committed to using nonaggressive language – we aren’t out to “combat” or “tackle” anyone. We don’t use pop culture works as teaching tools. We tailor each program to the needs of every school we visit; and, at the same time, we try to cast spotlights on Jewish resistance during the Holocaust, and on the internal chaos and disorganization that characterized Nazism, wherever we can. We treat antisemitism as more than just a “Jewish concern.” This requires us to embrace and promote a diverse range of experiences, ideas, and perspectives in our programs. Lastly, we believe that nonprofits and Jewish organizations must collaborate with each other in order to achieve their common goals. There’s no quick or easy way to improve Holocaust education in America. We don’t claim to have all the answers. Wherever we go, we help schools to form lasting partnerships with other nonprofits and Jewish organizations in their area.
The ongoing failure of Holocaust education, coupled with the steep, continual rise in antisemitism, is proof that America’s existing ways of addressing antisemitism aren’t working. A radical new approach to antisemitism is needed. One suited to the needs and demands of the 21st century. One rooted not in a will to fight, but in a wish to share knowledge. One that focuses on the most effective tool against all forms of discrimination: education.
The Ninth Candle is that radical new approach.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Everyone on The Ninth Candle’s Board deserves credit – especially our President, Scott Sandoval, and Sarah Palomo, one of our founding members. Scott’s expertise in education is directing our growth, while Sarah’s expertise in diversity and equity helps to steer everything we do.
The Ninth Candle’s diversity policy is named “Merle’s Rule,” for my grandmother – whose tireless advocacy for human rights inspired me to start the organization in the first place.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@theninthcandle.com
- Website: https://theninthcandle.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theninthcandle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theninthcandle/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/theninthcandle
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYRAFLAshgQgWIJIbPjFUcw
