Critical Thinking/Discussion Questions - Helene Rothschild

  1. Helene prepared for a teaching career, but it was denied to her because she was a Jew. How do you think it would feel if you had prepared, and prepared well, for a career to which you felt was your calling in life, and you were denied simply because of your race or religion? Can you think of instances where one’s race or religion can affect a career in the USA today?
  2. What is your responsibility, if you see this happening to someone else? What are steps that you can take today to keep others from suffering discrimination?
  3. Helene could not choose the career she wanted, but she did make an important choice regarding her future. What was her decision and why did she make this choice?
  4. Helene was persuaded to leave her family and emigrate from Czechoslovakia to the USA. Later, her family all died. Obviously, this was a difficult decision for Helene to make. How do think this affected her for the rest of her life? Cite testimony from her video to support your analysis.