Steven Van Zandt, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer best known for his work with Bruce Springsteen and his role as Silvio on The Sopranos, has launched a new initiative to address what he perceives as a growing sense of unease regarding the Jewish community. The musician expressed concern about the prevalence of misinformation on social media, comparing the current atmosphere to the pre-Holocaust era. He noted that repeated lies can shape public belief, a dynamic he believes led to the Holocaust and continues to play out in modern discourse.
To combat this, Van Zandt is leveraging his education platform, TeachRock, which has provided K-12 lesson plans centered on popular music since 2013. The new four-day curriculum, titled Jewish Heritage and the Holocaust: Exploring an Enduring Culture Through Music, was introduced this week. The lessons cover the rise of antisemitism in prewar Europe, survivor testimony, and core Jewish values. Rather than relying solely on traditional historical texts, the program anchors its lessons in rock songs from artists such as KISS, Leonard Cohen, and the New York pop band Lawrence.
This approach marks a significant departure from the somber tone typically associated with Holocaust education. While the Jewish community has invested heavily in traditional teaching methods, questions about their effectiveness have grown. Other contemporary initiatives have turned to video games and artificial intelligence to engage students, especially as the number of living survivors diminishes. Van Zandt aims to highlight positive Jewish influences in popular culture alongside the historical narrative, citing contributions from figures like Bob Dylan and the songwriting team Lieber and Stoller.
The curriculum was piloted on Thursday for 50 high school students at the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg. This event coincided with the state’s Holocaust Education Week, during which Florida’s Holocaust education task force is promoting the material to local school districts. Michael Igel, a contributing author on the lesson plan and chair of the statewide task force, emphasized that the goal is to educate in a way that does not feel like a traditional lecture. Igel, a descendant of survivors, sees the project as a way to bring Holocaust education into unconventional spaces, with future plans to incorporate food and theater.
The first day of the course begins with students listening to KISS’s 1975 hit Rock and Roll All Nite before transitioning into a discussion of Jewish life in prewar Europe. The lesson draws a connection between the band’s frontman, Gene Simmons, and the Holocaust, noting that Simmons is the son of a survivor. This framing encourages students to consider how his family background may have influenced his stage persona. Igel noted that this method helps expand the definition of a Holocaust lesson beyond viewing Jews solely as victims, fostering a sense of resilience and survival.
The initiative arrives at a time when the music industry is navigating intense controversies surrounding Israel. Recent disputes, such as the one involving Ed Sheeran and Macklemore over pro-Palestinian activism, have highlighted the polarized nature of the discourse. Many artists have signed pledges to boycott Israel, while others have taken opposite stances. Van Zandt, who famously led the 1985 Sun City boycott to protest apartheid, has expressed views on the current situation that differ from some of his peers.
Van Zandt, who is not Jewish but has close ties to Jewish musicians like Max Weinberg, recently corresponded with Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters regarding the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. Van Zandt described his letter to Waters as diplomatic, arguing that the current situation was different from the 1980s. He criticized attempts to deny Israel defensive weapons, calling the effort misconceived and ridiculous, despite the personal friction that has arisen from their differing opinions.
Looking ahead, both Van Zandt and Igel hope that other states will adopt the curriculum. Van Zandt aims to influence the national conversation about Jews and Israel, which he describes as being filled with lies. He believes a broader public discussion is inevitable and that this educational approach can help set the stage for that dialogue.
