Greek textbooks engage "thoughtfully" with Judaism and contain detailed Holocaust content, according to the new report by IMPACT-se, released Wednesday.
In the new report, IMPACT-se compares textbooks in Greece (and their representation of Jewish history, Judaism, the Holocaust, and Israel) to the standards of peace and tolerance set out by UNESCO.
The IMPACT-se study reviewed both primary and secondary textbooks across multiple subjects, written in line with curriculum guidelines set by the Greek Ministry of Education.
The report found that textbooks include a wide range of positive and respectful material on Jewish themes such as religion, holidays, and traditions, across primary and secondary grades, particularly in Religious Education and History.
For example, Religious Studies materials discuss major Jewish festivals, the role of synagogues, and key aspects of Jewish life and worship. Jewish practices and beliefs, including Shabbat, the Ten Commandments, and the significance of Jerusalem, are included.
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Particular praise was given to a Grade 9 Religious Studies textbook that presented Jewish festivals such as Pessach, Shavuot, Sukkot, Purim, Hanukkah, and Shabbat with detailed explanations and visuals, including the Seder table and the “Four Questions.”
However, IMPACT-se said that Greek textbooks give limited attention to local Jewish history and Jewish contributions to Greek society. This was noted with disappointment, especially given the extensive history of Jews in Greece (it is generally believed that the first Jews settled in Thessaloniki during the Hellenistic period in 140 BC).
Regarding the Holocaust, IMPACT-se found that Greek textbooks feature overall detailed Holocaust content, including the deportations of Greek Jews, Auschwitz, the “Final Solution,” and survivor-focused materials such as The Diary of Anne Frank.
A prominent example was a Grade 9 History textbook which includes a chapter titled “War Crimes Against Humanity – The Holocaust,” underlining the event’s historical uniqueness and addressing the “Final Solution,” Nazi war crimes, concentration and death camps, including deportations of Greek Jews to Auschwitz, and the use of gas chambers.
Additionally, a Grade 12 textbook describes the rescue of all 275 Jews on the island of Zakynthos, which IMPACT-se notes is an important example of solidarity with Greek Jews.
Unfortunately, outside of these examples, the term “antisemitism” did not appear in any textbooks.
Discussions of local Jewish history were also largely absent from the curriculum, aside from positive coverage of the Thessaloniki Jewish community’s contributions to Greece’s early labor and socialist movements.
Finally, IMPACT-se found teachings on Israel and the Palestinian conflict to be "minimal." It noted that the establishment of the State of Israel and the post-Holocaust emigration of Greek Jews are not addressed in textbooks, "leaving a significant gap in the narrative."
However, in a positive development, a troubling passage that accused Israel and collectively blamed Jews for the suffering of Palestinian children has recently been fully removed from the 2025–26 editions.
This deleted section portrayed Israel as “stealing the smiles” of an entire generation of Palestinian children. It even included a glossary defining “Intifada” as “Palestinian resistance against the occupation of their homeland by Israel.”
“Given the rampant rise in antisemitism across Europe, it is heartening to see how Greek textbooks present Judaism, Jewish traditions and the tragedy of the Holocaust with depth, thought and respect," said IMPACT-se CEO, Marcus Sheff.
He commended Greece for removing the offensive passages on Israel, noting that this is an important indication that the Greek authorities "understand the danger of antisemitism and are committed to an education which will see young Greeks grow up with respect for Judaism, Jewish heritage and the Jewish national story.”