Archive for March, 2012

Food for Thought – 3GNY’s Recipes Remembered Event

by A 3G in NYC on March 27, 2012

Category: Events

In April of 2011 I received an email from the Museum of Jewish Heritage about a new book that they were publishing, called “Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival.” This book, a compilation of recipes from Holocaust survivors, including stories about food memories and families, is published by Ruder Finn Press, with all proceeds benefiting the Museum of Jewish Heritage. The recipes in the book are from Holocaust survivors from Poland, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Greece.  At first glance, I knew this would be the perfect Mothers’ day gift for my mom, an active 2G and a lover of recipes, stories and especially books. I even considered purchasing a book for my grandmother, but then decided that the book would be wonderful for my mother and grandmother to share and read together. My mom was thrilled upon receiving it, and when she shared it with my grandmother, the first place my grandmother looked was in the index of the book to see if any of the stories were from her hometown in Poland. Reminiscing about fond memories of familiar recipes across generations, from granddaughter (3G) to mother (2G) to grandmother (survivor) is intergenerational bonding at its best.

3GNY is hosting a book talk and cooking demonstration event this Thursday, March 29 at the Jewish Museum on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, featuring the book’s author, June Hersh. This looks like it will be a special event, and I plan to attend with my mom. She is bringing her copy of the book for the author to sign.

Food for Thought: Recipes Remembered Book Talk and Cooking Demonstration

Featuring June Hersh, author of Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival

Thursday, March 29, 2012, 6:30 p.m.

The Jewish Museum
Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street
New York City

Event ticket: $36 per person — Purchase Event Ticket HERE

Event ticket + advanced purchase of Recipes Remembered book: $72 per person — 
Purchase Event Ticket + Book HERE

The books purchased in advance will be available for pickup at the event, and books will also be on sale at the event. June will be autographing the books that evening. Proceeds from book sales benefit the Museum of Jewish Heritage and 3GNY.

Join us for a delicious and lively evening focused on food and storytelling with June Hersh, author of Recipes Remembered, A Celebration of Survival. June will discuss her book, including some of the stories, and then there will be a Q&A. Her presentation is tailored specifically for the 3G audience, so this is a special opportunity exclusively for our group.

After we hear from June, Executive Chef David Teyf of LOX at the Jewish Museum will show us how to prepare some recipes from and inspired by June’s book. Then, of course, we’ll eat!

Recipes Remembered is a cookbook and collection of stories wrapped into one. To create it, June personally interviewed over 80 Holocaust survivors and their families. Along the way, she discovered remarkable and uplifting stories of strength and resilience. The recipes in the book are authentic and include culinary creations from all around the world. To learn more about June and her book, visit JuneHersh.com, or view a great Fox News interview from December 2011.

Space is limited, and we expect this event to sell out. We look forward to seeing you.

For more information, please e-mail info@3gnewyork.org or visit www.3gnewyork.org.

Dietary laws observed

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A 3G’s Journey to Poland

by A 3G in NYC on March 26, 2012

Category: Art, History, Perspectives, Uncategorized

In honor of the forthcoming March of the Living Young Adult trip leaving April 15 for Poland and Israel, I feel compelled to share some of my experiences of my own trip to Poland. I participated in a program for Birthright Israel alumni called the Holocaust Mini-Masters program. As a 3G, going on this trip was immensely important to me, and something I knew I had to pursue in my life. Upon finding out about the opportunity, I immediately applied and was elated to be accepted into the program. We participated in a 10-week class, where we heard from many survivors about their experiences and shared in lively discussion. After the class was completed, about 40 young adults ventured on a 10-day trip to Poland and Prague, where we explored our connection to the past and strengthened our bonds to our unique legacy and shared history.

I didn’t know what to expect on this trip, and I certainly didn’t know how it would affect me. I was on the trip with a close friend who shares my interest in and connection to the Holocaust, which was a built-in support system I was grateful for. I was fortunate to share my time with many other interesting, passionate young Jewish adults, and many bonds were formed among the group during the trip, many of which lasted beyond our 10 days.  Although all the participants were Jewish and had a shared interest and connection to the Holocaust, only a handful were 3Gs – grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. I noticed that the trip affected the 3Gs in a different way – it was so personal and poignant for us, as we could imagine our grandparents plight during the Holocaust, and that of the many family members that perished during that time whom we did not have the privilege of ever meeting.

I’ll share some photos from my trip along with some thoughts, with more to come – as one blog post can’t capture the meaning and impact this trip has had on me.   Let’s get to the images:

Poland Holocaust 1 © Julie Cohen Photography

© Julie Cohen Photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poland Holocaust 3 © Julie Cohen Photography

© Julie Cohen Photography

Poland Holocaust 2 © Julie Cohen Photography

© Julie Cohen Photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the first sites we visited upon arriving in Poland was the Jewish Cemetery in Warsaw. What I noticed first was how green and lush it was, it seemed mystical and magical, and untouched. Overgrown, unkempt, with broken gravestones tumbling onto the cobblestone walkway, the cemetery felt like it was otherworldly.  It is a Jewish custom to place pebbles on gravestones as a sign of remembrance and respect. We did so, in remembrance of our family members that we never had the opportunity to meet, and for the six million as a whole.

poland holocaust 6 © Julie Cohen Photography

© Julie Cohen Photography

poland holocaust 5 © Julie Cohen Photography

© Julie Cohen Photography

Poland Holocaust 4 © Julie Cohen Photography

© Julie Cohen Photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Our tour guide showed us the markers that outlined a mass grave of Jews. From what I recall, there were at least several hundred, maybe thousands of people buried there. The markers  that encircled the mass grave  served as one of the first sobering reminders of where we were – visiting the very grounds of where it all took place. In the cemetery, there was a bunker where Jews hid during the war. Perhaps an unlikely venue given its location, this underground bunker likely saved several lives during the war. Some of us ventured to go inside the bunker, to think for a minute what it would feel like to live there, for days, weeks, even years. Although I didn’t venture to crouch in the bunker, the message was clear to all of us. We had a lot in store for us for the remainder of our trip, and this was just the beginning.

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Virtual 3G Communities

by A 3G in NYC on March 21, 2012

Category: Events, Media, Perspectives, Uncategorized, Volunteer

Are you looking to get involved in the 3G community, but maybe a little hesitant to go to an event that your local 3G group is hosting? Have no fear, fellow 3Gs, there is a vibrant community of grandchildren of Holocaust survivors in cyberspace that you can be a part of, should you be so inclined.  Facebook makes it so easy for us to connect and share with our peers, that it is no surprise that 3G-related groups are thriving in this space. This is a good place to test the waters and find common interests within the 3G community, learn about what different organizations are doing, read Holocaust and 3G related news, and be part of the ongoing conversation of issues relevant to descendants of Holocaust survivors.

Specifically, I suggest joining the Generations of the Shoah International (“GSI”) and Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors Facebook groups to begin with. Generations of the Shoah International is an established worldwide network of children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors.  The majority of members who post in this group seem to be 2Gs, but 3Gs may find this resource valuable and are also active in the group. GSI has a monthly newsletter that is chock-full of articles, events and initiatives that may be of interest to 3Gs.  You can sign up for the newsletter on the GSI website.  The Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors Facebook group has more than 1,800 members, a sizeable Facebook community. There is also a Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors Facebook page that you can “like,” and receive their posts in your news feed. The page’s administrators continually post engaging material for the 3G community to devour. The group is billed as more of a community gathering, where members can post various questions to the group, and can use the community as a resource for various research and writing projects, among other things.

To find out about events and initiatives at local 3G chapters, check out the Facebook groups and fan pages of the following organizations: 3GNY, 3GDC and Boston 3G.  3GNY has the largest Facebook following of the local 3G groups with almost 600 members, and the organization posts information on its  innovative social and educational programming in the vibrant Jewish community of New York City, among other relevant initiatives and news in the 3G arena.  Boston 3G is another leader in the social media space of local 3G organizations – they do a phenomenal job of appropriately curating the experience for their followers.  They have an impressive grasp on social media best practices, and are steadily gaining fans and expanding. They even have a Boston 3G presence on Pinterest!

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Call for Entries for Book on Third Generation Experience

by A 3G in NYC on March 21, 2012

Category: History, Media, News, Perspectives, Uncategorized

Being grandchildren of Holocaust survivors affects us all in different ways. However as 3Gs we have one thing in common – that the Holocaust certainly impacted our lives and upbringings. For the eloquent writers among our ranks,  the below is an opportunity to share your experiences as a grandchild of Holocaust survivors, either anecdotally or from a scholarly perspective, and to contribute to a book that will be part of the canon of literature on the third generation.

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From the Editors Dr. Esther Jilovsky, Dr. Jordy Silverstein and Dr. David Slucki:

Call for Papers: Forthcoming Book

In the Shadows of the Shadows of the Holocaust: Narratives of the Third Generation

The body of literature which focuses on the children of Jewish Holocaust survivors – the second generation – is extensive. From scholarly work that deals with questions of trauma and its transmission across generations, to literary and creative works that reflect the experiences of growing up carrying the burden of their parents’ trauma, much has been written on how children of survivors relate to their parents’ experiences.

Much less consideration, however, has been given to the next generation, and the impact that memories of the Holocaust have had on the survivors’ grandchildren.

This book will explore the experiences of the third generation – the grandchildren of Jewish Holocaust survivors – who will play an important role in carrying the mantle of Holocaust memory to future generations.

Questions we are interested in addressing include, but are not limited to:

- In what ways are these ‘shadows’ cast?
- Can these memories be characterised, or understood, as examples of postmemory or multidirectional memory?
- How are the narratives of the third generation gendered?
- What is the role of place in these narratives?
- What is the relationship between the testimonies of survivors and the stories which the third generation remember?
- What do these narratives have to say about Jewish identities?
- How are these histories used to create stories of resistance and solidarity?
- How do the stories which we were told by our grandparents and parents influence the ways in which we interact with others in the world?
- What silences, absences, and gaps are there in our understandings of our personal, familial, and community histories?
- In what ways have memories of the Holocaust influenced the ways that we conceptualise our sexual identities and practices?
- In what ways have public representations of the Holocaust interacted with family memories to shape understandings of the past?

We welcome both scholarly contributions (6000-8000 words) and personal narratives (2000-3000 words) – autobiographical, literary or creative – from grandchildren of Holocaust survivors that reflect the vast range of experiences of the third generation. We invite submissions from around the world, and we encourage a broad understanding of what it means to be a grandchild of Jewish Holocaust survivors.

Please send expressions of interest, including an abstract (500 words) and a short autobiographical note (200 words) as a Word Document attachment to thirdgenerationbook@gmail.com by 30th April 2012.

Dr. Esther Jilovsky, Dr. Jordy Silverstein, Dr. David Slucki
Editors

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Reunited and it Feels So Good

by A 3G in NYC on March 21, 2012

Category: Events, History, News

In honor of my trip last week to south Florida, home of many Jewish grandparents and an enclave of Holocaust survivors, the recent reunification of two long-lost cousins who haven’t seen each other since their time in Auschwitz in 1944 seems fitting for a 3Glegacy blog post.

Photo by Joshua Prezant, courtesy of The Miami Herald

Lemel Leo Adler, age 89, and Leon Schagrin, age 85, were reunited after almost 70 years at a banquet for Holocaust Survivors of South Florida in Tamarac, Florida on Sunday, March 11, 2012. Adler had been searching for Schagrin to no avail for many years, and unfortunately could not remember his cousin’s last name. A friend gave Adler a book written by another south Florida Holocaust survivor, and Adler recognized the names of some of his family members in the book. The author of the book turned out to be Schagrin, and the rest is history.  ”This is the biggest, most important day of my life,” Schagrin told the Orlando Sentinel, of the day he was reunited with the last living member of his family to have survived the Holocaust.  Learn more about the heart-warming story of how these long-lost cousins were reunited here.

We’ve heard about several family reunifications over the years, but we know that as Holocaust survivors are getting older, these reunions are becoming less frequent. The 3G community can share in the “nachas ” (Yiddish for joy) these cousins undoubtedly feel, as we can imagine the joy our own grandparents would have experienced if they were reunited with lost family members. I’m sure the grandchildren of Mr. Adler and Mr. Schagrin are experiencing that feeling right now.

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The Museum of Jewish Heritage’s Lipper Internship – Perfect for College-Aged 3Gs

by A 3G in NYC on March 21, 2012

Category: Art, Education, History, Uncategorized

When I was in college, I participated in a fantastic internship program through the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in downtown Manhattan. As a Lipper Intern, I had the opportunity to teach school kids, many of which are in inner city public schools and no direct connection to the Holocaust, the important lessons of the Holocaust and guide them through the Museum’s poignant exhibits.  Participating in this internship showed me in a hands-on way how important Holocaust education is, and gave me an outlet to explore my family history as a grandchild of Holocaust survivors.

The Museum describes its flagship college internship opportunity as: “The Lipper Internship is a semester-long, paid museum education internship for graduate and undergraduate students from across the Northeast that connects interns to local schools in order to teach about the Holocaust and Jewish heritage. The program begins with two weeks of training in New York City, where interns will meet with Museum staff and Holocaust survivors. Back in their college communities, interns share their knowledge by teaching public middle and high school students about the Holocaust, both through classroom visits and accompanying students and their teachers on visits to the Museum.”

For the 3G college students out there, this is a phenomenal experience to partake in and I highly encourage you to apply. If you are interested in exploring your legacy as a 3G, this is a perfect way to get involved in the world of Holocaust education and have a paid internship at the same time.  The vast resources of scholars, artifacts and educational tools the Museum has at its fingertips, coupled with the opportunity to teach children about the Holocaust through interactive lessons and a tour of the Museum, make the Lipper Internship a unique learning and growing experience for a 3G.

Applications are due April 1 for the Fall 2012 semester. Visit the Museum of Jewish Heritage’s website,  www.mjhnyc.org, for more details, and download the application here.

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New Anne Frank Holocaust Exhibit in NYC

by A 3G in NYC on March 19, 2012

Category: Art, Education, History, Uncategorized

As a New Yorker, its easy to say that this town has it all. As a 3G and a New Yorker, there are a myriad of Jewish institutions offering Holocaust-related programming and exhibits at our disposal. The Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is the flagship Holocaust museum in New York City, and its mission aims to ” educate people of all ages and backgrounds about the broad tapestry of Jewish life in the 20th and 21st centuries—before, during, and after the Holocaust.” The Museum of Tolerance – New York, part of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, “challenges visitors to confront bigotry and racism, and to understand the Holocaust in both historic and contemporary contexts. Through interactive workshops, exhibits, and videos, individuals explore issues of prejudice, diversity, tolerance, and cooperation in the workplace and in the community.” Their missions vary, but both institutions are committed to passing on the lessons of the Holocaust to future generations.

Artwork by Peter Franz courtesy of The Anne Frank Center USA

There is now another museum solely dedicated to the lessons of the Holocaust that opened on March 15 in downtown Manhattan, The Anne Frank Center USA. The mission of this institution is to “use the diary and spirit of Anne Frank as unique tools to advance her legacy, to educate young people and communities about the consequences of intolerance, racism and discrimination, and to inspire the next generation to build a world based on mutual respect.”  The first phase of the exhibition is now open to the public, and the second phase is expected to be completed by Summer 2012.  As The Diary of Anne Frank is widely read by school children, this museum will be a wonderful new resource to the community for teachers to use in tandem with the Holocaust education curriculum.

Watch NY1′s covereage of the opening of The Anne Frank Center USA.

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Therapy for 3Gs

by A 3G in NYC on March 19, 2012

Category: Events, Perspectives, Psychology

From what I understand, many Holocaust survivors themselves did not seek therapy after arriving in the United States. The goal was making a semblance of a normal life as part of society again. The wounds were too fresh, and the focus was on building a family and settling into a new, foreign city.  The trauma they experienced was either suppressed or passed on directly or indirectly to their children, the second generation (2Gs).  2Gs faced the brunt of the effects of the Holocaust from their survivor parents, and the 3Gs, although a generation removed from the survivors, face their own set of issues that can be dealt with in therapy. The third generation has sought a community and other 3Gs to relate to – and local organizations such as Boston 3G, 3GDC and 3GNY provide forums for 3Gs explore these psychological effects of the Holocaust with professionals.

Dr. Rivka Bekerman-Greenberg, Ph.D., is a psychoanalyst that specializes in, among other things, the transmission of trauma across generations in families of Holocaust survivors. She is hosting a therapy group specific to the third generation in New York City, to get involved and learn more, please see below:

“From Surviving to Thriving” – a therapy group for grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, is now meeting on a regular basis on Tuesdays between 7:30-9 PM. This group experience is aimed at exploring in a safe therapeutic setting the impact of the Holocaust on love, work, resilience and creativity.

Rivka Bekerman-Greenberg, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist/psychoanalyst, and a 2G, in private practice in NYC and a supervisor and faculty member at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy.  She was on the faculty of the Mount Sinai Traumatic Stress Treatment Center, which offered group therapy for survivors and their children.

Dr. Bekerman-Greenberg wrote a play “Eavesdropping on Dreams” about three generations in a family of a Holocaust survivor, to be produced at the Cherry Lane Theater in NYC between April 20 – May 20, 2012.  She has also produced a documentary: “I am Carrying the Holocaust in my Pocket”- interviews with four granddaughters of survivors.

For any further questions please contact:

Rivka Bekerman-Greenberg, Ph.D
Clinical Psychologist/psychoanalyst
350 West 57th Street, Apt. 3A
New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 459-9060
E-Mail: rivkagreenberg@nyc.rr.com

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POTUS Addresses AIPAC

by A 3G in NYC on March 4, 2012

Category: Events, History, News, Perspectives

This morning, President Obama addressed the nearly 14,000 supporters of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) at their annual policy conference in Washington, D.C.  At a time when the leader of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, had publicly and repeatedly denied the Holocaust and called for Israel’s destruction, the threat of Iran’s nuclear program is a central theme to this year’s AIPAC conference.

(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

A few key quotes from President Obama that may resonate with 3Gs:

“Every time that I come to AIPAC, I’m impressed to see so many young people here – students from all over the country who are making their voices heard and engaging in our democratic debate. You carry with you an extraordinary legacy of more than six decades of friendship between the United States and Israel. And you have the opportunity – and the responsibility – to make your own mark on the world.”

“I have shared in this forum just why those bonds are so personal for me – from the stories of a great-uncle who helped liberate Buchenwald, to my memories of returning there with Elie Wiesel; from sharing books with Shimon Peres, to sharing seders with my young staff in a tradition that started on the campaign trail and continues in the White House, from the countless friends I know in this room, to the concept of tikkun olam that has enriched my life.”

“Together, we are working to build a better world – one where our people can live free from fear; one where peace is founded upon justice; one where our children can know a future that is more hopeful than the present.”

Nice shout out by POTUS to his great-uncle, Charles Payne, who assisted in the liberation of the nearby Ohrdruf labor camp — a subcamp of Buchenwald — as a U.S. soldier with the 89th Infantry Division (source).

Click here to read the full text of President Obama’s speech at the AIPAC conference today.

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A 3G’s Legacy: Sharing Our Grandparents’ Stories

by A 3G in NYC on March 4, 2012

Category: Education, Events, History, Volunteer

As the last living links to our Holocaust survivor grandparents, many 3Gs feel the responsiblity of learning our grandparents’ stories. The question is – is it enough to know our grandparents’ stories, or must we take it a step further and share their stories with others? Many 3Gs believe that to ensure nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again, we must share our family’s stories with the world, especially with young people.  The 3Gs that feel comfortable sharing their grandparents’ stories are doing just that – in school classrooms.

3GNY - A NYC-based Group for Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors is trailblazing in the Holocaust education arena with its flagship educational initiative, WEDU. Short for We Educate, WEDU enables grandchildren of Holocaust survivors to share their grandparents’ stories in middle and high-school classrooms.  Many Holocaust survivors currently speak in school classrooms, but unfortunately based on their age they will not be around forever. WEDU is unique in that the students connect to the 3Gs, who are genearlly in their 20′s and 30′s, in a different way than they would to an actual survivor, since they are closer in age.

Check out the goals of 3GNY’s WEDU program:

WEDU is a powerful contribution to Holocaust education:

  1. URGENCY: As the population of Holocaust survivors declines, their stories should not be lost with them. Now is the time to take responsibility for these stories.
  2. PERSONAL: As a living link to our grandparents’ stories, we are in a special position to elevate the individual experience from the collective.
  3. RELEVANCE TO ALL: The Holocaust serves as an instructive entry point for examining prejudice today. This program will make connections between historical events and issues of intolerance and persecution that remain with us.
  4. SOCIAL ACTION: In a multicultural society, we all have a stake in challenging assumptions. This program will actively engage students to think about ways to confront intolerance and prejudice.

Aaron Herman, a digital/social media consultant recently interviewed by 3Glegacy, covered 3GNY’s recent WEDU Showcase at Hummus Place in the East Village of NYC.  Co-sponsored by Masa Israel Journey, the event raised awareness about 3GNY’s WEDU program.  In this video which was featured on the home page of The Jewish Week,  hear from some 3GNY board members about the importance of carrying on our grandparents’ legacies, as well as the experience in the classroom from recent WEDU participants:

 

WEDU is set to become the future of Holocaust education, empowering 3Gs to take ownership of their grandparents’ stories and ensuring their legacies are transmitted to future generations.

To learn more about WEDU and to get involved, visit www.3gnewyork.org.

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