We were delighted that the University of Michigan Osher Life-long Learning Institute (UM OLLI) selected "The Ones Who Remember: Second-Generation Voices of the Holocaust" as the selection for their Fall Community Read. On November 4, a panel of four contributing authors to this anthology - Sassa Akervall, Rita Benn, Joy Wolfe Ensor and Simone Yehuda, discussed some of the experiences depicted in their book to a sold-out audience. The panel was moderated by Marjorie Oliver who gave the following remarks: "I had no holocaust survivors in my family, I am a true WASP, so  I found this collection  to be deeply personal, deeply profound, ofttimes incredibly well-written and very moving. At this time in the world in which we live, we need to be reminded that 'all people are our kin' and of the power of hatred and necessity of confronting it."  A recording of this panel presentation has been made available to view through the UM OLLI catalog. 

Three of our authors were invited to present a session during a one-day conference of Jewish learning sponsored by the Detroit affiliate of LIMMUD. Rita Benn, Avishay Hayut and Natalie Iglewicz read moving excerpts from their stories and responded to audience questions. Among the audience participants was a second-generation descendent of the Holocaust from the Detroit area. She remarked how much aspects of our experiences resonated with her childhood and expressed her appreciation of the gift that this book now offered her: no longer feeling as alone and different from others.

 “As I learned more about my parents’ past, it’s understandable that I also grew up worrying a lot, mainly about disasters happening," recounted Julie Ellis, reading an excerpt from her chapter from our book. She, along with two other contributing authors, Eszter Gombosi and Cilla Tomas, shared a few moving vignettes about what they learned about their’ parents’ wartime history and its impact on them to a riveted audience at the Dexter District Library on October 18, 2022. 

On October 12, the Florida Holocaust Museum hosted a panel presentation about our book. Ruth Finkel Wade was joined by Rita Benn in person and Joy Wolfe Ensor by Zoom. Over 45 people pre-registered for the event and a few more than this number attended. After our book introduction and excerpted readings, Erin Blankenship, the interim Executive Director, jumpstarted the Q & A with a few thoughtful questions, for example: "Did any of the authors have memoir writing experience or plans to write individual memoirs after this anthology? What are the commonalities that we see in the second generation experience? What is the one takeaway that we each hope people will walk away with after reading our book?  These questions and our responses so engaged the audience that the questions kept coming one after another and we went past the projected time frame to end. You may listen to a recording of this presentation.

Ruth and Rita were delighted to sign additional books and to meet so many people of different ages who were deeply moved by our stories. They were particularly thrilled to see so many 2Gs in the audience and to find additional Ann Arbor roots in our audience  - a former University of Michigan alumna who attended the university in the 1950's. It is indeed a small world!    

What brings people out to listen to our book talks? Nancy Szabo and Natalie Iglewicz began their panel presentation at Tamarack District Library in Lakeview Michigan on October 11 with this very question. For some attendees, it was a keen interest in world history. For others, there was a personal connection - a relative who served in the army liberated Bergan-Belsen, one of the many concentration camps. Still for others, it was the desire to learn more from the Second Generation and gain insight into how to stand up to Holocaust denial and prevent future discrimination of this proportion from ever happening again. We are grateful for the engagement of the audience in listening to our stories and feel affirmed of the wide appeal and impact that our book can have. 

Join us at one of the following book events where different groups of authors will reflect and share their different perspectives in writing about, honoring and healing from their experiences in living with their survivor parents. You can also download this schedule.

We have been excited to share our book with different audiences this past summer and early fall.  Below are photos of our presenting authors at events sponsored by the Kerrytown Bookfest, Children of Holocaust Survivors Association in Michigan (CHAIM), New Buffalo District Library and Nicola's Books.

Drawing from their recently published book, Rita Benn, Natalie Iglewicz and Nancy Szabo presented at the downtown Ann Arbor Public Library on June 1 on their lived experience growing up with parents who survived the Holocaust. As one of the book's contributing authors shared, "It's not about what happens to you. It's about what you do with what happens to you". The authors read excerpts from their book and responded to many questions posed by the audience. During the book signing, individual audience members remarked how moving and inspirational they found this talk, and how grateful they felt to attend this event.

After our Ann Arbor book launch, over forty friends and acquaintances in St. Petersburg, Florida gathered to celebrate the publication of our book.