In 2005, I was selected to go on the March of the Living--an organized trip that took me to Poland (and later to Israel)--through the horrors of the past--down the tracks that led an unfathomable number of individuals to theirs deaths-- through a political history that sought to annihilate the Jewish people...an organized tour that undoubtedly changed my life, my direction and responsibility not only as a Jew, but as a member of the global community.
Though my experiences on this trip deserves it's own blog, never mind a simple post, I will stick to my point.
Why am I talking about this trip?
Two crucial creative and academic projects grew and are growing from this experience.
One-- It inspired me to study and examine the difference between "normal" grandchildren/ grandparent relationships in comparison to the relationships between Holocaust survivors and their grandchildren. Although research was limited, the findings taught me something valuable-- Grandchildren play a fundamental role in the preservation of the memory of the Shoah (the Holocaust).
Two--Based on the findings from this study and from my experiences with Holocaust survivors and my experiences as a Jewish professional working with grandchildren, and from my recent trip to Europe, there is a lot to be said and a lot that must be said and a lot that will be said (fingers crossed) about this. The realization came to me quite forcefully as I walked through the Jewish quarter in Prague a month ago. I have to write a documentary focusing on all three generations of the Shoah, specifically grandchildren.
As survivors begin to leave us--taking their memories with them--how can we ensure that their stories are passed along and will be secure for at least another 60 years?
My journey begins...and I hope you will join me as I dive into what will be one of the most challenging experiences of my life...
No comments:
Post a Comment