GenShoah events

By Ida Margolis and Shelley Lieb

Lately, people have asked each other questions that may not have been a topic of discussion before — are you thinking of leaving the U.S.? Where would you go? Do you think we should move to Israel? Where is the safest place to go? Can you believe the increase in antisemitism in the U.S.? Can you believe how much antisemitism is growing in Canada, in Europe, on college campuses? Can you believe how many groups are anti-Israel, pro-BDS? Why can’t Israel have better public relations? Why is the media so biased against Israel?

Meanwhile, the 2Gs, children of Holocaust survivors, frequently say that they asked their parents, the ones who were in ghettos, the ones who were in work camps or concentration camps, and the ones who were in the most horrible death camps — why didn’t you leave?

The most frequent response that their survivor parents gave depended a little on where they lived — in Germany, they felt like citizens, assimilated. Jews in other Western European countries like Austria, felt very secure that nothing would happen to them.

Now there is often this question from 2Gs — how will we know when we need to leave? A very real and very serious question. What is the answer? We don’t know. In the meantime, life goes on and so do our activities.

We have some thought-provoking programs, some memorial programs and even social programs coming up and we hope you will join us for those that interest you:

• Sunday, March 2 at 1 p.m.: The Annual “Our Stories” Get Together where 2Gs will share stories about their parents. Send your RSVP to liebro@gmail.com.

• Wednesday, March 19 at 2:30 p.m. at the Museum: Popular speaker Sam Varsano will present “The Holocaust in Salonika.” RSVP required at hmcec.org.

• Sunday, April 6 at 1 p.m.: Our genealogy maven, Hank Bitterman, will help people find family once again. Send your RSVP to liebro@gmail.com.

• Sunday, April 27 at 4 p.m. at Temple Shalom: Attend the annual Yom HaShoah service. Send your RSVP to jewishnaples.org. If you are a survivor or 2G, please consider attending a member reception at 3 p.m. Contact liebro@gmail. com for more information and to RSVP for the reception.

GenShoah, an affinity group of the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center, is always open to those interested in our mission. If you would like to receive our newsletter and program announcements, just send an e-mail to liebro@gmail.com.

As in our mission, we encourage all GenShoah members to join the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center. For information about membership please e-mail hmcec.org.