Chicago — As an estimated 1,000 descendants of the Holocaust gathered here June 30-July 2, their focus was not on the past, but on the future.
“Living the Legacy: A Gathering of Descendants of the Shoah and Their Families,” the first international, family-oriented conference for second-, third- and even fourth-generation descendants, drew some 18 Wisconsin residents.
Local survivor Rose Chrustowski has attended gatherings for survivors over the years. But this was different, she said.
“It made me feel good to see the interest by the second and future generations, because they are the ones that are going to carry on the work after we are gone,” said Chrustowski, who attended with her three daughters.
Also attending with her children Seth and Shelley was Sandy Hoffman, president of Milwaukee’s Generation After, an organization of individuals whose parents survived the Holocaust; and chair of the Holocaust Education and Resource Center at the Coalition for Jewish Learning, the education program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
Hoffman said one of the conference’s meaningful moments occurred when some 22 third-generation descendants ranging in age from youngsters to those in their thirties recited “The Descendants’ Legacy,” a pledge that ends with these words:
“I am proud of the strength and courage of my ancestors. I am a descendant of the Shoah. I am here to remember and continue the legacy.”
Third-generation descendant Seth Hoffman said the conference offered a rare opportunity to meet descendants of his generation.
“You felt like you had a lot in common before you even met them,” he said. A workshop entitled “Growing Up a Grandchild of the Shoah” provided insights into “how our parents were affected and how that affected us,” he explained.
The impact of older generations’ experiences on descendants was a common thread in workshops and seminars.
Like many children of Holocaust survivors and escapees, author Fern Schumer Chapman said in a workshop that “the most profound incident of my life happened before I was born,” referring to her mother’s traumatic escape from Germany, which she chronicled in her memoir “Motherland” (Viking Penguin, 2000).
Madisonian Anita Hecht, an oral historian and third-generation descendant who held a workshop on recording life stories, said, “Even if the stories are not talked about, the effects of the Holocaust are transmitted anyway.
“The conference was another way to break the silence and connect across the generations in order to do the healing and prevent the repetition or continuation of the pain.”
In small, facilitated discussions, descendants shared stories ranging from parents who would hide briefcases filled with cash to prepare for a fast getaway, to those with fears of doctors whose white coats reminded them of Nazi experiments.
“This may be true for all trauma families — not just survivor families — but you hear people talk about an unexplained sadness and insecurity,” said Hecht, who is also a social worker.
In one session, descendants were asked to identify traits they had in common that might be connected to the psychological ramifications of the Holocaust.
“People talked about having a hard time putting down roots, difficulty trusting or having anger because parents were not available emotionally,” said Hecht. “But there were also positive themes, in that the majority of the people in the room were very successful and accomplished, and had a great sensitivity and emotional insight that they also attributed to this history.”
Generation After member Rachel Rudman said, “It was emotional, but it left me with a good feeling. You just connect— like family.”
She recalled meeting another second-generation mother from Minnesota, who when she heard that Rudman’s daughter would be attending the university there, immediately said, “Your daughter is welcome to our home for the holidays.”
Ultimately, all of the conference was worthwhile, said Chrustowski. Why?
“Always live and learn,” she said.
Susan Heymann is a second-generation Shoah descendant and a public relations professional who volunteers with the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and other organizations.
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