Credit: Eelco Bohtlingk via Unsplash

More than eighty years ago, the Shoah destroyed many families even though there were survivors. The Descendants of Holocaust Survivors in Central Texas joined together to share their common histories, explore various issues related to being second and third generations of Holocaust survivors, and provide educational programs about their parents’ and personal experiences. The group’s planning committee members are Marissa Bortenstein, Linda Aronovsky Cox, Steve Fintel, Lucy Katz, Nora Lieberman, and Simon Wellner.

Their parents and grandparents miraculously survived the camps, or survived by escaping, hiding, passing as non-Jews, or serving as partisans. Their survival may have turned on a random choice, or a moment of luck, but today, their descendants attest to the failure of Hitler’s plan to destroy the Jewish people.

People who identify as a second or third generation of Holocaust survivors, are invited to join the group’s mailing list for upcoming invitations and announcements by emailing iris.bartov@shalomaustin.org. Required information includes name, address, phone and whether a child or grandchild of survivors, what country they came from, and how they survived. Friends and supporters are also welcome to join.