“It felt like a family”

By Ida Margolis and Shelley Lieb

When people have the opportunity to get together with old friends or high school classmates or at a summer camp reunion, they often remark how comfortable and familiar it was to gather again. “It was like being with family,” they often say. But how often are people with others that they barely know yet say “it felt like being with family.” That is exactly what happened at the Annual GenShoah Potluck. There were many familiar faces and just as many new faces at the dinner that night.

Afterwards, there were so many emails with similar content — thank you to the hosts, Yvonne Holtzman and Shirley Besikof, and gratitude for the opportunity to gather with others with whom they felt so comfortable and familiar. One comment said, “We are from all over, yet I felt so many similarities.”

Ida Margolis and Shelley Lieb

Yvonne Holtzman lighting candles for first night of Hanukkah at GenShoah Potluck

Th ere are so many similarities that children of Holocaust survivors share. It is the understanding of things their parents did or said as they were growing up. It might be how their parents were overprotective. It might be about a certain food or waiting until midnight for the end of the Passover Seder.

In addition to meeting and eating at the potluck, there has traditionally been a book review of interest to 2Gs. The review this year, selected from the Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival, was “By the Grace of the Game” by Dan Grunfeld. Presented by Jan Goldman and Linda Wertheim, the review was followed by many interesting questions and comments.

Ann and Sam Varsano with Hedy and Jack Abel

Zoog Mir in Yiddish continues in February

Th e new Yiddish group, organized by Sol Awend, Felicia Anchor and Harriet Berneman, scheduled its fi rst meeting in January and will meet again Sunday, Feb. 12 and Sunday, March 19. All meetings will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Holocaust Museum in Naples. If you are interested in joining this C’hevre, please contact Sol, author of the Yiddish Corner, at solawend@gmail.com.

“Our Stories” workshop on Sunday, Feb. 12

GenShoah SWFL not only works to connect members to one another and reach out to the community, it has been focusing on local 2Gs writing the stories of their parents. Every person who survived the Holocaust has a unique and important story that should be preserved, and 2Gs can help preserve these precious stories. Th e stories will be posted on the Holocaust Museum website and will prove significant to family members.

Book reviewers Jan Goldman and Linda Wertheim with GenShoah member Betsy Dougatz

A discussion and story writing workshop for 2Gs is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. to bring together those members who have written their parents’ story with those who are ready to begin. If you would like to attend, you must register with Shelley at liebro@gmail.com. At that time, you will be given the address and additional information. (Members who want to attend both the Yiddish Group and “Our Stories” will be able to do so).

GenShoah is open to all who are interested in the promotion of Holocaust education and human rights, the preservation of history and memories of the Holocaust, the connection of the Second Generation with one another and support of the Holocaust Museum and Cohen Education Center. To become a member and to receive the monthly e-newsletter, just send an email to Shelley Lieb to get on the GenShoah SWFL email list. (liebro@gmail.com)

Yvonne Holtzman, hostess of GenShoah Potluck, and GenShoah Co-chair Shelley Lieb

Events of interest

“Café Europa” is coming to the Baker Senior Center in February. This is a program for Holocaust survivors to get together for socializing, for news, to schmooze, and more. For additional information, contact Anne Chernin, director of the Baker Senior Center Naples, at achernin@naplessenior center.org.

Movies That Matter –Steve Brazina Memorial Film Series

“APART” has now been rescheduled for Feb. 15, 2023. For more information, go to hmcec.org/.

Community-wide Yom Hashoah program

The new date for this program is Monday, April 17 at 7 p.m. It will be held at the Nina Iser Jewish Cultural Center, Naples. For more information, go to jewishnaples.org.