Join us on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) for an evening of memory, resilience, and testimony. The event aims to explore how Holocaust memory is transmitted and transformed across generations, and how it continues to shape Jewish identity today. We're excited to welcome Jerry Lindenstraus as our keynote speaker, a firsthand survivor of Kristallnacht who escaped the war and made his way to the US after spending seven years as a refugee in hiding in Shanghai. Jerry's story is preceded by Alison Berg, the granddaughter of two Hungarian Holocaust survivors, who has dedicated much of her life to sharing her family's story as a means of fostering justice and tolerance. The program will culminate in a panel discussion and audience Q&A featuring Jerry, Alison, and another member of one of their families representing second generation testimony.

This gathering is more than a remembrance—it is a call to listen, to learn, and to carry forward the voices of those who endured. The program will run for approximately 75 minutes and be followed by a light reception.

Part of the Center’s programming series Anne Frank in History and Memory in connection with Anne Frank The Exhibition.

Thank you to Ancestry, the Center for Jewish History’s Family History sponsor

About the Speakers
Alison Berg is the maternal granddaughter of two Hungarian Holocaust survivors, Anna and Eugene Greenwood. Her close relationship to her grandmother inspired a deep, lifetime involvement in the Jewish philanthropic community, including mentoring teens on incorporating Judaism into their daily lives, serving on the board of a youth philanthropy program, and participating in a service trip to Nicaragua. She is also a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters New York City. Alison joined 3GNY's WEDU program after her grandmother’s passing to continue to share the stories and lessons so critical to her own understanding of justice and tolerance. Alison graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in Communications and Political Science and works as the Associate Director of Communications for the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business.

Gerald “Jerry” Lindenstraus 
Born in Germany in 1929, Jerry witnessed the horrors of Kristallnacht before fleeing with his family to Shanghai, where he spent seven years as a refugee. His journey took him across continents—from war-torn Europe to Colombia and ultimately to New York, where he has dedicated his life to ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten.