Holocaust Observance event tackles intergenerational trauma and resilience

by Louisa Paushter

The CCHRC, together with the Town of Concord, co-hosted our annual Holocaust Memorial Observance on Sunday, May 5, at Concord’s Town House. The panel discussion format was centered on the impact of intergenerational trauma. Participating in the panel discussion were three local adult children of Holocaust survivors: Rosalie Gerut of Sudbury, Irwin Hipsman of Concord, and author Helen Epstein of Lexington.

The discussion was moderated by Elisabeth Sackton, LICSW, a family and couples therapist in private practice. The focus of the discussion was on the impact of trauma across generations, including the role of trauma in the development of resilience.

The panelists told personal and powerful stories of their experiences growing up and dealing with the effects of living with survivors of the Holocaust. We ended the evening with a song performed by Rosalie Gerut, panelist and cantor of Congregation Kerem Shalom in Concord.

Please join us next spring for the 2020 Holocaust Memorial Observance on Sunday, May 3. For more information, look for details in our spring 2020 newsletter, or visit our website later this winter: www.cchumanrights.org