What does it really mean to inherit trauma? In this episode of Chosen For What?, host Tommy Schnurmacher speaks with Dr. Eva Fogelman, a renowned psychologist, author, and pioneer in the study of Holocaust trauma and its intergenerational impact.

Dr. Fogelman challenges the common assumption that the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors directly inherit trauma. Instead, she explains that what is often passed down are worldviews, communication styles, and relationship patterns shaped by survivor experiences. Together, Tommy and Dr. Fogelman explore how this legacy unfolds over time, through stages of shock, denial, mourning, and discovery, and why some descendants of survivors feel compelled to uncover their family's past while others choose distance.

The conversation also delves into the emotional complexity of survivor guilt, unconscious survival behaviors, and the ways in which many descendants have transformed pain into purpose. From creative expression to Holocaust education, from human rights activism to Jewish cultural preservation, Dr. Fogelman offers powerful insights into how inherited memory can inspire resilience and meaning for generations to come.

Chosen For What? is brought to you by the Foundation for Genocide Education, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that every student understands the history and lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides. To learn more about their work, or to make a donation, please visit GenEd.org

Holocaust education isn’t only about teaching history; it’s about ensuring that the human stories behind that history are never forgotten.

On this episode of Chosen For What? host Tommy Schnurmacher speaks with Barbara Goldstein, the daughter of two Holocaust survivors and a dedicated advocate for Holocaust education in the United States.

Barbara shares her personal journey of growing up with survivor parents, each carrying profoundly different experiences of the Holocaust, and how those legacies shaped her own identity. She also reflects on her work as an educator in Florida, where she has seen firsthand both the challenges and the transformative power of teaching this history to students who may come to it with little knowledge or context.

Together, Tommy and Barbara explore why personal stories remain at the heart of Holocaust education, how educators can move beyond rote learning to inspire empathy and critical thinking, and why preserving these memories is vital for the next generation. Barbara’s insights offer a meaningful reminder of resilience, responsibility, and the enduring importance of Holocaust remembrance.

Chosen For What? is brought to you by the Foundation for Genocide Education, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that every student understands the history and lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides. To learn more about their work, or to make a donation, please visit GenEd.org

On this episode of Chosen For What?, host Tommy Schnurmacher sits down with Agneta Hollander, the daughter of two Holocaust survivors who chose to speak openly about their experiences.

Her mother was deported to Auschwitz at just 14, and her father spent four and a half years imprisoned in camps. For Agneta, growing up in a home where these stories were part of daily life profoundly shaped her understanding of identity, resilience, and responsibility.

In their conversation, Agneta reflects on how traditions, recipes, and rituals became a way to honor the grandparents she never met. She also shares why she chose to dedicate herself to Holocaust education, serving as a docent at the Montreal Holocaust Museum for more than a decade and helping the Foundation for Genocide Education carry its mission forward.

Her parents’ most enduring message “not to hate” is one she continues to live by and teach to future generations.

Chosen For What? is brought to you by the Foundation for Genocide Education, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that every student understands the history and lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides.

To learn more about their work, or to make a donation, please visit GenEd.org.

In the premiere episode of Chosen For What?, host Tommy Schnurmacher sits down with Barbara Cieply, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, to explore how her family’s history of loss, resilience, and survival has shaped her life.

Through Barbara’s story, we gain an in-depth, personal understanding of why Holocaust education is so important; not just to remember the millions of Jews who were murdered, but to ensure that future generations learn from the past and stand against hate and violence in all its forms.

Barbara shares just how her parents’ remarkable journey, from surviving Nazi-occupied Poland to rebuilding their lives in a new country, impacted her upbringing and outlook, as well as the ripple effects that followed.

Barbara reflects on the unspoken trauma passed down through the generations, the cultural and emotional challenges of growing up in a Holocaust survivor household, and how she’s found ways to honour her family’s legacy.

This candid conversation offers insight into how Holocaust survivors coped and rebuilt their lives after the genocide , and how their stories can inspire today’s fight against hatred and intolerance.

Chosen For What? is brought to you by the Foundation for Genocide Education, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that every student understands the history and lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides.

To learn more about their work, or to make a donation, please visit GenEd.org.

Chosen For What? is a powerful new podcast that dives deep into the personal stories of second and third generation Holocaust survivors.

Hosted by acclaimed broadcaster and author Tommy Schnurmacher (whose own mother survived the horrors of Auschwitz), this original series features raw, unfiltered conversations with the children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren of those who endured and survived the Holocaust.

The first episode drops on October 9th, with new episodes every Thursday thereafter.

To make a donation or to learn more about The Foundation for Genocide Education, you can visit their website at GenEd.org