Where Do You Find Strength and Inspiration?

I am forever grateful to my grandmother, my namesake, a woman that I never had the honor of knowing. As a child, I heard stories about her, but only as an adult, did I truly come to understand how her courage and strength miraculously kept her immediate family alive.

My father’s family lived in a town in Poland. Even before the Nazi’s invaded, antisemitism was a part of Jewish life. As the war began, Jewish people anticipated food rations and military drafts, but being forced to flee from their homes, and face unimaginable atrocities was beyond comprehension. Yet, my grandmother, a smart businesswoman and decisive thinker, sensed the urgency at the right time and packed up the family for what they thought would be a temporary relocation. It was not. They survived the war as a family of seven by fleeing to Russia and ultimately ending up in Siberia.

My grandmother’s decisive action saved her family and her legacy. She acted without knowing the horrors that lay ahead. Today, as antisemitism is ever present around the world, her courage fuels me to speak up, seek solutions, and never stand on the sidelines.

Today, we know what unleashed hate is capable of.  She inspires me everyday to be strong, to be proud, and to be vocal. Who inspires you?

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