When my children were embarking on their journeys to Poland as part of the Ramah Seminar program, they were asked to collect and bring any family artifacts relating to the Holocaust.  My husband is in possession of his father’s papers documenting his experiences on his application for reparations from the German government.  The story is harrowing, as they all are, but we decided the time was right to share the details.  They, in turn, each shared the details with their peers during their trips.  Standing at the memorial to the Plascow camp, reading about their grandfather’s ordeal, connected them to him in a way a simple retelling never could.  My husband and I had the same experience when we made the same trip a few years ago.  We have safeguarded these documents and they are part of our family’s legacy.  Other survivor families are also the keepers of the stories and are sharing these stories with the public by donating them to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial.  And now the Museum is calling for more of these precious documents and materials to be shared so that these stories are not lost forever as time takes its toll on delicate artifacts.  This story from Florida, has some details.  Son of Holocaust survivor shares father’s story amid call for documents

If you have any family artifacts to donate, contact the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum at U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

If you, or someone you know is a child of Holocaust survivors and wish to share your story with The Peretz Project, send us an email at theperetzproject@gmail.com.