Features
Daughter of Holocaust survivors deals with intergenerational trauma in new book
By MARTIN ZEILIG Marsha Lederman was five years old when a straightforward question led, as she notes in her recently published book, “Kiss the Red Stairs…The Hol-ocaust Once Removed” to “a horrifying answer.” Sitting in her kitchen, she asked her mother why she didn’t have any grandparents. Her mother told her the truth: the Holocaust.
Decades later, with her parents dead and she herself a mother to a young son, the author begins to wonder how much history has shaped her own life. Reeling in the wake of a divorce, Marsha Lederman “craves” her parents’ help.
But in their absence, she is “obsessed” by a need to understand, as Lederman says, “the trauma they suffered,” and she begins her own journey into the past to tell her family’s stories of loss and resilience.
Marsha Lederman is the Western Arts correspondent for the Globe and Mail. Before joining the Globe, Marsha worked for CBC Radio, mostly in Toronto, where she held a variety of positions, including National Arts Reporter. Lederman also worked in commercial radio as a reporter, newscaster and talk show host. Born in Toronto, she now lives in Vancouver.
“Kiss the Red Stairs” is a compelling memoir of Holocaust survival, intergenerational trauma, divorce, and discovery that will “channel readers through several lifetimes of significant change,” as one reviewer observed.
Lederman gave a reading from her meaningful memoir at the Rady JCC on October 12, followed by an on-stage conversation with Belle Jarniewski, Executive Director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada. Lederman was here for the Winnipeg International Writers Festival: THIN AIR 2022.
“Marsha’s wonderful book exploring intergenerational trauma is tremendously helpful to the families of genocide survivors,” Ms. Jarniewski wrote in an email to this reporter afterwards.“When I read the book, I saw so many parallels to my own life and my experiences. As I said on the night of the event, it was as if Marsha was in my head when she wrote the book. I’m sure that many other Second Gens who have read the book have had the same reaction. For the children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, I hope that we can share our own experiences with the children of other genocides. By understanding the reality of epigenetic trauma, we can better deal with and respond to its effects.”
Lederman had earlier agreed to an email interview with The Jewish Post & News.JP&N: Why did you think it was necessary to write “Kiss the Red Stairs: The Holocaust, Once Removed”?
ML: I grappled with whether the world needs another Holocaust book, to be sure. But I felt that the issue of intergenerational trauma deserved more of a spotlight. This is a critical issue that affects many Canadians. And as someone who knows about it first-hand, and someone whose own existence is a miracle, I felt that I had a responsibility to write about it. Also, it became clear as I was writing the book that many people are unaware of the facts of the Holocaust – or, worse, don’t believe them – and I hope this book can help change that.
Also – the book is funny, at times. Humour is a powerful tool; it can get us through some really dark moments in life. I have heard from so many people who can relate to my story on many levels, and it is heartwarming – if sometimes distressing – to hear their stories.
JP&N: How long did it take to write the book?
ML: I joke that it took me 55 years to write the book. But the realization that all my research and note-taking could possibly become a book was in 2017. I began writing in about 2018, did more writing and a lot of the research in 2019, but the bulk of the writing took place in 2020 and the rewriting/editing in 2020 and 2021.
JP&N: What was it like being the child of Holocaust survivors?
ML: It was the only childhood I knew, of course. But once I started going to school and making friends with other kids, I realized that my parents were a little different: they were older, had accents, and had been through “the war” – something I didn’t really understand until I was a little older. I didn’t have grandparents. Food never went to waste in my house. There was a quiet sort of sorrow that was pervasive. But my parents, although damaged from their experiences and losses, were loving and kind and wonderful people. I was very fortunate.
JP&N: Where were your parents from?
ML: My mother was born in Radom, Poland in 1925. My father was born in Lodz, Poland in 1919.
JP&N: What is the main message/lesson that you would like a reader to come away with after reading your book?
ML: There are many messages! But here are a few of the important ones:
We must be absolutely vigilant when it comes to discrimination of any kind – racism, gender discrimination, homophobia, etc. It is essential to stand up and speak out.
Intergenerational trauma is an issue that we must be aware of – affecting not just descendants of Holocaust survivors but descendants of other mass traumas, including the residential schools travesty. Public policy must be shaped with this in mind.
Please ask your parents – or grandparents, if you are fortunate enough to have them – questions! Find out as much as you can about their lives. Don’t make the mistake I did – waiting too long so that I had to find answers in libraries and on Google and in journals and film reels, when I could have just asked my parents these questions, face-to-face, and learned their stories directly from them.
“Kiss the Red Stairs:
The Holocaust, Once Removed”
by Marsha Lederman
Penguin Random House Canada
Features
The Magic of DNA
By GERRY POSNER This is my story, but it just as easily could have been yours. Even at my older age, a new relative popped into the family. This was unexpected to me and the whole family and indeed the new family member as well.
Put the blame on or credit to DNA. What transpired I suspect is happening all over the world these days. That is, there is now a new first cousin in the family. Call her KBP. It seems that KBP took a test through ancestry.com not that long ago, just as I had done years ago. When you take the test, you end up receiving messages from Ancestry from time to time identifying people who have similar genetic markers to you, some closer than others. I have looked at these messages and have identified people I know to be my cousins just from the initials. However, most of the initials listed are completely unknown to me. These lists of relatives go on for pages and pages. I struggle with the value of trying to reach these distant relatives because, even if I can connect with any of them, no one can figure out just how we are related. What would we even talk about should we ever meet? Often, I just ignore the lists as there seem to be too many names to contemplate a possible contact.
As it turned out, KBP also took the same test with the same company, ancestry.com. But she also failed to notice a connection between her and anyone else. This story would have ended there but for the intervention of another cousin who also had taken the DNA spit test with Ancestry. This cousin spotted the relationship and alerted me. Once that occurred, we established a connection and then the rest of this story developed.
What took place some almost seventy years ago was the cause of this new relationship. Recall ( and this is particularly relevant to young readers) the decade of the 1950s was an era when abortion, though present, was in back lanes or in the shadows. Most of the time a child born out of wedlock was put up for adoption. In this case, an uncle and his then non-Jewish partner elected to put the child up for adoption and she was adopted into a family located in Alberta where she grew up. That would have been the end of the story – but for DNA.
My new cousin was ecstatic to find out about the whole new family she was now a part of and whose history was now hers. Even though she is now a Mormon, she was eager to explore her Jewish origins and indeed even came with me and my wife to synagogue at the Beth Tzedec Synagogue in Calgary not that long ago. She had much in common with the family. Most of all, she was so happy to delve into a past previously unknown. On the other hand, her birth mother, still alive at 93, rejected meeting her daughter from so long ago. KBP respects that view and has made peace with just her new association with Dad’s family.
Of course, what made this secret such a well kept secret for so long is that the uncle died young and never told anyone. Who then could have known? The truth is out and I, for one, am glad it is now out there. Not everyone in my family agrees with me, but the main protagonist in this tale, KBP, was supportive of my writing this article. Of course, the real test now is to see if and how this new relationship with KBP unfolds, if at all.
As I said in the beginning, this is not an isolated story. You can bet there are hundreds, maybe thousands of such stories out there waiting to be unearthed and told. It is all about DNA.
Features
Kevin Leach and the Sabre Training Advisory Group: Providing training assistance to the Ukrainian military
By MARTIN ZEILIG As a private citizen, Kevin Leach is following the example of the Government of Canada by providing much needed assistance to our democratic ally, Ukraine, in its fight against the unprovoked war of aggression launched by Russia on February 24, 2022.
Mr. Leach, who grew up in Palgrave, Ontario and lived in Toronto before moving to Ukraine, is the founder of the Sabre Training Advisory Group, a not-for-profit organization geared towards providing training assistance Ukraine’s military. He is a 10-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, and served as an OSCE ceasefire observer in Ukraine from 2018 until the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
He founded the STAG in November 2022.
“Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed $4 billion in military assistance to Ukraine,” says the Government of Canada website.
“This funding will allow Canada to deliver military assistance to Ukraine through to 2029. We deeply admire the bravery and courage of Ukrainians who are fighting to defend their independence and freedom, and we will continue to work closely with our Allies and partners to help Ukraine defend its sovereignty and security Canada and Ukraine are close partners with a long-standing defence relationship.”
As well, Operation (Op) UNIFIER, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) military training and capacity building mission in Ukraine, “was launched in 2015 at the request of the Ukrainian government,” and in 2023, was expanded and extended until March 2026.
“Since the start of Op UNIFIER, the CAF has trained approximately 41,000 Ukrainian military and security personnel in battlefield tactics and advanced military skills,” says the online information.
“As the mission progressed, much of the direct training undertaken by CAF members transitioned to members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with Canadians acting as advisors and mentors as well as assisting in the development of courses.”
“Ukraine’s fight is a fight for international law, for the United Nations Charter, and for innocent civilians, including children, who deserve to live in peace,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says on his website.
Besides military aid and training, Canada has also provided significant economic support, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, and has welcomed tens of thousands Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war into our country.
in battlefield first aid techniques-1
Mr. Leach, who is a frequent guest on the Mriya Report, a 24/7 site on X that provides in-depth information on the war, agreed to an email interview with this reporter.
Q: What was your motivation in forming STAG?
KL: Sabre is a professional military training non-profit. Our aim is to give Ukrainian defenders the skills to come home alive. We are building the capacity for Ukraine to defend itself against Russian aggression.
Sabre Training Advisory Group grew out of the frustrations its founding members had with the chaotic and unprofessional way that many foreign instructors were attempting to train Ukrainian soldiers in the NATO and Allied style of warfare.
Q: Who else works with you in the STAG?
KL: We have a team of volunteers from all over the world. They are former soldiers from Canada, the US, UK, and even Australia, plus our local Ukrainian volunteers. Our executive staff, besides myself, are two former officers from the British Army and US Marine Corps, respectively.
Q: Do you work closely with the Government of Ukraine or Ukraine’s military and/or the Canadian Armed Forces?
KL: We don’t work closely at this time with any civilian government, but we have an official partnership with the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade “Rubizh”. As we’re still a relatively small organization, we don’t warrant much attention from governments.
Q: What else that you would like the public to know about your work?
KL: Training inside of Ukraine is vital. It is far more efficient than moving large numbers of Ukrainian troops around Europe, and being here puts us closer to the action, and allows us to adjust faster to lessons learned on the battlefield. We also need support! It is hard to fund a program like ours, as it’s quite unique. Typically the role we are filling would be performed by private military contractors, which are illegal in Ukraine and carry severe political risk due to public perception of these companies.
We set out to establish a high standard, using proper training techniques and taking a systematic approach to instruction. In just a few short months we were able to secure a high-quality training area, and a team of excellent instructors who draw on decades of collected military experience. We have successfully trained over 3000 Ukrainian warriors and medics, equipping them with essential skills and knowledge to excel on the battlefield. Our track record of tangible results demonstrates our commitment to the mission and the decisive impact on Ukrainian defenders.
For further information, visit the STAG website: www.sabretag.org
Features
Exploring 8 Innovative New Services in In-Home Care
In-home care has evolved significantly in recent years, driven by advancements in technology, changing demographics, and an increased focus on personalized care. These innovative services are transforming the way support is delivered, enhancing the quality of life for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Here are some of the most exciting and groundbreaking innovations that families can depend on when it comes to their space and the best practices to ensure comfort and safety.
Telehealth and Telemedicine
Telehealth and telemedicine have revolutionized health care by providing remote access to services. Through video consultations, seniors and caregivers can communicate with doctors, nurses, and specialists without leaving their homes. This reduces the need for frequent visits to health facilities, which can be challenging for those with mobility issues. Telehealth also enables continuous monitoring of chronic conditions, allowing providers to adjust treatments promptly and prevent complications.
Remote Monitoring and Wearable Devices
Wearable devices and remote monitoring systems are becoming essential tools. These devices can track vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels, providing real-time data to caregivers and health professionals. Advanced systems can detect falls, monitor medication adherence, and even predict health issues before they become severe. This proactive approach allows for timely interventions, improving outcomes and enhancing the safety of in-home recipients.
Virtual Companionship and Social Engagement
Loneliness and social isolation are significant concerns for seniors living at home. Virtual companionship services, such as those provided by robots or virtual assistants, offer interaction and engagement to mitigate these issues. These technologies can remind individuals to take their medications, guide them through exercises, and provide cognitive stimulation through games and conversations. Additionally, platforms that facilitate virtual social gatherings and activities help seniors stay connected with family and friends, promoting mental and emotional well-being.
Personalized Care Plans and Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a crucial role in developing personalized plans. AI algorithms can analyze data from various sources, including health records, lifestyle habits, and genetic information, to create customized strategies. These plans are tailored to the unique needs and preferences of each individual, ensuring they receive the most appropriate and effective solutions. AI can also assist caregivers by predicting potential health issues and suggesting preventive measures, thereby enhancing the overall quality of support.
Smart Home Technology
Smart technology is making it easier for seniors to live independently. Voice-activated assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home can control lights, thermostats, and appliances, reducing the physical effort required for daily tasks. Smart systems can also include sensors that detect movement, alerting caregivers if there is unusual activity or inactivity. This technology not only improves safety but also provides peace of mind for both the recipients and their families.
On-Demand and Flexible Care Services
The gig economy has introduced on-demand services to the in-home care industry. Platforms like Honor and CareLinx allow families to find and hire support quickly, providing flexibility and convenience. These services offer a wide range of options, from a few hours of assistance to round-the-clock support, accommodating the varying needs of individuals. The ability to schedule help on short notice ensures that support is available when it’s needed most. This includes teams like the one at Parners for Home Care; more on their services and support options can be found on their website: https://partnersforhomecare.ca/
Integrative Health and Wellness Programs
Holistic approaches to health and wellness are gaining traction – and for good reason. Integrative health programs combine traditional medical care with complementary therapies such as yoga, meditation, nutrition counseling, and physical therapy. These programs focus on the overall well-being of the individual, addressing physical, mental, and emotional health. As a result of promoting a balanced and healthy lifestyle, integrative health services can enhance the quality of life and prevent the onset of chronic conditions.
Enhanced Training and Support for Caregivers
Innovative training programs for caregivers are crucial in improving the quality of in-home care. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies provide immersive training experiences, allowing support workers to practice and develop their skills in realistic scenarios. Additionally, online platforms offer ongoing education and support, helping individuals stay updated on best practices and new developments in the field. Enhanced training ensures that everyone is well-prepared to meet the diverse needs of their clients.
The Future of In-Home Care Services
The way we grow and age in comfort is rapidly changing, thanks to these innovative services and technologies. Telehealth, remote monitoring, virtual companionship, AI-driven plans, smart technology, on-demand services, integrative health programs, and enhanced training are all contributing to more personalized, efficient, and effective support. As these innovations continue to evolve, they hold the promise of significantly improving the lives of those who rely on in-home care, allowing them to age gracefully and independently in the comfort of their own spaces.