God, Faith & Identity From the Ashes

For the children and grandchildren of Holocaust (Shoah) survivors and refugees from Nazi persecution, the suffering and survival of their immediate ancestors and the annihilation of virtually their entire families have, in large part, shaped their perspectives on God, faith and Jewish identity. Their reflections on the memories transmitted to them and its effect on their lives will inform, challenge and inspire people of all faiths and backgrounds. While the collective legacy of Holocaust survivors and refugees belongs to the entire Jewish people, as well as all humankind, on an individual level this extremely personal and often idiosyncratic legacy was transmitted first and foremost by the survivors to their own children and grandchildren. There is no one form of this legacy. Some survivors spoke about their experiences in the ghettos and camps ; others enveloped themselves and their families in a cloud of silence, shrouding their past in an aura of mystery and secrecy. This book is intended to reflect what they believe, who they are and how that informs what they are doing with their lives. There are eighty-eight contributors from a broad range of occupations and professions - from theologians, scholars and spiritual leaders to authors, artists, political and community leaders and media personalities - in sixteen countries on six continents. They represent the widest possible religious, political and ideological spectrum. Despite the contributor's diversity, common themes shine through. Intended for a popular audience of people of all faiths and backgrounds, these emotionally powerful, deeply moving statements will have a profound effect on the way our and future generations understand and shape their understanding of the Holocaust and their own personal identity in years to come. Praise from Pope Francis for Menachem Rosensaft's essay reconciling God's presence with the horrors of the Holocaust'When you, with humility, are telling us where God was in that moment, I felt within me that you had transcended all possible explanations and that, after a long pilgrimage-sometimes sad, tedious or dull-you came to discover a certain logic and it is from there that you were speaking to us; the logic of First Kings 19:12, the logic of that 'gentle breeze' (I know that it is a very poor translation of the rich Hebrew expression) that constitutes the only possible hermeneutic interpretation. 'Thank you from my heart. And, please, do not forget to pray for me. May the Lord bless you.' -His Holiness Pope Francis Contributors include:David Miliband, former foreign secretary, United Kingdom, and president, International Rescue CommitteeDocumentary film maker and author Andr Singer