The World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust (WFJCSH) is hosting a conference in the Washington, DC area the weekend of November 7-10, 2008.

[Ernie Easter]

I received this announcement from one of my Facebook groups. If you are on Facebook, check out and join one (or several) of the many groups having to do with remembering the Holocaust. If anyone does go to this conference please write about the conference and your experiences there.

Ernie Easter

From: [e-mail]
Subject: "Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors" sent you a message on Facebook...
Date: August 16, 2008 9:48:50 PM EDT


Aaron Biterman sent a message to the members of Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors.

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Subject: DC Holocaust Conference - Nov. 7-10
Sponsored by: The World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust


== forwarded message ==

This is an update on the upcoming conference here in the DC area in November. Please share it with anyone who might be interested in attending. We would be delighted to welcome everyone to the Washington area.

Esther Finder, President
The Generation After
Washington, DC

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The World Federation of Jewish Child Survivors of the Holocaust (WFJCSH) is hosting a conference in the Washington, DC area the weekend of November 7-10, 2008. Although the conference, whose theme is Remembrance and Continuity, is geared to child survivors; children (2G) and grandchildren (3G) of survivors; and, spouses, partners and other family members are all welcome. All 2Gs and 3Gs are welcome, not just descendants of child survivors. Many belong to groups in various parts of the US, Canada, Israel and the rest of our world. For those who have never been to a conference and for the “old-timers” let us give you an overview of the conference.
CONFERENCE PLANNING IS IN HIGH GEAR. We have a national planning committee of survivors, 2Gs and 3Gs. A fantastic and energetic local committee is very busy in this hot, humid, hazy Washington weather. We cannot name every group and thank everyone at this time. That will be for the conference.

Registration: You still have time to register. We are getting registrations & inquiries from all over. We have momentum. Conference registration price increases after Sep. 1, 2008. When registering with hotel (1.800.445-8667), please use the WFJCSH 2008 code. GET confirmation # and amount. If you have not received your registration packet or for more information, visit the WFJCSH website online: http://www.wfjcsh.org. or email [e-mail]. For plane travel the hotel has free shuttle service every 30 minutes from 6AM to11PM To/from Reagan National Airport. (BWI & Dulles are about 45 minutes away with minimal traffic)

1. The Basic Program. The core of the week-end - workshops (some oldies and new one), seminars, plenary speakers – is being planned. For survivors we plan to have sessions dealing with our holocaust years, speaking to the public, aging, communicating with our children and others. For 2Gs / 3Gs sessions include: caring for our aging survivor parents, exploring our feelings as descendants of survivors, speaker training techniques / guidelines, using our parents' testimonies / memoirs in our public presentations, and memoir writing. We will also have sessions for spouses/partners, who are not survivors.

We are planning sessions for everyone. For example, you can attend a seminar on - Ongoing Genocides: Have the Lessons been Learned? A panel of sons and daughters of survivors who have found creative ways to carry on the legacy of the Holocaust in the arts and letters is being formed by our 2Gs A panel with survivors and 2Gs will give everyone the chance to comment on the dynamics of that relationship.

Of course, we will have meals, entertainment and lots of time for schmoozing. Equally important for you –survivors, 2Gs, 3Gs, - you will have the opportunity to again be with your family from all over the world!

2. Speakers. We have invited Sarah Bloomfield, Professor Joanna Michlic and Eli Rosenbaum. Ms Bloomfield is Director of the USHMM. Professor Michlic is an historian specializing in the Holocaust and its memory in Eastern Europe, and in Modern East-European Jewish History & Culture. Mr. Rosenbaum is Director of the Office of Special Investigations from the US Department of Justice. He will speak about his work asAmerica's top Nazi hunter. We are planning for a speaker from Israeli embassy and others.

3. Informational Desks. We will have a Yad Vashem desk; an International Tracing Service (ITS) desk from the Red Cross, and ITS Bad Arolsen desk with a person from the USHMM. There you can inquire about past family members. We are planning a DNA seminar/desk.

4. Special events. A Kristallnacht commemoration will be held at the hotel and on Monday at the USHMM.

5. Authors and Movies. As in previous conferences, we will have a book dealer. For more information call or email: Mark Trocchi; Association Book Exhibit; 703-619-5030 phone; 703-619-5035 fax; [e-mail]. If you do not want to go through him, bring your own books. We plan to show relevant movies (cassette or DVDs.) as time allows. If you have any or have a special request, please let us know. If you bring books or a movie, then they are your responsibility.

6. Yad Vashem Shoah Victims' Names Recovery Project. You will be able with help to search the Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names and with complete Pages of Testimony (POT's) for Holocaust victims who perished. Shoah Survivors Registration Forms will also be available. These forms are used to provide historical documentation of the lives of Jews during the war; and to create as accurate as possible a list of Holocaust victims.

7. USHMM. Curators will be available at the hotel and at the Museum on Monday. At the hotel, you will be able to register in the Survivors Registry or update their records, view the Photo Archives database, and discuss material donations to the Museum. In addition, you can search the ITS collection ( only at the Museum) on a first-come, first-serve basis. In order to accommodate as many people as possible, please submit any ITS requests by October 15th. In order to continue to document the Holocaust accurately, authentically, and powerfully, the USHMM is soliciting the donation of original documents, photographs, and other artifacts. If you have materials or if you would like to search the ITS collection, please email [e-mail] or call 202-488-6130. If you would like to see a collection which you previously donated or would like to view an oral history during your visit to the Museum, please contact Michlean Amir at 202-488-6113 or [e-mail] by October 3!
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8. Display Board. If you have material to show – pictures, notes, mementoes, etc.- bring them with you.

Finally, remember to take your medical needs, insurance cards; and, for US citizens, don’t forget to VOTE!!!! What a great week to be in the Washington area for many of us who live in the USA. We all have a chance to celebrate the fundamental process of the democracy of our adopted country!!

Shalom and see you in November !