By Tanja Ronen
This is not a spelling mistake!
Dor in Hebrew means generation. Our project is about passing the torch of Jewish memory and commemoration from generation to generation. We wish this torch will serve as a beacon of light to warn the world against bigotry, racism and Anti-Semitism.
By telling the stories of our parents during the Holocaust, we try to understand the influence it has on our own lives as children, and until today. Sliding Dors participants reflect on their life journey, the values they sometimes prefer to leave behind and the direction we would like to offer our children.
120 Participants from fourteen (14) of our American federations, the Jewish community of Budapest, and Akko and Matte Asher in Israel, are taking part in this project, all of whom are children of Holocaust survivors. We meet locally in our communities and globally via Zoom, hosting keynote speakers and using breakout rooms to discuss the topic of the day. Our wonderful facilitator is Noa Kali from Regba, a village in Matte Asher.
Our first global meeting was during Hanukkah and the theme was Jewish holidays at home. I was amazed and sad at the same time to learn that so many of us still feel it is better not to celebrate out in the open.
In our next global meeting, we will share the lot of Hungarian Jews during the war and its influence on Jewish life in Hungary today. I can't wait to hear their stories.
I would like to thank my Co-champion Fagie Benstein, as well as all the facilitators of our discussion groups for participating. A special thank you goes to our coordinators Heidi Benish and Hedi Pusztai for a wonderful program.
Tanja Ronen
Sliding Dors champion
Regba, Matte Asher regional council