Editor's Notes: What we can learn from Holocaust survivors

On a quiet evening in 1961, David, a Holocaust survivor from Poland, sat down at his kitchen table, his children tucked into bed. He spread out old photographs, yellowed with time, and began to speak for the first time about the horrors he endured. 

David had survived the death marches, the starvation, the relentless beatings, and the torment of Auschwitz. 

For nearly two decades, he had remained silent, carrying his trauma alone, believing that to protect his family, he must shield them from his past. 

That night, something broke. In the safety of his modest Tel Aviv apartment, David began to tell his story. And in doing so, he found a semblance of peace – not a cure, but a way to manage the unmanageable.

Since the Holocaust, the Jewish people have not faced a massacre of such magnitude and horror until the events of October 7, 2023. 

The coordinated attacks shocked Israel, with more than a thousand lives lost in a day of terror that pierced the heart of our nation. 

While these two tragedies are undeniably different, survivors and recently released hostages of the October 7 attacks have expressed haunting parallels. They speak of the helplessness, the inhumanity, and the sheer brutality they faced, echoing the stories told by Holocaust survivors. 

Both groups grapple with unimaginable loss and trauma, leaving us with the task of commemorating their suffering in a way that both honors and heals.

THE SILENCE THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES

Holocaust survivors like David often coped with their trauma by remaining silent. In the early post-war years, their voices were rarely heard, their pain quietly buried under the rubble of rebuilding a new life. 

Silence became a shield, protecting not just themselves but also their children from the darkness of their past.

A study in Psychological Medicine found that up to 60% of Holocaust survivors avoided discussing their trauma within their families, believing that silence was their only refuge from the haunting memories that plagued them.

Today, we see echoes of this silence among survivors of the October 7 massacre. The instinct to remain quiet, to bury the pain deep, feels like the only option. 

But the stories of Holocaust survivors teach us that while silence may offer temporary protection, it can also deepen the wounds. PTSD rates among Holocaust survivors were astoundingly high – studies report figures between 29.4% and 38.3%, significantly higher than the general population. 

The unspoken trauma often manifested in depression, anxiety, and a lifelong battle against invisible scars. Silence, while seemingly protective, can become a prison.

FINDING MEANING AMID THE RUINS

Yet, some Holocaust survivors found a different path. Over time, many discovered that speaking about their experiences – whether publicly or in more intimate settings – could be a powerful form of therapy. 

Survivors like Elie Wiesel and Primo Levi turned their pain into words, bearing witness to the unspeakable, not just as a form of catharsis but as an act of defiance. 

They transformed their trauma into a mission: to educate, to remember, and to prevent the world from forgetting.We see similar needs among today’s survivors – those who endured the horrors of October 7. 

Many are already sharing their stories in the media, at community events, and on social platforms. But we must do more to provide spaces where they can safely express their trauma. 

Public speaking, art therapy, and even participation in documentary projects can offer survivors a way to regain control of their narrative, turning a powerless moment into a powerful legacy. 

These initiatives not only help individuals process their trauma but also serve as a form of living history, teaching future generations about resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity.

BUILDING A LEGACY

Holocaust memorials around the world serve as testaments not only to the past but also to the power of collective memory. Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, and countless smaller sites provide spaces where survivors and the public alike can confront history, mourn, and learn. 

These spaces are therapeutic, providing a structured way to process trauma – a place to externalize pain and turn it into a lesson.

For the survivors of October 7, we need more than just monuments; we need living memorials that evolve with the people they honor. 

Imagine a digital archive where survivors and their families can share stories, photos, and artifacts – a space that grows over time, reflecting not just the tragedy but the resilience of those who lived through it.

We should also consider incorporating these stories into our schools, just as Holocaust survivors visit classrooms to share their stories. By bringing the past into the present, we keep the memory alive.

However, we must also be mindful of where Holocaust survivors struggled. Despite the success of these memorials, many survivors lived with untreated PTSD for decades, with their pain dismissed or misunderstood. 

As a society, we failed to provide adequate mental health support, leaving too many to cope alone. For those affected by the October 7 massacre, we cannot repeat this mistake. Access to mental health care must be a cornerstone of our commemoration efforts.

ALTERNATIVES AND INITIATIVES FOR COPING WITH TRAUMA

In addition to storytelling and memorialization, there are alternative approaches we can learn from Holocaust survivors. Some found solace in routine and community, participating in social clubs, religious gatherings, and volunteer work that kept them connected and engaged.

Creating similar community-based programs for October 7 survivors can provide an anchor, a place to belong and be understood.

Mindfulness practices, which were not available to Holocaust survivors but have become widely recognized today, offer another avenue for healing. Meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises can help regulate the nervous system and offer survivors tools to manage the physiological effects of trauma. 

Support groups that combine these methods with narrative therapy have shown promise in treating PTSD, offering a holistic approach to recovery.

Further, we should encourage creative outlets as a means of expression. Art therapy, music, and writing workshops can provide survivors with non-verbal ways to process their trauma, allowing them to express what words often cannot. 

This form of therapy is particularly valuable for children who survived or were affected by the massacre, offering them a safe space to explore their emotions and fears.

COMMEMORATE WITH INTENTION

As we approach the first anniversary of October 7, we are faced with the challenge of how to remember. 

Officially recognizing this day as a time of national mourning, with ceremonies that honor the victims and celebrate the resilience of survivors, would be a meaningful start. 

It should be a day not just of remembrance but of action – a day when we come together as a community to support one another.

Integrating survivor stories into school curriculums, much like Holocaust education programs, would ensure that the lessons of October 7 endure. Creating living memorials, both physical and digital, where survivors and families can share their stories would also help to keep the memory of this day alive and relevant.

And let us not forget the importance of mental health initiatives. Partnering with mental health organizations to provide counseling services, workshops, and support groups, especially around this time of year, sends a clear message: Healing is possible, and help is always available.

One year after the October 7 massacre, we are faced with the challenge of how to remember. The Holocaust taught us that memory is not just about looking back; it’s about shaping the future. 

It’s about bearing witness, not just to honor the past but to guide the present. Let us take these lessons to heart as we commemorate, creating spaces of memory that are not only about what was lost but also about the strength of those who survived.

For in remembering, we keep their stories – and their resilience – alive.