History
Turning an Idea into Reality. From family legacies to a national movement, this is the story behind Living Links.
Carry Testimony Forward
What began as a series of local efforts grew into a national movement at a critical moment. As Holocaust survivors became less able to share their stories firsthand, demand surged for new ways to carry testimony forward. 3G organizations aligned around a shared vision: to build a national network to connect descendants, expand training of speakers, and ensure that Holocaust testimony is carried forward with power and purpose. In partnership with the USC Shoah Foundation, Living Links launched in May 2024.
In the Beginning
3Gs Unite to Build a Movement
3GNY Founding Board, 2010
David Polen, Leora Klein, Daniel Brooks
Gayle Peck, Julie Cohen, Rachel Spring
In 2005, six 3Gs, a diverse group of individuals with varying professional backgrounds and religious upbringings, were united by their unique family legacy as descendants of Holocaust survivors. This is how 3GNY was born. Since then, thousands of 3Gs have participated in educational, cultural, and social events in the New York metropolitan area.
Under the leadership of Leora Klein and Daniel Brooks in 2010, 3GNY developed its flagship initiative, the WEDU, We Educate, speaker training program. Driven by the same passion, devoted volunteers have worked diligently over the years to improve and evolve the speaker training program. The pandemic moved WEDU virtual, allowing speakers to be trained across the country.
This 3GNY program helped shape the future for Living Links, which has expanded the Speakers Training Program to reach as many descendants as possible, while also cultivating a community of lay leaders nationwide.
We thank the following individuals for their ongoing devotion to the growth and success of the Speaker Training Program.
Volunteers:
Alexis Fishman
Laurie Klugman
Farah Kraus
Elizabeth Kamens
Anna Scheumann
Alison Berg
David Wachs
Staff:
Peter Nelson
Dave Reckess
As the grandchild of 4 Holocaust survivors, I felt the urgent obligation to carry their stories forward and create a forum for others like me to allow us to grapple with our grandparents' stories of survival.
-Leora Klein, 3GNY Founding Board Member
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