Making Meaning of Jewish-American Identity and the Intergenerational Impact of the Holocaust

When you think of your Jewish-American identity, what comes to mind? Matzoh ball soup? Lighting the menorah? Wry humor? A questioning nature? Melodies and prayers that feel both ancient and modern? All the above? This class will explore multiple facets of Jewish-American identity, including the role of family and ritual. We will probe ideas of faith and how it is passed down (or if it wasn’t), along with the continuing impact of the Holocaust across generations. My memoir, More Than Matzoh Balls: My Search for Jewish-American Identity, will serve as the foundation for a conversation that will offer plenty of food for thought. I also weave in the story of my in-laws, who were Holocaust survivors. Through my unique story and facilitated discussion, we will explore universal themes of the search for meaning and belonging.

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Linda Brody Bakst is the author of More Than Matzoh Balls: My Search for Jewish-American Identity. After a career in education policy, Linda retired to pursue her passion: writing. Throughout her work life, Linda composed numerous policy memos and reports, but she believed she had stories to share, especially about growing up in Brooklyn. She started a memoir blog called Stories I Tell Myself. Linda has published essays in the online journal Trolley, the Albany Times-Union, and has twice been a finalist for the Brooklyn Nonfiction Prize.