Why would a teen who had never met her great-grandmother feel the need to share her story with the world? n this episode of Chosen For What?, host Tommy Schnurmacher speaks with Emma Berger, the great-granddaughter of Holocaust survivor Anne Kazimirski and granddaughter of Heidi Berger, President of the Foundation for Genocide Education.
As the first fourth-generation guest on the podcast, Emma offers a unique and deeply personal perspective on how the memory of the Holocaust continues to shape her identity, values, and family connection—even generations later. She shares how carrying her great-grandmother’s Hebrew name has profoundly influenced her sense of self, and what it means to grow up honouring a legacy built on resilience and remembrance.
Tommy and Emma explore how the stories of Holocaust survivors are being preserved by younger generations, why remembrance still matters in an age of misinformation, and how families can continue to pass down lessons of empathy, strength, and hope. Emma’s reflections reveal the lasting power of memory, the importance of education, and the responsibility her generation feels to ensure that history is never forgotten.
