The following is courtesy of Intermediate South teacher Bonnie Dusza from an event that took place April 24, 2026. This event was also recorded by the crew at TRSTV, and their coverage can be found here.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms– to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” - Viktor E. Frankl

Today, Intermediate South welcomed the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor. The eighth graders sat patiently and respectfully to hear the speaker, Michelle Weinfeld, commence. She started the presentation talking about her background and what prompted her to write the memoir From Generation To Generation.

After graduating from the University of Maryland and receiving her master's in finance, she went on to work as a CPA. However, Michelle continued to remain grounded by staying involved with Jewish organizations such as 3GNY, a nonprofit focused on the grandchildren of grandparents who were survivors of the Holocaust. Her love for her family’s history propelled her to write the memoir and share her grandfather’s story while explaining her deep connection to her past.

As soon as the presentation began, Michelle introduced herself and her background. Her grandfather, known as Poppy, was a Hungarian Jew from the Jewish community in Munkac. During the time of World War II, Czechoslovakia was not really affected since it was used mostly to help strengthen the Nazi military. Poppy and his family were not really worried during this time about being taken to ghettos and concentration camps. However, in 1944, things took a turn for the worse.

Jews in Hungary began wearing stars to identify them as ‘different.’ Some were beaten by Nazi soldiers, and many were taken away from their homes abruptly and sent to the ghettos. Suddenly, Poppy found himself alone and separated from his family members and in Auschwitz.

Trying to stay alive and using his trade skills to work on machines, he was a valuable asset to the camp. Day and night, Michelle’s grandfather was working tirelessly with little sleep and barely any food; he soon became weak. Toward the end of the war, he received word that the Jews would be liberated, but this was a long wait and there was much suffering until that day came.

On Poppy’s way back home, he came across a church and stopped for shelter and food. There, he felt welcomed when the Pope provided him and his brother with crispy bacon alongside a hearty buffet. It didn’t even cross Michelle's grandfather’s mind when he saw this delicious food in front of his eyes, waiting to be devoured. Once he bit into the mouthwatering, greasy bacon, he was hooked forever.

Eventually, after walking over 200 miles to arrive back home in Munkac, things definitely were not the same. Neighbors, friends, and many others turned on each other selfishly to take advantage of this horrific situation. Life was not like it was before. Shortly after, Poppy was able to reunite with loved ones, but not his parents. When he was taken away at 18, he never thought that would be the last time he would see them. However, Poppy shared his life-altering experience with his family and turned it into something positive.

Michelle discussed with the students how family is valuable, more precious than tangible items. One example is she mentions how Poppy hid his seder plate before he was forced out of his home. He later retrieved it, and it has been a part of all religious family gatherings and will be passed down from ‘generation to generation.' Poppy continues to eat bacon because for him, it symbolizes a ‘taste of freedom.' Although his family disagrees, they understand that food will be a part of who he is. Poppy explained what happened to him, as many others “didn’t let it define his entire life."

Referring to Poppy's words, “You can’t control all the bad things that will happen to you…you need to move forward," Michelle is helping her grandfather’s memory live on by speaking to others and sharing her book about the atrocities in the past, and she hopes to not have these atrocities define us in our future.