Rabbi Shena Potter Jaffee — a native Cincinnatian, educator, and community leader — sits down with her daughters, Maya and Noa, to share their family’s extraordinary Holocaust survival story and the responsibility they feel to carry that legacy forward.
“I think if you know who you are and where you came from, and that each of us has a purpose and a reason to be here – and for me, it’s being part of this Jewish story – hopefully you make the world a little bit better, because you know how to take your gifts and bring them to the to the world.” – Rabbi Shena Jaffee
The daughter of Holocaust survivor Sam Potter, Rabbi Jaffee recounts how her father’s family escaped Poland just weeks before the Nazi invasion, aided by courage, resourcefulness, and a few critical acts of kindness. Together, the family reflects on the years-long process of uncovering letters, photographs, and artifacts that connect them to loved ones who were lost — and how those stories have shaped their Jewish identity and commitment to building community.
Maya and Noa share how their own experiences have deepened their sense of purpose. Rabbi Jaffee, who serves as Director of Jewish Life and Learning at Rockwern Academy and has spent decades fostering interfaith understanding, reminds us that each generation has a role to play in ensuring the lessons of the Holocaust inspire action today.
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity
Our gratitude to Margaret & Michael Valentine for their ongoing support of this series.
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