As I grew up, no story could ever compare what I heard around the dining room table and in the little park across the street from the school, told by people I thought of as my own family.
RESILIENCE is a legacy project; true Holocaust stories needed to be told. The book comprises thirty-seven stories because the number eighteen, in Hebrew, means “Life.” I came up with the 37 stories by double-counting eighteen to honor the two lives that survived and adding one more story to symbolize the next generation. These stories and illustrations capture and evoke the innocence and inner strength of these children, surviving even as the Nazis sought to crush both their hope and their lives.
These stories and illustrations create a dynamic visualization by interpreting the story visually to help amplify the story’s mood. The short tales and illustrations portrayed different situations that the young characters faced. Each section has its own theme of RESILIENCE that emphasizes the young people and their narrative, demonstrating their courage and their ability to handle their situation. Each chapter describes the history in the order of the events that occurred by depicting the time during the Holocaust. “It is my hope that RESILIENCE spurs family conversations, where the stories told are inspirational and the history is shared.
It has been more than 80 years since the Holocaust one by one we are losing our survivors to the march of time. This decade may well be the last where we will be able to hear their stories from their own lips. We are losing these wells of strength, wisdom, and humanity, and, already, we are making the mistake of following the past. We have a choice: We can learn from it, instead.
The RESILIENCE Project seeks to keep the stories of these incredible survivors alive by connecting the past and the present. Join me in fostering tolerance, kindness, and healing through art. Let’s create a world where the tragedy of the Holocaust can, truly, never happen again. With RESILIENCE, I aim to connect with people aged eleven and older. I hope they will learn unity and acceptance before they become aware of the destruction of spiraling prejudice as we see now.
Cheryl’s book can be found in schools, museums and book stores in the United States and countries of Eastern Europe. The book now is requested in other countries as well for distribution.
