Article: Scars of the Past – Group Work with Holocaust Survivors and Descendants
Learning about the Holocaust, its impact on those who survived, their families and future generations has been a life-long commitment and endeavor for Halina Rosenkranz, a geriatric counselor and Holocaust educator. Born in Poland to Holocaust survivor parents, Ms. Rosenkranz came to the United States at age six, at which time her journey to understand the numbers on her parents’ arms first began. Ms. Rosenkranz has a BA in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Counseling. Her professional experience in working with survivors started nearly thirty years ago when she was hired as a geriatric counselor by the Workmen’s Circle Multi-Care Center. Currently, Ms. Rosenkranz works for the Westchester Jewish Community Services where she facilitates three support groups for survivors, child-survivors and the second generation. In addition to her group work, Ms. Rosenkranz is a Holocaust Educator; since 2009 the curriculum she created has been a key component of Ardsley Middle School’s 8th grade English unit on Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night. She has been a guest speaker at conferences and educational facilities. In addition, Ms. Rosenkranz is a member of the education committee of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center of Westchester, where she is actively involved in creating a second generation speakers bureau by training children of survivors to carry on the profoundly meaningful work of their parents—educating future generations.