The Memory Bank

The Memory Bank

Every intersection, every corner, every doorway has a story, for the stories we tell, the stories we pass on, bear witness to our lives. In 1987, my mother was in her senior year of high school when she entered her school auditorium to listen to a guest speaker. Selene Bruk was a survivor who shared her story about the Holocaust. My mother sat in the front row, engaged in every word this captivating woman spoke with such passion, emotion and conviction. Mrs. Bruk stated that when the Holocaust was over, she wanted to wrap up her experiences, not think, talk or remember it, but she couldn’t, she felt compelled to share her story. Twenty seven years later that very name, Selene Bruk, and her story crossed my path while researching Holocaust survivors. This intersection of sorts was not merely a meaningless accident or coincidence, but rather, a tapestry of events that culminated in a bigger plan, a plan for me to hear and learn the experiences of Mrs. Bruk.

There is no refuge from memories as it is the guardian for all things. Stories fill every space in your heart an...