Marin Voice: Passing on the Lessons of the Holocaust

As the voices of Holocaust survivors fade, the responsibility to remember and act falls on the next generations.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 7:57pm

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An impressionistic, out-of-focus photograph depicting a faint human figure standing in front of a window, surrounded by soft, warm-toned pools of light and color, conveying a sense of reflection and the passing of time.As the personal accounts of Holocaust survivors fade, the responsibility to preserve their cautionary tales and moral lessons falls to the next generations.Novato Today

Adam Sukhija-Cohen, a public health researcher and the grandson of three Holocaust survivors, reflects on the importance of preserving the stories and lessons of the Holocaust as the last survivors pass away. He discusses how his grandparents' experiences shaped his own awareness of how quickly societies can erode their humanity, and the responsibility he feels to ensure his children inherit not just the stories, but the accountability they demand.

Why it matters

The Holocaust is a defining moral warning from history, but as the last survivors pass away, there is a risk that it could become a distant tragedy rather than a cautionary tale. Preserving these stories and lessons is crucial, especially as modern events echo patterns that the survivors recognized in their own lifetimes.

The details

Sukhija-Cohen grew up surrounded by the stories of his three Holocaust-survivor grandparents, which were the backdrop of his childhood. However, it wasn't until he watched the film 'The Optimist' that he fully grasped the weight of their experiences. His last survivor grandparent passed away in 2021, the same year his daughter was born, marking a generational shift. Sukhija-Cohen now feels the responsibility to ensure his children and future generations understand the Holocaust not just as history, but as a warning about how quickly a society can abandon its humanity.

  • Sukhija-Cohen's last survivor grandparent passed away in 2021, the same year his daughter was born.
  • Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) begins at sunset on Monday this year.

The players

Adam Sukhija-Cohen

A public health researcher and the grandson of three Holocaust survivors.

Herbert

Sukhija-Cohen's grandfather, whose story is told in the film 'The Optimist'.

Berta

Sukhija-Cohen's grandmother, whose story is recounted in Lucy Addington's 'The Dressmakers of Auschwitz'.

Leo

Sukhija-Cohen's grandfather, whose story is preserved in his memoir 'Tu bola kedysi ulica' ('Once There Was a Street Here').

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What they’re saying

“My children, the fourth generation of Holocaust survivors, inherit the story — but not the storyteller.”

— Adam Sukhija-Cohen

“Those who experienced the horrors of the Holocaust have been the guardrails reminding us how quickly a society can abandon its humanity. In telling their stories, they revisited the darkest corners of their lives so the rest of us would not forget.”

— Adam Sukhija-Cohen

What’s next

Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) begins at sunset on Monday this year, providing an opportunity for Sukhija-Cohen and others to reflect on the lessons of the Holocaust and their responsibility to preserve those lessons for future generations.

The takeaway

As the voices of Holocaust survivors fade, the responsibility to remember their stories and heed their warnings falls on the next generations. Preserving these lessons is crucial, especially as modern events echo the patterns that the survivors recognized in their own lifetimes.