In an upcoming talk at University of Lynchburg, author Ellen Cassedy will explain how a journey to Lithuania changed her view on the Holocaust and all those affected by it—including herself.
Cassedy will present “We Are Here: Memories of the Lithuanian Holocaust” on Tuesday, March 24, at 7 p.m. in Hopwood Auditorium. Her lecture is sponsored by the University of Lynchburg Department of History and the Holocaust Education Foundation of Central Virginia.
Cassedy traveled to Lithuania to study Yiddish and connect with her Jewish forebears, but her personal quest expanded into a larger exploration. Her journey allowed her to probe the history of the vast genocide that took place in the Eastern European country during World War II, as well as get a close-up view of how Lithuania explores its Jewish history. She shared what she learned, along with a cautious message of hope, in her book We Are Here: Memories of the Lithuanian Holocaust, published in 2012.
Cassedy is a noted Holocaust scholar, playwright, and a former speechwriter in the Clinton administration. She is a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News whose articles, essays, and translations have appeared in Hadassah, The Jewish Forward, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and other publications.