Everyone’s War Becomes My War

Abstract

The invasion of Ukraine has been difficult to watch for individuals around the world. Feelings of disbelief and helplessness arise as violent images of murdered children, bombed apartment buildings and shelters, and fleeing families waiting in freezing temperatures at border crossings flash across our screens. This is especially challenging for survivors of World War II (WWII) and their descendants, particularly Holocaust survivors of Eastern European and Ukrainian descent. The impact, however, is not limited to this population and has been felt by survivors of war crimes committed in Bosnia, Syria, and elsewhere.