Nearly 200 people made their way to the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum in Westwood last Sunday, March 13, to see three separate and truly emotional episodes of Ralph Edwards “This Is Your Life”. These most memorable episodes each featured Holocaust survivors, with different and compelling stories. These three individuals, Ilse Stanley, Sara Veffer, and Hanna Bloch Kohner, were surprised by host Ralph Edwards during his introductory remarks as he walked down the aisles of his studio audience.  My mother, Hanna Bloch Kohner, was the first Holocaust survivor, in 1953, to have her story told on national television.  I would like to thank the UCLA Film and Television Archive for the opportunity to speak to a truly receptive audience about my mother’s experience, growing up as a child of a Holocaust survivor, and our non-profit charity, “Voices of the Generations”, founded  to inform people across the country, utilizing “This Is Your Life, Hanna Bloch Kohner”,  as a personal and unique approach to Holocaust education.  – Julie.

In case you missed this great review by Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times on March 3.

Here is the link: LA Times review of UCLA Festival of Preservation.

The UCLA Festival of Preservation, Sunday night March 13 showing of “This Is Your Life” event has been posted to the UCLA Hillel site.  See it at http://www.facebook.com/HillelatUCLA

Appearing in the Jewish Journal.com “Picks and Clicks” for the week of March 8 – 18, 2011, is a pick for Sunday, March 13, 7pm – UCLA Festival of Preservation.  Three restored episodes from the 1950’s television show, “This Is Your Life” with three different Holocaust survivor stories will be presented.  Julie Kohner will also speak about her mother, Hanna Kohner, the first Holocaust survivor to share her story on national television.

On the web at JewishJournal.com

Public Radio International’s “This American Life” March 4-6 will feature an episode from Allison Silverman discussing stories about the perils of giving and receiving gifts including what happens when – surprise! – your whole life past gets laid out for a live TV audience. This story will include excerpts of  “This Is Your Life”.

In a 1953 episode, Ralph Edwards surprises the lovely Hanna Bloch Kohner and discusses her heartbreaking and terrifying journey from being a young girl in the Sudetenland, through four concentration camps, and finally to the arms of her husband Walter in the United States. His description is vivid.”

Julie Kohner and Allison Silverman spoke at length regarding the feelings Hanna Kohner had about being a surprise guest on “This Is Your Life”.

To listen to the archived audio of this broadcast from March 4, 2011, click here.

We are very excited to announce that Julie Kohner, Founder and CEO of Voices of the Generations, will be appearing at the UCLA Film & Television Archive Festival of Preservation at 7:00 pm on March 13, 2011 in conjunction with the presentation of three episodes of “This Is Your Life.”  One of American television’s most popular programs, This is Your Life presented tributes to hundreds of notable people on NBC from 1952 until 1961, hosted by the effervescent Ralph Edwards. Among the many famous personalities that the show honored were also many ordinary people who had overcome tremendous obstacles. Among these “regular” people were three exceptional women—Hanna Bloch Kohner, Ilse Stanley and Sara Veffer—all survivors of the Holocaust. Their harrowing yet inspiring stories are vividly related in these three This is Your Life episodes which marked the first time the Holocaust was addressed in any context on American television.  Julie will be at this evening’s program to discuss and answer questions about “This Is Your Life, Hanna Bloch Kohner.” The event will be held on Sunday, March 13, 2011, at the Billy Wilder Theater, Courtyard Level, Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Boulevard (intersection of Wilshire and Westwood Boulevards), Los Angeles, CA 90024.  Phone 310.206.8013.  For more information, please link to http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/calendar/calendar.aspx

Voices of the Generations would like to thank all who have contributed through our end of the year fundraising efforts. Voices of the Generations is a non-profit public charity that develops and sponsors Holocaust education by providing unique and personal accounts for first, second, and third generations of survivors. Donations are always welcome at any time of the year and your contribution, which is tax deductible, continues to provide an easy to grasp, yet powerful and meaningful introduction to the Holocaust.

Voices of the Generations, Inc. is a non-profit 501(C)3 public charity, whose mission is a personal approach to Holocaust education. On Sunday, November 21, 2010, VOG held its first fundraiser. With nearly 60 people in attendance, expectations were more than met, and the event was a complete success. Raising well over $1,000.00 that day, and several hundred more since, VOG has taken a major step in fulfilling its objective as a new public charity to move Holocaust education to a new and higher level.  With the recognition from our new donors, we look forward to making 2011 a year to expand our program and  public outreach, with new and exiting educational opportunities using our newly published curriculum.  Special thanks to Ms. Natalie Gold for providing her home for the event.

An international education blog, Learning From History, based in Germany, with English translation has recently re-published our article introducing The Hanna & Walter Curriculum Project to a wider audience.  Please visit this site at

http://learning-from-history.de/Teilnehmen-und-Vernetzen/Posting/8921

to view the post and explore this wonderful international education resource.  Thanks to Bettina for continuing to get the word out on our new curriculum.

Please join Natalie Gold at her home Sunday November 21, 2010 from 4 – 6 p.m. in support of Voices of the Generations and meet its founder, Julie Kohner.

Voices of the Generations’ 20 year history of outreach and educational programs is based on the unique story of Julie’s mother Hanna Kohner as told on “This is Your Life” in 1953.  She was the first Holocaust Survivor featured on national television in the United States.

Come learn more about our program and the new curriculum.  View the original “This Is Your Life” episode and hear Julie discuss her parents book, “Hanna & Walter, A Love Story”

Space is limited.  Please RSVP by November 15, 2010 to VOGCharity@VOGCharity.org for directions.