What does it mean to grow up in the shadow of survival?
Chosen For What? is a powerful new podcast that dives deep into the personal stories of second and third generation Holocaust survivors.
Hosted by acclaimed broadcaster and author Tommy Schnurmacher (whose own mother survived the horrors of Auschwitz), this original series features raw, unfiltered conversations with the children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren of those who endured and survived the Holocaust.
This insightful podcast bridges personal histories and the present with heart, depth and some classic Jewish humour. Unpacking the unexpected ripple effects from survivors who surmounted and defied all odds.
These lived experiences of inherited trauma, resilience, and identity are harrowing, heartbreaking, inspiring and deeply human. Through each episode, listeners gain intimate access to voices shaped by survival, silence, and the unshakable question: What does it mean to carry this important legacy forward?
Brought to you by The Foundation for Genocide Education, Chosen For What? is a vital act of remembrance and a call to never forget.
To make a donation or to learn more about The Foundation for Genocide Education, you can visit their website at GenEd.org
What does it mean to be an ally when speaking up comes with a cost?
In the first episode of season three of Chosen For What?, Tommy Schnurmacher sits down with Sara Ghorbani, a former Muslim, women's rights activist and content creator who has become an outspoken ally of the Jewish community. Sara shares how her own background has shaped her perspective on antisemitism, Israel and extremism, and why she believes people outside the Jewish community have a responsibility to speak up against hate.
Sara also discusses the pressure that can come with expressing those views publicly, both online and in everyday life. She recounts an incident at a Toronto mall involving a shirt she designed bearing an anti-Hamas message, an encounter that eventually involved police, and what the experience revealed to her about the current climate surrounding political expression in Canada.
Tommy and Sara explore what meaningful allyship actually requires, why fear of backlash can keep people silent, and what happens when supporting another community risks followers, relationships, opportunities or even your own sense of safety.
Chosen For What? is brought to you by the Foundation for Genocide Education, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that every student understands the history and lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides. To learn more about their work, or to make a donation, please visit GenEd.org.
24 Sept 2026
TRAILER: Season 3 of Chosen For What? Starts October 8th 2026!
What does it really mean to be an ally?
Season 3 of Chosen For What? turns the conversation toward allyship and the role we all have to play in confronting antisemitism. Host Tommy Schnurmacher speaks with people from different faiths, cultures, professions and communities about why standing against antisemitism cannot be the responsibility of Jewish people alone.
Throughout the season, we'll explore what meaningful allyship looks like in practice, from speaking up on university campuses and confronting hate within our own communities to challenging political leaders, questioning the narratives we encounter online, and building understanding between people with very different experiences and perspectives.
Because fighting hate takes more than the voices of those being targeted. It takes allies.
Chosen For What? is brought to you by the Foundation for Genocide Education, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that every student understands the history and lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides. To learn more about their work, or to make a donation, please visit GenEd.org.
17 Jun 2026
Why We Teach
Throughout this season of Chosen For What?, we've explored how the Holocaust continues to shape the lives of survivors, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In this final episode, host Tommy Schnurmacher turns his attention to an essential question: Why do we continue to teach these stories, and why does Holocaust and genocide education matter more than ever?
The episode brings together educators, descendants of survivors, authors, and advocates who have dedicated themselves to preserving memory and sharing history with future generations. Neal Dalzell discusses how today's students engage with difficult conversations about prejudice, racism, genocide, and human behavior. Stacy Seltzer reflects on what it means to pass her family's legacy on to her own daughter, while Mollie Bowman speaks about the urgent need to preserve survivor stories as the number of living Holocaust survivors continues to decline.
You will also hear from Judith Wertheim and Willie Handler, both of whom have found powerful ways to keep family histories alive through education, public speaking, and writing. The episode concludes with an inspiring message from Dorothy Goldwin about the impact one person can have by sharing their story.
Chosen For What? is brought to you by the Foundation for Genocide Education, a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that every student understands the history and lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides. To learn more about their work, or to make a donation, please visit GenEd.org.
*Note: You will hear the terms 2G and 3G used frequently in this podcast. This refers to second-generation and third-generation descendants of Holocaust survivors.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
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