As we stand on the cusp of history, the voices of Holocaust and genocide survivors grow ever more urgent, reminding us of the cost of silence, the value of empathy, and the power of resilience. Echoes Across Time invites audiences to explore the crucial lessons these testimonies offer—on values, democracy, and the warning signs of oppression. Through monthly episodes, each centred around a survivor’s testimony about their life experiences, this series poses the question: Are we truly listening?

Join us as we amplify stories from the Holocaust to Rwanda, Cambodia, and beyond, engaging with survivors, scholars, and advocates who work tirelessly to preserve these legacies and inspire a more compassionate future.

On Darkness and Light: The inspiring story of the survivors

Featuring Prof. Hanna Yablonka is affiliated with the History Department at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Her research has focused on the cultural and social impact of the Shoah on Israeli society. She pioneered the research field dealing with the survivors of the Holocaust after 1945. In her research, she has emphasized the resilience and activism of the survivors, instrumental in the building of the State of Israel. Prof. Yablonka was also the founder and Chair of the Israel Studies department. Hanna Yablonka is the author of over 40 scientific articles, The editor of 4 books, and the author of six books including: Survivors of the Holocaust (1999) awarded the Ish Shalom prize Yad Ben Zvi, The History of the War Veterans Association (1999,) The State of Israel vs. Adolf Eichmann (2004) awarded the Buchman prize Yad Vashem, Off the beaten track: the Mizrahim and the Shoah (2008). Her last book: Yeladim Besseder Gamur (children by the book) became a best seller. It is the collective biography of the generation of the first native Israelis born in the state of Israel between 1948 – 1955. It was awarded as the best book in Israel for the years 2019 – 2020 by Yad Ben Zvi. 

Among her many affiliations she currently is a member of the Yad Vashem Council and was the academic advisor of Yad Vashem’s exhibition marking the 50th and 60th anniversary of the State of Israel. Hanna Yablonka is the chair of Governors of the Memorial Museum of the Hungarian Speaking Jewry in Safed and the chief Historian of the Ghetto Fighters Museum for the last 25 years.

Opening Remarks by Yigal Cohen director of Ghetto Fighters House.