Is my family’s Holocaust trauma in my DNA?

In October, we agree on the Red Sox ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  [View in Browser]( | [Donate [WBUR]]( [WBUR](  [WBUR]( October 17, 2021 Dear Cog reader, We’re highlighting two wildly different pieces this week. The first, by Diane Forman, is about [generational trauma](. In June 1939, Diane’s grandfather, Otto, secured four visas out of Germany to England, but with five members in his family, he faced a “Sophie’s choice.” He gave the visas to his wife and daughters, figuring he’d eventually be able to send for his mother, Gisela. But the war began two months later, and the family never saw Gisela again. She died in Treblinka, a Nazi death camp in Poland. “My great-grandmother was close to 70 years old and by herself. This alone causes a thorn in my heart,” writes Forman. The piece chronicles a trip she took to Treblinka to confront the atrocities that happened there, as one way to heal and protect her children and grandchildren from the trauma she knows she carries in her DNA. This is a [beautiful, quiet piece](. It made us wonder if the trauma we’ve endured during the pandemic might one day imprint on the genes of our descendants. The second comes to us from [lifelong Red Sox fan, former Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift](. The governor is a semi-regular Cog contributor, and when we asked her to write about the Sox she was game — joking that she was finally realizing her lifelong dream of being a sportswriter. Except you won’t find any commentary on the break of Chris Sales’ slider in this essay. Her [piece]( is about the intersection of the Red Sox and Massachusetts politics, which she feels fairly certain may be the only allegiance that crosses party lines. Swift says there’s one rule that applies to Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives: Thou shall not take thy Red Sox name in vain. Especially in October. (Also, be sure to check out the picture of her family’s 50-year-old lucky red sock that is ceremoniously pinned up at the start of the regular season.) Thanks, as always, for reading, -- Cloe Axelson, Kathleen Burge and Frannie Carr Toth Cognoscenti editors newsletters@wbur.org Must Reads url[Is my family’s Holocaust trauma woven into my DNA?]( Diane Forman believed that visiting the death camp where her great-grandmother was killed could help her heal from her family's trauma. [Read more](.   #%23%23[Twitter](   #%23%23[Facebook](    [In October, at least we can all agree on the Red Sox]( Most political junkies live for November, writes former Gov. Jane Swift. But in New England, when the Sox are in the post-season, October is the season we believe in. [Read more.]( [We're all the 'Bad Art Friend']( Our reactions to the viral dispute between Sonya Larson and Dawn Dorland say more about us than it does about them, writes Steve Almond, who knows and admires both writers. [Read more](.  Support the news [Here's one positive of the pandemic: Teachers are more technology literate]( While Facebook’s belly-flops have been dominating the news cycle, technology is quietly remaking schooling for the better, writes Rich Barlow. [Read more](. [The perplexing case of Biden, Tsarnaev and the death penalty]( The Biden administration is preaching fairness and justice while simultaneously seeking death, writes Karen J. Pita Loor. [Read more](. [Indigenous Peoples' Day is a start. Now let’s change how we remember]( Travis Franks dissects the centuries-old history behind the holiday. [Read more](. What We're Reading "The remarkable success of vaccine mandates shows that for many, it is not firm ideological commitments that have kept everyone from getting vaccinated ..." ("[The Unvaccinated May Not Be Who You Think]( The New York Times) "An analysis of real-world workplace performance evaluations found that more than three-quarters of women’s critical evaluations contained negative comments about their personalities, compared to 2 percent of men’s." ("[This Is How Everyday Sexism Could Stop You From Getting That Promotion]( The New York Times) "It’s hard to avoid the feeling that, by refusing to do something as simple as getting a shot, people are taking advantage of the military community’s altruism." ("[The Hypocrisy of the Anti-vax Patriot]( The Atlantic) “ They try to present themselves as the solvers of climate change and not as the creators of climate change. — Mary Annaïse Heglar, "[Big Oil wants to be Big Wind. Can fossil fuel companies be trusted?]( ICYMI [Tatyana McFadden: 'Running together into a new future']( Tatyana McFadden is a 20-time Paralympic medalist and a 23-time major marathon winner. She's the only elite female athlete attempting to podium in five major marathons this fall, including Boston. "I'm so happy to be doing marathons again," she says. [Read more](.       If you’d like to write for Cognoscenti, send your submission, pasted into your email and not as an attachment, to opinion@wbur.org. Please tell us in one line what the piece is about, and please tell us in one line who you are. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📨 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news [WBUR]( [WBUR]  [WBUR]( [95289b97-66e8-43d4-a174-3bc3520a79a9.png]( [Instagram](  [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Want to change how you receive these emails? [Stop getting this newsletter by updating your preferences.]( I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. [Unsubscribe from all newsletters.]( Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2021 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved. You signed up for this newsletter at wbur.org. Our mailing address is: WBUR-FM 890 Commonwealth AveBoston, MA 02215-1205 [Add us to your address book](