The Wanderers: Uncovering Hidden Histories of Jewish Survival
Summary
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and John Frankel interview authors Daniela Gerson and Talia Enlender about their book, *The Wanderers*. They discuss their shared family history from Zamosc, Poland, and the survival of Polish Jews deported to Soviet labor camps. The conversation explores how uncovering this history influenced their careers in journalism and immigration law, while addressing themes of memory, trauma, and contemporary refugee crises.
Topics discussed
Introduction to Common Faith and today's guests
Overview of The Wanderers and its unique Holocaust narrative
Commercial break and sponsor messages
Guest introductions and how Daniela and Talia met
Discovering shared ancestry from Zamosc, Poland
Contrasting family histories: Open memory vs. silence
Generational differences in processing trauma and history
Researching family history and archival resources
The Soviet deportation and survival in the Gulag
Life in Central Asia and the choice to stay in the USSR
Reading from the book and the irony of survival
How family history shaped their careers in law and journalism
Conclusion: Remembering complexity and final thoughts
Listen ad-free on Castria