For most people today, Holocaust history is something learned from books—with information that feels distant and abstract. But for Alexis Fishman and the members of 3GNY and Living Links, Holocaust history is deeply personal: It is the story of their grandparents, and a legacy that they are committed to sharing.
3GNY was founded in 2006 as an educational nonprofit with a singular mission: to ensure that the stories of Holocaust survivors do not fade with time. Its signature program, WEDU (We Educate), trains grandchildren of survivors—known as 3Gs (third generation)—to share their families’ histories in schools. Since 2010, WEDU speakers have reached over 60,000 students in classrooms and assemblies across the country.
Classroom presentations typically include a 15-20 minute talk, followed by a Q&A session that allows students and teachers to engage in a meaningful dialogue. The program offers both in-person and virtual visits.
Dana Arschin, a participant in the WEDU program, reflected on its impact: “When I took the WEDU class in 2013, it forced me to learn as much as possible about my family’s history. It makes you take the time to collect the facts and write them down and learn how to present them.”
A Personal Connection to History
For Alexis Fishman, Holocaust education is not just an intellectual pursuit—it is woven into her identity. An Australian native now living in Westchester, she is the granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors. “Both of my grandfathers were in Hungarian labor camps during the war. My mother’s mother went into hiding in Budapest, and my father’s mother was in Auschwitz and survived.”
Though the Holocaust was not something she dwelled on as a child, it has profoundly shaped her adult life. “It’s become a fascination to me—this history and this legacy. In my work as an actor, without realizing it, I somehow gravitate toward those types of stories. My Jewish identity comes from that history and from what it means to be a grandchild of survivors. As I’ve grown up, I’ve thought more about what that level of resilience has meant, and the importance of holding on to our heritage and history.”
As a speaker for 3GNY, Fishman emphasizes the personal connection that 3Gs bring to Holocaust education. “At 3GNY, we don’t go in as history teachers—we are there as a living link to the Holocaust, which is why the national organization is called Living Links. The history book that the students are reading comes alive when we say: ‘This was where my grandmother was. I can tell you about her.’”
Fishman’s journey with 3GNY began in 2015 when she stumbled upon the organization while searching for a way to connect with the Jewish community. “When I moved to New York I was trying to connect to a Jewish community in some way. There were many events for ‘young professionals’ but I never liked that term because I’m an actor—what about the young artists? They also had high barriers to entry, like $500 a ticket.” Fishman came upon 3GNY. They were running a speaker training for grandchildren of survivors. “It was welcoming and free and the people were lovely.”
After completing the four-week training course, Fishman began speaking in schools and eventually took on a leadership role, helping schedule speakers and organize educational programs. She later joined the board of 3GNY and played a key role in expanding WEDU’s reach.
Recognizing the growing need for Holocaust education nationwide, 3GNY helped establish the national organization, Living Links, under the auspices of the USC Shoah Foundation. Launched in July 2024, Living Links supports the formation of 3G organizations across the country and has expanded speaker training to a national level. Now, training sessions are held virtually, enabling participants from across the U.S.—and even internationally—to join. “My current cohort includes people from New York, Minnesota and the West Coast,” Fishman said.
John, one of Fishman’s trainees, shared: “I really love working with 3GNY as I was looking to try to find a community and an outlet in which I could tell my grandfather’s story. Living Links provides specific, detailed and encouraging help on how to get the best story out there. I love hearing about everybody else’s grandparents’ stories. It’s inspiring and really motivated me to go down this path of sharing testimony.”
Some corporations and major companies like Sony have invited speakers to share their family stories. However, not all audiences have been equally receptive. Fishman recalls an experience where Sony invited her to share her story but later attempted to edit out references to Zionism and Israel from a companion piece she had written. “It was very depressing,” she admitted. “Here they are, trying to open up and hear a new perspective, but they wouldn’t hear it.”
Despite these challenges, the response from students and educators has been overwhelmingly positive. Teachers frequently express their gratitude for the program, recognizing its value in making history tangible and fostering discussions about intolerance and justice.
Kathryn S., an eighth-grade teacher in New Jersey, praised the program, saying, “3GNY’s speaker did a great job presenting such a sensitive and difficult topic to the students. She added to their understanding of the time period and how we can work to stop history from repeating itself.”
Beyond education, 3GNY fosters a sense of community among Holocaust descendants through social events, museum visits and theater outings. The organization hosts an annual Shabbat dinner in Manhattan around International Holocaust Remembrance Day and its own Yom HaShoah commemoration in April. One of the most significant milestones for 3GNY has been organizing its first trip to Poland.
Fishman noted the unique Jewish identity of Australian Holocaust descendants. “In Australia, the majority of the non-South African Jewish population are Holocaust descendants. Australia’s Jewish community is young. There weren’t many Jews there before World War II. So it was normal to have four Holocaust-surviving grandparents. All of my friends growing up had European grandparents. Here in the U.S., it’s different. That identity is rare. I didn’t realize that until I moved here and saw that most people don’t have the Holocaust history as a part of them. So it was very nice to be connected to people who share that with me.”
For more information or to support their mission, visit 3GNY.org.
