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In Part 3 of The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv, host Richard Acritelli continues his conversation with Rena Kesten through a remarkable collection of photographs documenting her grandfather’s service as a Jewish Soviet tank commander during the final Battle of Berlin.

The images reveal destroyed streets, armored units, Soviet officers planning attacks, damaged German tanks, soldiers moving through trenches, and Rena’s grandfather standing beside the tanks he commanded. Rena also shares how he survived the war without being wounded, developed strong relationships with senior commanders, and used courage, discipline, and even music to reassure the soldiers under his command.

The conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Rena explains how her grandfather helped evacuate military families ahead of the German invasion of Ukraine. His decision saved numerous women and children, while relatives who remained behind were murdered at Babi Yar.

The episode also explores the aftermath of victory, the rapid shift from wartime alliance to Cold War suspicion, Soviet antisemitism, and the photograph of Rena’s grandfather with American soldiers that he was forced to remove from the family album to protect himself.

Through rare artifacts and family testimony, this episode preserves the story of a courageous Jewish officer whose leadership helped defeat Nazi Germany and save lives both on and beyond the battlefield.

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In Part 2 of The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv, host Richard Acritelli continues his conversation with Rena Kesten, exploring the remarkable military history of her grandfather, Colonel Sekunda, a Jewish armored commander in the Soviet Army during World War II.

Rena recounts how her grandfather led his soldiers out of German encirclement during the opening days of Operation Barbarossa, survived the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, and rose from captain to colonel while commanding a tank brigade of approximately 60 tanks and 1,300 soldiers.

The episode also examines the antisemitism he faced within the Soviet system. Despite being twice nominated for the prestigious Hero of the Soviet Union award, he was denied the honor because he was Jewish. Through rare military documents, photographs, and family artifacts, Rena reveals his role in the liberation of Belarus, the Soviet advance through Poland and Germany, and the final Battle of Berlin.

This powerful conversation restores an overlooked Jewish military leader to the historical record while highlighting courage, leadership, sacrifice, and the importance of preserving family memory before it disappears.

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In Part 1 of this compelling episode of The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv, host Richard Acritelli welcomes Rena Kesten for a deeply personal conversation about immigration, Jewish identity, family memory, and an overlooked chapter of World War II history.

Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Rena shares her childhood memories of life under Soviet communism, her family’s difficult journey to freedom through Vienna and Italy, and their eventual resettlement in the United States. She reflects on the loss of religious tradition, the antisemitism experienced by Soviet Jews, and the challenges her parents faced while rebuilding their lives in America.

The conversation also introduces the extraordinary story of Rena’s grandfather, a Jewish colonel and armored commander in the Soviet Army whose service in the fight against Nazi Germany was largely excluded from history. Through family photographs, military records, and inherited stories, Rena begins uncovering his journey from an impoverished orphanage to military academy, chemical defense training, and command of a tank battalion at the beginning of World War II.

This episode is a powerful reminder that behind every military campaign are families, sacrifices, and stories that deserve to be remembered.

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In Episode 633 of Influential Origins on hmTv, host Alan Mindel continues his compelling conversation with Jolanta Zamecka about the Katyń massacre and the decades of Soviet oppression that followed World War II.

Jolanta shares personal and family experiences of life under communism, when the truth about Katyń was forbidden, resistance fighters were persecuted, private property was restricted, and fear and propaganda shaped everyday life. The conversation examines how the Soviet Union weakened Poland’s military, intellectual, and civic leadership while imposing nearly half a century of political control.

Alan and Jolanta also explore Poland’s remarkable transformation after communism, the importance of a free press and open borders, and Poland’s powerful response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Jolanta recounts helping organize a major demonstration in support of Ukraine and reflects on the responsibility each person has to stand against oppression.

This timely episode reveals how authoritarian governments manipulate history, control information, and silence opposition—and why those who have experienced tyranny often understand the value of freedom most deeply.

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In Episode 632 of Influential Origins on hmTv, host Alan Mindel welcomes longtime Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center leader Jolanta Zamecka for Part 1 of a powerful conversation about Poland’s history, World War II, and the long shadow of Soviet deception.

Jolanta reflects on her Polish heritage and explains how Poland disappeared from the map for 123 years, regained independence after World War I, and was invaded by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939. The discussion examines the devastation suffered by Jewish and non-Jewish Polish citizens, the destruction of Warsaw, and the systematic targeting of Poland’s military, intellectual, and civic leadership.

Alan and Jolanta take a detailed look at the Katyń massacre, in which approximately 22,000 Polish officers and members of the intelligentsia were murdered by the Soviet secret police. They explore Stalin’s role, the decades-long effort to blame Nazi Germany, and the difficult decisions made by Western leaders who needed the Soviet Union as an ally.

This deeply historical episode reveals how propaganda can bury the truth, how political necessity can silence justice, and why the consequences of World War II continue to shape Poland and the world today.

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In Part 2 of this special conversation on The Israeli Bond, host Gal Swisa Cohen continues her discussion with her husband, Dagan Cohen, senior emissary for the Jewish Agency’s delegation on Long Island and Director of the Randy W. Molinsky Center for Israel at Sid Jacobson JCC.

As Dagan prepares to conclude his three-year mission, he reflects on what it truly means to serve as a shaliach and build a living bridge between Israel and the Jewish community. He shares how arriving just weeks before October 7 transformed his role, forcing him to choose between returning to Israel for reserve duty or remaining on Long Island to support, educate, and strengthen the community during an unprecedented crisis.

The conversation explores the creation of the Long Island Jewish Coalition, the expansion of the Israeli delegation, the importance of investing in people and relationships, and the development of lasting partnerships between Long Island and communities in Israel.

Dagan also discusses the lessons he will carry home, including his belief that shlichut is a two-way street. Just as Diaspora Jewish communities learn about and support Israel, Israelis must better understand their connection to Jewish life around the world.

This heartfelt episode is a reflection on leadership, responsibility, resilience, Jewish unity, and the people who transformed Long Island from an assignment into a second home.

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In Part 1 of this special two-part episode of The Israeli Bond on hmTv, host Gal Swisa Cohen sits down with her husband, Dagan Cohen, Director of the Randy W. Molinsky Center for Israel at Sid Jacobson JCC and the Jewish Agency’s head of the Israeli delegation on Long Island.

As Dagan prepares to complete his three-year mission on Long Island, he reflects on the experiences that shaped his identity and leadership. He shares memories of growing up on a kibbutz near Israel’s border with Lebanon, living under the threat of Katyusha rockets, and learning the power of community, resilience, responsibility, and service.

Dagan also discusses his transformative gap year working with children removed from abusive homes, his service as an officer in the IDF’s Maglan special forces unit, and the lessons he learned about leadership, education, and being meaningful in the lives of others.

This deeply personal conversation explores the idea of shlichut—living with a mission and serving something greater than oneself—and reveals how Dagan’s lifelong commitment to Israel, community, and human connection prepared him to become a living bridge between Israel and Long Island.

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In this episode of Legacy Chronicles on hmTv, host Donna Rosenblum welcomes author, digital innovator, and third-generation Holocaust descendant Alex Rabinovich for a powerful conversation about family memory, education, and the evolving ways we preserve survivor testimony.

Alex shares the story behind Survivor: Aaron’s Story, an illustrated memoir and multimedia Holocaust education project based on his grandfather’s survival during World War II in Ukraine. He discusses growing up surrounded by Holocaust survivors, discovering his grandfather’s Shoah Foundation testimony, and transforming that history into a graphic novel, multimedia presentation, interactive virtual museum, and upcoming animated miniseries.

Donna and Alex also explore the importance of making Holocaust education accessible to younger generations, the role of technology in preserving memory, and the responsibility of descendants to carry these stories forward. The conversation highlights how personal testimony can help students understand history, challenge antisemitism, and become thoughtful, compassionate upstanders.

This episode is a moving reminder that survivor stories do not end with one generation. They continue through education, creativity, and the choices we make about how memory is carried into the future.

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In Episode 628 of It’s All About the Children, hosts Carin and Sami continue their conversation with retired New York City public school teacher and Zion Lioness author Gwen Jones-Cintron about education, language, identity, and the responsibility to challenge harmful narratives.

In Part 2, the discussion explores how emotionally charged words such as “genocide,” “equity,” and “inclusion” can be misused or weaponized—especially when educators and public institutions fail to define them accurately. Sami reflects on the gaps between mandated Holocaust education and what students actually receive, while Gwen and Carin share firsthand experiences confronting bias, fear, political messaging, and the absence of open debate in schools and community institutions.

The conversation also examines Jewish representation, civic identity, critical thinking, the silencing of moderate voices, and the growing importance of social media as the “Eighth Front.” Gwen explains how Impact is helping older adults become digital defenders and empowering people to use their voices online to challenge antisemitism and amplify truthful, constructive messages.

The episode concludes with a direct appeal to parents: stay involved, ask what your children are learning, verify the facts, encourage honest discussion, and never underestimate the influence one informed and courageous voice can have on the next generation.

It’s All About the Children is an hmTv production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, where humanity matters.

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In Episode 627 of It’s All About the Children, hosts Carin and Sami welcome Gwen Jones-Cintron, retired New York City public school teacher and author of the Substack Zion Lioness, for Part 1 of a powerful conversation about education, antisemitism, identity, and the influence of ideology in schools.

Drawing on more than three decades in special education, Gwen reflects on what she witnessed inside the New York City public school system and how experiences dating back to the early 1990s began to take on new meaning after October 7. She discusses the gradual introduction of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish narratives into educational spaces, the limitations placed on open discussion, and why she now feels compelled to speak out.

The conversation also examines DEI, equity, indoctrination, foreign influence in universities, the power of language and propaganda, and the difficulty many parents face when challenging school curricula. Sami brings his perspective as a Holocaust survivor, warning that history’s greatest tragedies often begin with words, images, denial, and the belief that “it cannot happen here.”

Together, Carin, Sami, and Gwen explore the need for critical thinking, honest education, Jewish pride, and the courage to question narratives that divide rather than unite.

It’s All About the Children is an hmTv production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, where humanity matters.

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