Events

 “Karen Treiger’s My Soul is Filled With Joy presentation is so much more than an author talk: it is an amazing multimedia, multilayered, multi-generational interactive story of family, survival, love, and luck. A lawyer by training, Treiger’s passion for dogged research and vibrant storytelling enable her to not only cogently communicate how disparate lives intersected in the most harrowing of times but she also does justice to her in-laws’ fated and mind-boggling story.  “When you marry someone,” she says, “you marry their family too. I married into a family of survivors.” Their intense stories of slavery to freedom came up annually around the Passover Seder table. Treiger, their daughter in-law, had the courage to stitch their far-off accounts and fabled anecdotes into an epic book. And her live presentation truly leaps off the page.”

Pamela Lavitt, Director of Arts+Ideas and Festivals, Stroum Jewish Community Center

“Karen Treiger is a dynamic and poignant speaker. She has a remarkable story to share and is a gifted writer and presenter – we were honored to have her join us at Temple Beth Am for our Yom Hashoah commemoration.”  

Alexis Kort, Director of Community Engagement, Temple Beth Am, Seattle

Karen Treiger’s presentation to our Middle School was compelling, informative and touched the spirit of everyone present. No small task. Our teachers were impressed with Karen’s dexterity; connecting history with her book’s narrative, our students were captivated by her engaging and thoughtful presentation and everyone was taken with the unfolding story of Karen’s research and family experience. Of all our presenters at the Seattle Hebrew Academy – Karen is the only one whom students asked to return for further question and answers. Now that says a lot! 

Rivy Poupko Kletenik, Head of School of the Seattle Hebrew Academy

"Although I read the book, I was newly inspired by Sam and Esther’s story and newly impressed by your ability to tell it.  We find many times in Rabbinic writing the expression "אינה דומה שמיעה לראייה"  - one cannot compare the clarity of perception that comes from hearing about something with the -- much greater -- clarity of conception that comes from actually witnessing it.  After having read your book and now hearing your presentation, I would like to say that אינה דומה קריאה לשמיעה  - one cannot compare the clarity of a story after having read it with the -- much greater -- clarity acquired after having heard you retell it!

Your in-laws and the people who helped save them were heroes and role models for their children and grandchildren for generations to come and you in your own way are heroic as well for capturing and documenting and publicizing their story as you have done (and as you are doing) for these past four years.  May your children be inspired by your own heroism, idealism, and accomplishments just as you have inspired others by publicizing the heroism, idealism, and accomplishments of others."

Rabbi David Twersky, Jerusalem, Israel

“Karen Treiger spoke to 70 residents at Mirabella Seattle on Thursday, May 2, 2019 for an hour.  She presented the story of her husband’s family who survived the horrors of occupation in Nazi controlled Poland.  The lecture brought tears of joy to all attendees as she included her revisit to where here husband's parents hid in the woods.  The people at Mirabella loved Karen's eloquent story and professional power point presentation.  Mirabella only allows the most qualified speakers to speak and Karen is forever on our list of great speakers.” 

Leslie Klein, Chair of Programming Committee and Resident of Mirabella

“Karen Treiger’s account of her family’s Holocaust experience in Poland is riveting. My students sat on the edge of their seats, as she told the story of her father-in-law Sam’s escape from the Nazi death camp, Treblinka.  Her mother-in-law Esther Goldberg’s story of evading death in the Polish forest is equally compelling. Karen’s presentation was a game-changer for the students in my Everett Community College Humanities course, Surviving the Holocaust. They were able to connect what they had hitherto only read about to real people who demonstrated tremendous courage and resilience to survive. Karen presentation makes this dark chapter in human history come alive. I look forward to reading her book, My Soul is Filled with Joy.”    

Dr. Charles Fischer, Instructor of English and Humanities and Director of the Humanities Alliance, Everett Community College

"Karen’s presentation on My Soul is Filled With Joy captivated our students and faculty alike.  Karen painted a full and vivid picture of her in-laws and their harrowing and inspiring story of survival during the Holocaust. She expertly wove together details from their individual experiences with larger historical contexts creating both a meaningful Yom Hashoah experience and a first-rate educational guest lecture.  Weeks after Karen’s presentation students are still taking about Sam and Esther and drawing upon the enduring moral lessons that Karen so thoughtfully brought to the fore during her presentation. We are grateful that Karen was able to share Sam and Esther’s stories with Northwest Yeshiva High School in such an engaging and impactful way."

Jason Feld, Head of School, Northwest Yeshiva High School, Mercer Island, WA