My great-grandparents on my Mom’s side both immigrated here from Eastern Europe when they were kids to escape the persecution of Jews during the Nazi Regime. My great grandpa was lucky when he escaped, he was about 16 and came to the States alone. His parents and siblings died in the Holocaust at the Dachau concentration camp. My dad’s side is Russian and Polish and my great-grandparents on that side also immigrated to the States to escape Jewish persecution. I’m from Texas originally and the Jewish community is small, small enough to where we all know each other. I moved here to Boston for college and just graduated two days ago with a degree in theater. I feel so blessed and lucky. I want everyone to have the same opportunities as I’ve been fortunate enough to have and to find a community where they are so nurtured and loved that they don’t have to turn to hate and violence.