A Researcher and Survivor of the Holocaust Connect and Make Meaning during the COVID-19 Pandemic*

Abstract

This article features an interview conducted on April 20th, 2020 with Jerry Rawicki, a 93-year-old survivor of the Holocaust, about his experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic and how it compares to what happened to him during the Holocaust. The first author reflects briefly on her own experience of the pandemic and how she decided to focus on Jerry’s story. The frustrations and successes in using social media technology to conduct interviews are described. The article concludes with a discussion of connecting and engaging in meaningful activity as two significant ways to cope with our anxieties, fears, and sense of isolation during the pandemic.