Alex Kor is the author, with Graham Honaker, of the new book A Blessing, Not a Burden: My Parents' Remarkable Holocaust Story and My Fight to Keep Their Legacy Alive. His parents, Michael Kor and Eva Mozes Kor, were Holocaust survivors. Kor is a podiatrist, and he lives in Indiana.
Q: What inspired you to write A Blessing, Not a Burden?
A: Many people are aware of my mom’s incredible journey from Auschwitz to her forgiveness of Dr. Josef Mengele (aka The Angel of Death) and the Nazi party.
Conversely, no one (even those who’ve known him for decades) knew that my father was also a Holocaust survivor. Having survived three concentration camps and a ghetto in Riga, Latvia , his story of hope, perseverance, survival and determination is equally compelling.
My father’s health slowly declined from 2020 until his passing in October of 2021. During that time, I spent a great deal of time talking with him about the past, the present and the future.
Despite his belief that few would be interested in his story, I promised him that I would chronicle his journey in a book. I am proud that I have kept my word.
I also wanted to more clearly elucidate my mother’s struggles and forgiveness so that others can better understand her path to healing. Her perspective on forgiveness, even since her passing in 2019, continues to be misrepresented. I wanted to set the record straight.
Q: How was the book’s title chosen and what does it signify for you?
A: In 1987, while in podiatric medical school, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to my lungs. Assuming the worst and not sure that I would survive, I ignored my mother’s phone calls and wallowed in my self-pity.
One of her voicemails eventually made its mark. Look Alex,” she said, “Quit feeling sorry for yourself. Listen to me. Your father is a survivor. I am a survivor. You, too, will be a survivor. This is your Auschwitz!”
Those words changed everything for me. My outlook took a positive turn, and I realized that I could channel my parents’ strength, courage, and perseverance to help me defeat my enemy: cancer. I never looked back.
Thirty-seven years later, I still consider this a major turning point in my life. I now believe that my parents were always preparing me for this untimely event in 1987. I now have little doubt that my parents’ Holocaust past and the lessons they instilled in me helped me beat cancer.
Thus, since that dark time in 1987, I am convinced that being the child of two Holocaust survivors was a blessing and never a burden. The book title represents that there is light after darkness and that I, along with my parents, chose to focus on the positive despite having survived such trying circumstances.
Q: Especially given the current climate of antisemitism, what do you hope readers take away from your book?
A: My co-author, Graham Honaker, and I started writing this book in August of 2023, and completed the writing process in February of 2024. The horrific attack by Hamas on Israel occurred on October 7, 2023, at the midpoint of our project, which has only magnified the alarming increase of global antisemitism.
If my parents were alive on Oct. 7, 2023, I am not sure that they would have been able to cope with the residual events on that day and since.
With my parents no longer here and given that Holocaust survivors are a casualty of time, this book is also call to action for all descendants of the Holocaust. It’s up to us to remind the world what happens when hate and antisemitism are allowed to contaminate every fabric of our society.
For readers who do not have a direct connection to the Holocaust, this book should serve to inform and educate all generations.
Q: What do you see as your parents’ legacies?
A: My mom and my dad both lived full and rich lives. Having reached the ages of 85 and 95 respectfully, they overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to raise my sister and me, while becoming productive citizens in their community and serving as symbols of hope, healing, humanity, passion, and perseverance.
I hope that future generations will always remember that my mom and dad lived with purpose, conviction and yes, a great sense of humor.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Graham and I are teaming up with Pigasus Pictures, and are in the beginning stages of adopting the book into a full-length motion picture.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: My co-author, Graham Honaker, who played a key role in motivating me to write this book is not Jewish. When we lecture on the book, his insight is critical in reinforcing that hate, and antisemitism are NOT Jewish problems. They are human problems, and his perspective (as a gentile) is very much needed to raise awareness in other communities.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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