"Contemporary Perspectives on Viktor Frankl"

In conversation with our Project Manager, Judith Stelmach, Rachel Goldberg-Polin spoke about her son Hersh, his special connection to Viktor Frankl and his teachings, and the importance of seeking meaning and maintaining hope—even during life’s most difficult moments.

Prof. Merav Roth discussed meaning as a tool for coping with trauma, her work with returned hostages and their families, and the relevance of Viktor Frankl’s approach to the current reality in Israel.

Dr. Shimon Azulay shared a philosophical-educational perspective on the role of meaning in shaping worldview, personal and communal identity, and moral responsibility during times of crisis.

The conference concluded with a lecture by Prof. Shimon Levy, who introduced us to Viktor Frankl—the playwright and author—and the play Frankl wrote shortly after his liberation from the camps: “Synchronization in Birkenwald”. This is one of the first dramatic works written in German about the Holocaust immediately following the war; it grapples with the questions of absolute evil, morality, and meaning in the face of the horrors Frankl endured across four concentration and extermination camps.

All pictures ©Simanim