hmTv at HMTC Podcasts Ep 474: Legacy Chronicles with Donna Rosenblum and guest Gilda Zirinsky on hmTv
Ep 474
Legacy Chronicles: Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future
Host: Donna Rosenblum | Guest: Gilda Zirinsky
hmTv | Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County
In this moving episode of Legacy Chronicles, Donna Rosenblum, Director of Education at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County, sits down with Holocaust survivor Gilda Zirinsky to explore the true meaning of legacy.
At 90 years old, Gilda continues to speak to students across Long Island, determined to ensure that history is remembered accurately and passed forward with integrity. She shares how her journey with HMTC began, what it feels like to tell her story to middle school students, and why kindness remains at the heart of her message.
Beyond recounting survival, Gilda reflects on her deep pride in becoming an American, her concern about rising antisemitism, and her urgency to combat misinformation with firsthand testimony. She also discusses writing her memoir after realizing she had no tangible heirlooms from her own grandparents—and why preserving stories is itself a powerful inheritance.
From boxing workouts at 90 to encouraging teenagers not to be afraid of the world, Gilda embodies resilience, gratitude, and moral clarity.
This episode is a reminder that legacy is not only about remembering the past. It is about how we live today, how we treat one another, and how we prepare the next generation to carry truth and kindness forward.
Listen, share, and join us in honoring the past while shaping a more compassionate future.