THE NARRATIVE ARC
How a Nazi’s Whim Saved My Family
Death took a right turn at Auschwitz
I never believed in fate until the day my resilient grandmother stared down the camera, recounting a story so remarkable it challenged my understanding of chance. Surrounded by a recording crew provided by Steven Spielberg, she told of a single decision—a choice between left or right—that became the sliding door moment that changed countless lives, including mine. Each time I reflect on it, a chill runs through me—such a seemingly simple choice, yet one with unimaginable consequences.
The horrors of Auschwitz have been recounted many times, but for my grandmother Tola, a survivor, it remained an unspeakable chapter of her life. Growing up, I knew she suffered through something unimaginable, but I didn’t fully understand the weight of it. She refused to talk about the past and the atrocities she had experienced.
“Don’t ask about it,” my mother would say whenever I voiced curiosity. The unspoken rule only deepened the mystery that hung over my grandmother’s history.
As I grew older, my questions multiplied. Why did she insist on overfeeding me during every visit?
“C’mon Ashley, you need to eat more,” she’d urge, even as my plate overflowed. “Eat, Bubeleh, eat” was her…
