Ep 634 The Fog of War and Humanity with Richard Acritelli and guest Rena Kesten P1 on hmTv

Send us Fan MailIn Part 1 of this compelling episode of The Fog of War and Humanity on hmTv, host Richard Acritelli welcomes Rena Kesten for a deeply personal conversation about immigration, Jewish identity, family memory, and an overlooked chapter of World War II history.Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Rena shares her childhood memories of life under Soviet communism, her family’s difficult journey to freedom through Vienna and Italy, and their eventual resettlement in the United States. She reflects on the loss of religious tradition, the antisemitism experienced by Soviet Jews, and the challenges her parents faced while rebuilding their lives in America.The conversation also introduces the extraordinary story of Rena’s grandfather, a Jewish colonel and armored commander in the Soviet Army whose service in the fight against Nazi Germany was largely excluded from history. Through family photographs, military records, and inherited stories, Rena begins uncovering his journey from an impoverished orphanage to military academy, chemical defense training, and command of a tank battalion at the beginning of World War II.This episode is a powerful reminder that behind every military campaign are families, sacrifices, and stories that deserve to be remembered.Support the show