sag harbor village Archives » Michelle Trauring

A ‘Hidden Child’: Erika Hecht Reflects On World War II in New Memoir

Blog June 23, 2021

On the edge of Sag Harbor Village, Erika Hecht lives in a modest home surrounded by what she loves — books and art, colorful rugs, an eclectic mix of modern and antique furniture, a lovely backyard with towering trees.

“Wherever I am is my home,” she mused on Saturday morning. “It seems to me I’m carrying my home with me.”

It does not escape Hecht that this practice is a product of her childhood — rooted in a residual fear of loss, the danger and pain associated with forming attachments, only to have them ripped away in a moment.

And so, a collection of artifacts from her youth does not exist, the 87 year old explained, her voice still laced with a thick Hungarian accent. She was a “Hidden Child,” one of thousands of Jewish children who converted to Christianity in an attempt to survive World War II and skirt the Holocaust.

Lola, Beacon, Otto And Atticus: Sag Harbor Arts Community Embraces New Puppies

Blog April 14, 2021

There are four new faces in town — puppy faces, that is.

First is Lola, a 3-month-old mini bernedoodle whose sass and sweetness match her name. Then, there’s Beacon, a defiant, 16-week-old cockapoo who loves attention and will stop at nothing to get it.

Otto, a mini Australian shepherd, is charming, smart and fearless at nearly 3 months old, consistently making eye contact under his expressive brows. And rounding out the quartet, also 3 months old, is Atticus, a confident, mostly chill mini bernedoodle with an adorable shock of white hair on top of his head.

And coincidentally, at almost exactly the same time, all four pups landed in the homes of prominent Sag Harbor arts figures, who just so happen to be friends.

Exodus From New York Could Have Positive Impact On Local Housing Market

Blog May 17, 2020

Across the East End, what were once seasonal neighborhoods are now bursting with life, evidence of a recent exodus out of New York City by second homeowners and renters desperate to live more comfortably and simultaneously escape the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis — despite pleas from public health officials to shelter in place.