Congregation Beth David, Amenia, NY – Sat., April 18, 2026

Janet Bond Brill was born and raised in New York City, the daughter of a prominent stage and screen actor and a psychoanalyst. After graduating from the Walden School at sixteen and earning her B.S. in Biology from the University of Miami, she spent seven years as a flight attendant for Pan American World Airways before returning to academia.
Dr. Brill holds a Ph.D. in Exercise Science from the University of Miami, along with two master’s degrees, one in Exercise Science from the University of Miami and another in Nutrition Science from Florida International University. She is the author of four nationally recognized health books, including CHOLESTEROL DOWN and BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN, published by Random House, as well as numerous scientific papers and articles for lay publications.

For thirty-seven years, Dr. Brill was privileged to know and love her mother-in-law, Holocaust survivor Edna Stefania Brill. Their profound bond and Edna’s trust in sharing her story inspired Dr. Brill to move from health writing to historical memoir, determined to record Edna’s experiences for future generations—her first memoir and her most important work.

Dr. Brill has twice presented Edna’s story at the Pacific Lutheran University Powell-Heller Conference for Holocaust Education, honoring her promise to ensure that Edna’s experiences will never be forgotten. She believes that preserving survivor testimony is essential not only to honor those who perished and those who survived, but also to illuminate the catastrophic consequences of unchecked hatred and to awaken humanity’s obligation to stand against it.

Dr. Brill lives in Pennsylvania with her husband Sam, Edna’s son. Together they have three children, Rachel, Mia, and Jason, and two grandchildren who carry forward their great-grandmother’s legacy.