A Glimpse of the Churban
Hours after Hillel Seidman narrowly escaped deportation from the Warsaw Ghetto, Tishah B’av of 1942 began.
“As night falls I finally reach home, my brain bursting with terrifying images... Crossing our courtyard I notice our small shtiebl... About 20 men sit on upturned benches – it's Tisha B'Av tonight! Two flickering candles at the temporary prayer stand dimly light up the bent heads, with their eyes stg into the far distance, as that heartrending tune wells up: “Eichah?
"The tune that was perhaps first coed at the exile from Jerusalem and has since absorbed the tears of generations...
"How alone [Jerusalem] sits, the great city of many inhabitants?. Indeed how alone, how forlorn we are today.
"All [Jerusalem's] pursuers entrapped her in dire straits?. I called to my friends but they betrayed me. How true, how real those ancient lamentations read; how accurate they describe our present catastrophe?
"We Jews of Warsaw, sons of those exiles, sit on the ground to mourn our own personal churban, the destruction of a major community – the largest and most vigorous in Europe... We weep at our fate, a nation without a land, within the grasp of our fiercest enemy and condemned to death. We grieve both for the loss of the Holy Temple and the extinction of our lives. (Warsaw Ghetto Diaries, Targum Press pgs. 55-56)
For some, Holocaust reading is part of a regular reading diet. For others, it is reserved exclusively for the three weeks, one time of year to dwell on the tragic parts of our history. Regardless, this week is an appropriate time to share a diverse collection of holocaust reads to inspire and fascinate, while connecting to the realities of our galus.
A Holocaust Classic
To Vanquish the Dragon by Pearl Benisch - a difficult but inspiring read highlighting the best of humanity in the worst of places
Go My Son by Chaim Shapiro - an intriguing and suspenseful escape to remote corners of the world fueled by resilience of Hashkafa and daring to survive
The Scent of Snowflowers by R.L. Klein- a fascinating account of a hideout in civilian life, struggling to survive World War II while retaining a hidden identity
A Daughter of Two Mothers by Miriam Cohen - a novel-like read, a young girl chooses between two families and lifestyles and survives the war with her Gypsy seamstress
A Different Perspective
The Redhead of Auschwitz by Nechama Birnbaum - a detailed, graphic, and intensely personal holocaust memoir with exquisite writing and a powerful non-linear format. Adult reading only
I Promise You by Yael Mermelstein - the beautiful format presents a familiar saga in new light through simplified poetry
The Unfinished Diary - the holocaust saga from a voice in the midst of the terror, unchanged by the passage of time or hindsight
A Broad View
Alone in the Forest by Mala Kacenberg - a heroic survival story, fast-paced thanks to touches of the author’s humor and personality and a somewhat detached tone. A compelling read that is less gut-wrenching than others. (Recently reprinted by Pegasus Books as Mala’s Cat, which is more easily available.)
The Youngest Partisan by A. Romi Cohn - an uplifting and triumphant tale of a 10-year-old’s survival with the Resistance Fighters
Shattered Crystals by Mia Amalia Kanner - a French perspective on Holocaust survival, straddling the life of a hunted fugitive in civilian life while risking everything to keep family out of the camps
Young Readers (Grades 5+)
Alone in the Forest Abridged by Mala Kacenberg
A Boy Named 68818 by Israel Stark - an educational introduction to the holocaust that is descriptive and exciting without being graphic. The third-person narrative and matter-of-fact tone make for easier reading. Maps, a timeline, and a full glossary are included for history-minded kids who want to learn more
Far From the Place We Call Home by Sarah Schleimer - experience the loneliness and confusion of children sent to London with the Kindertransport