5 comments about Nesarim: Child Survivors of Terezin (The Library of Holocaust Testimonies).

1. This book touched my heart with amazing stories of courage, life long bonds of friendship, and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable horrors. It's a must read!



2. I was Born in Prague 1933. My family knew the Gruenbaum family well. I was fortunate to leave the country in 1941. After reading NESARIM I now know exactly and vividly what my fate might have been; would have been!
   The book is well written and the descriptions of people places and events come to life along with their innermost feelings.



3. This is the war-time story of the boys in Room 7 at the infamous Nazi concentration camp, Terezin, in Czechoslovakia. Thelma Gruenbaum's book, "Nesarim," is a heart-stopping tale of courage and survival.
   Almost 50 years after the boys walked out of Terezin, Gruenbaum embarked on her mission to find the survivors. Her determination to tell their story was inspired by her husband,Michael, one of the boys in Room 7.
   Travelling the world, the Gruenbaums interviewed ten who survived with Michael [Misa]. Many of the boys had never spoken of their experiences at Terezin but in 1990, as men of 60, and encouraged by Thelma Gruenbaum, they opened their souls to share those tales.
   The meaning of the word "Nesarim" is Eagles, a name the boys of Room 7 gave themselves. Their stories give truth and meaning to the name as we witness their indomitable spirit.
   An inspiring story that reminds us that courage and humanity can be stronger than the forces of destruction. Thelma Gruenbaum has told an important story and done so beautifully.



4. An extraordinary book in whih a twenty-year old, named Franta, during the most terrifying of times, inspires forty ten and twelve years olds who were torn from their families, with a faith in their own humanity, with a will to live, and "a respect for our parents and the past, and to be ready for life when this [the Holocaust] ends." The stories of ten of the survivors and how they managed to survive extends to after the war and emphasizes the bonds that continue to exist in adulthood between them. "Nesarim" is an inspiration for young and old.
   Sam D. Starobin



5. This book which tells the stories of ten survivors of Terezin, a "showcase" Nazi concentration camp established to host visits by the International Red Cross, lends a unique perspective to the Holocaust literature.
   
   Twenty-year old Franta supervised young boys, aged 12 to 14, in Room 7 and the lessons he taught them under the most adverse circumstances were incredible. They were educated in secret by him and other prisoners about their Jewish religion, history, culture and secular subjects. Education has always been of prime importance to Jews, but the fact that they were able to instill children with so much information under the most adverse circumstances was a miracle.
   
   As you continue reading you have to feel that Franta was a gift from God to help the children get through this horrendous ordeal, despite the suffering and inhumanity happening all around them. Somehow he provided them with a stability that allowed them to eventually marry, raise families and lead productive lives. How wise, far beyond his years, he had to be.
   
   Despite the unspeakable horrors the young boys witnessed, their perseverance, resilience, humanity and friendship won out. This should be required reading for all Confirmation classes.

5 comments about Good Old Days.

1. This book removes the mask from those who deny the horror and terror of the Holocaust. An engrossing work that strikes the sensibilities of its readers. The records, letters, and photos, all forbidden, but taken with pride to show their loved ones how much they enjoyed/hated/performed their sinister tasks, leaving behind mass graves for us to find.



2. The most jarring aspect of this book is the casual, flippant remarks that are made about mass-extermination. Some of the German quotes in this book were taken from diaries and letters to loved ones, and much of it is casual. There is a convenient language spoken. For instance, few people say that they were "killing Jews." The most common phrase was, "special actions."
   
   There are dry reports of incidents written by SS men that could be interchanged with a unemotional report of wheat production on any farm. Only, these reports are about numbers of Jews murdered, or bodies liquidated.
   
   It is the casual nature of these comments that makes this book so surprising. It's all so "matter-of-fact." It's all so horrifyingly mundane.
   
   I bought this as a compliment to other books I own about the Holocaust, and few books have matched the surreality of the Nazi "Final Solution" than this book. It is highly recommended, but only for those who want to see the atrocities described from the cold, heartless eyes of the Nazi murderers themselves.



3. To truly appreciate how ordinary people could commit such evil acts as were committed in the Holoucast, we would do well to remember that none of those who tortured and murdered in the concentration camps were any different than you or I.
   They had families. They managed to reduce the importance of their victims as human beings.
   There is a parallel between what happened in Nazi concentration camps and what is happening now to innocent people incarcerated and dehumanized in Iraq and elsewhere.
   As someone once said, "Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it."



4. When Hannah Arendt coined the phrase "banality of evil," she was writing about Eichmann.But after reading this compilation of personal stories,she could have been writing about anyone and everyone who bowed to worship hitler,and blithely went on about their lives,pre-war,when they knew full well what hitler and his monstrous henchmen and women were doing.
   This is a hard read because it is infuriating.They knew what they were doing and didn't give a damn.True,there were observers who were initially shocked by the torture and murders they were seeing,but they just went away quietly,and did nothing to broadcast what was happening in Germany during the time the persecutions of the Jews was just beginning on a large scale.Pogroms were the forerunner of mass murder.
   Reading this made me sick,but I felt I owed it to the legions of the dead and suffering.
   There really isn't much else to say about this book. It is meticulously researched and presented in a straight-forward manner.Neither of which makes it any easier to read.But read it. It needs to be read,and you will be stronger for it.



5. This book is depressing and very difficult to read for very long. The benefit of the book is to get a first hand glimpse of the atrocities committed by those following Hitler in WWII. It outlines how savage people can become in their feelings toward a religion.

No comments about Surviving the Holocaust: The Kovno Ghetto Diary.

No comments about David Ben Gurion and the American Alignment for a Jewish State (Modern Jewish Experience).

5 comments about Lonely Soldier: The Memoir of an American in the Israeli Army.

1. This is a nice peak in to the Israeli army, but doesn't really cover any new ground. The writing style is decent, but doesn't keep you interested throughout. Its mostly about the training process and doesn't go very deep in to his thoughts politically or even his changing thoughts about Zionism. I kept feeling like I wanted to know more about his inner thoughts, not just which wadi they were hiking through for a particular mission. While worth reading, it is not inspiring.
   
   If you want an inspiring book about the Israeli military, I recommend either Portrait of a Hero -- about Yoni Netanhayu who led the raid and fell in Entebbe or Alex -- about Alex Singer who fell in battle in Lebanon. Both of which are excerpts from diaries.



2. Marechal De Saxe wrote, "The reputation of an organization becomes personal just as soon as it is an honor to belong to it." He was referring to that illusive entity we refer to as esprit de corps. In this memoir we gain an insight into such a noted organization and how men and women are molded to be honored members. It is not an uncommon story type but seeing inside the Israeli defense forces gives it a new exotic twist.
   
   It is not an objective study of middle eastern politics. Soldiers do not have the luxury of political objectivity. The corps is their primary loyalty, acceptance as a fellow soldier by the man or woman at their side their main concern.
   
   This is pure enjoyment treading for those of us who enjoy the comradere and esprit de corps band of brothers story. To enjoy it best, try to ignore the political slant and just enjoy the story for its face value.



3. Lonely Soldier: The Memoir of an American in the Israeli Army
   I have served in the United States Marine Corp and traveled to Israel. It was with interest that I read this book hoping to gain some insight into the IDF and life in Israel. I found the book to be well written and very interesting. I am not a speed reader but I read Lonely Soldier in less than a week. My wife kept trying to pry it out of my hands but it was difficult to put down.
   
   The author's details regarding training and his personal feelings are fascinating. The discipline of the author and his desire to serve well are an inspiration to anyone traveling through life and seeking a personal mission.
   
   Best of fortune to all and I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.



4. A beautiful story. Adam is a true hero. A must read for those of us who love Israel.



5. Neither well written nor engaging. A Purity of Arms: An American in the Israeli Army by Aaron Wolf is a much better book. Haim Watzman, Company C: An American's Life as a Citizen-Soldier in Israel is also worthwhile, though with its share of longueurs--and much in need of a glossary of Hebrew military terms.
   

1 comments about Escape to Shanghai: A Jewish Community in China.

1. As readable as a novel, but based on painstaking research, Ross's account of the Jews who lived out the Holocaust in Shanghai focuses on four individual and their families. There is another book that deals mostly with the religious Jews in Shanghai (which Ross, disappointingly, ignores except for one or two disparaging remarks), but this book presents an excellent overall picture by following the lives of specific people. Highly recommended.

3 comments about On the Fields of Loneliness.

1. I have read maNY BOOKS ON THE HOLOCUST IN A CONTINUING EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND THE MADNESS. I HAVE ALSO KNOW HERSCH ALTMAN FOR MANY YEARS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE WAS NAGGING AT ME. HIS WRITING IS SIMPLE AND UNPRETENSIOUS YET THE PAIN AND FEAR OF HIS EXPERIENCES REACHES THE VERY DEPTH OF THE READER'S SOUL. YOU HURT, AND NEED TO PUT THE REPORT DOWN AT TIMES JUST TO BREATHE AGAIN....THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS WITH ME, WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE ?



2. For such a young child to have the will, the courage and the fortitude to overcome and survive years of hiding in filthy conditions is amazing. Hersch Altman's memoir of the horrors of war and the devastating effects of prejudice and intolerance needs a wide audience. Every individual needs to standup and reject the evils of prejudice and intollerance because it is continuing to eliminate cultures and tribes throughout the world today.



3. A Holocaust survivor:
   
   This book is a saga of one survivor of years of confinement to a cramped ghetto, hiding, loss of parents, siblings, friends. Hersch Altman,DDS,wrote his personal poignent story of shortly after the end of World War II. As a young boy, while he was 9 until 14, he was persecuted, confined to a crowded ghetto, he witnessed his family being transported to certain death, he escaped and survived years of hiding,and physical suffering - starvation,cold, loneliness. This story was written shortly after he found freedom. Only now, has the story been translated and published.
   
   The cronicle should be read by all that wish to remember those who perished and by those who deny the Holocaust.
   
   ETR Denver, CO

2 comments about Hiding from the Nazis.

1. Hiding from the Nazis

   I don't know how old I was when I first learned of the Nazi death camps; the Holocaust was an unknown word. As an adult, young children come to me asking for books about the Holocaust. I am confronted with the question, how much information to give and what form should it take? In this picture book Hiding from the Nazis, David Adler, in slightly stilted, but in unambiguous words lays out the pivotal moments of Hitler's systematic persecution and murder of the Jews in the Netherlands. This true story centers on Lore Gottschall and highlights the danger, isolation, and deep break of trust suffered by those who hid from the Nazis. This story cannot be told with out bringing to light the courage of Dutch families who bravely hid Jews from Nazi invaders. Lore is separated from her family and hidden on a farm in Holland at great peril to her protectors and shows the sacrifice her family made to survive in a personal way. Mr. Adler also shows how rocky the reunion of the Gottschall family was and shares what happened to the Danish family and the Gottschall's after World War II ended. The illustrations of Karen Ritz clearly show the story with color, facial expressions and movement.




2. Hiding from the Nazis

   I don't know how old I was when I first learned of the Nazi death camps; the Holocaust was an unknown word. As an adult, young children come to me asking for books about the Holocaust. I am confronted with the question, how much information to give and what form should it take? In this picture book Hiding from the Nazis, David Adler, in slightly stilted, but in unambiguous words lays out the pivotal moments of Hitler's systematic persecution and murder of the Jews in the Netherlands. This true story centers on Lore Gottschall and highlights the danger, isolation, and deep break of trust suffered by those who hid from the Nazis. This story cannot be told with out bringing to light the courage of Dutch families who bravely hid Jews from Nazi invaders. Lore is separated from her family and hidden on a farm in Holland at great peril to her protectors and shows the sacrifice her family made to survive in a personal way. Mr. Adler also shows how rocky the reunion of the Gottschall family was and shares what happened to the Danish family and the Gottschall's after World War II ended. The illustrations of Karen Ritz clearly show the story with color, facial expressions and movement.

1 comments about Four Centuries of Jewish Women's Spirituality.

1. A great anthology of sermons, prayers, stories, personal testimonies to delve in and return to.

3 comments about Pushing Time Away: My Grandfather and the Tragedy of Jewish Vienna.

1. This is a compelling and frequently moving account of the author's grandparents' lives from the turn of the century in Vienna to the middle years of the twentieth century. The grandparents, David and Amalie Oppenheim, had both the good and bad fortune to live through some of the most interesting and tragic times of the last century. As young, educated, middle-class Jews living in Vienna at the beginning of the twentieth century, they experienced the last days of the Hapsburg empire, the intellectual currents of the time and place (including being part of Freud's circle), the first world war, the depression, anti-semitism, Nazism and the Holocaust, as well as the great intellectual achievements of Austro-German culture.

   The book is a fascinating account of the period, as well as the curious relationship between David and Amalie, whose homosexual feelings towards others seem to lead them into marriage and children of their own. The final chapters, describing post-Anschluss Vienna, the ghetto conditions in which they were forced to live, and finally Theresienstadt concentration camp are harrowing and moving. As a memoir rather than a history, the book is written well and reads easily; though there are references to other works, it is not in any way dull or academic. The author's frequent comparisons between his grandfather's way of thinking and his own are I feel a little forced, but this is only a minor quibble, especially when the humanity of both the author and the grandparents about whom he is writing is evident. Highly recommended.

   One book which Singer refers to frequently is Stefan Zweig's "The World of Yesterday", which I would also highly recommend to anyone interested in the period or subject matter.




2. An excellent and important story that needs to be told over and over again. But for those of us who use non-fiction books such as this for research as well, this book lacks a crucial element--an index. I could not recommend this book to someone researching information on the Holocaust because there is no way for someone to retrieve important information without laboriously searching page by page through the book. When will publishers learn what researchers and librarians know, a non-fiction book without an index is not complete?



3. Australian philosopher Peter Singer, now a professor of bioethics at Princeton University, has written a thoughtful, well-researched portrait of his grandfather, David Oppenheim, who perished in the Theresienstadt concentration camp in 1943. "We all know that six million Jews died," writes Singer in the Prologue, "but that is a mind-numbing statistic. I have a chance to portray one of them as an individual."

   His grandfather was a classical scholar in Vienna, a teacher of Greek and Latin at a prestigious gymnasium (high school), and an active participant in the city's psychoanalytic circles as a collaborator, then critic of Sigmund Freud, and a friend and supporter of Alfred Adler, the first of Freud's colleagues to defect from his inner circle over basic disagreements about psychoanalytic theory.
   
   Oppenheim's wife, Amalie (a math and physics scholar in her own right) was also sent to Theresienstadt, but she survived, the only one of Singer's four grandparents to do so. She moved to Australia in 1946, the year Singer was born, and lived with his family for nine years until her death in 1955. Singer went on to study philosophy at Oxford and teach at Monash University in Australia, but always in the background there was a cloud of sadness and silence that hung over his family's recent past. (On his mother's side he comes from a long line of rabbis stretching back to the seventeenth century.)

   His aunt's master's thesis about her father inspired Singer to learn more about his grandfather and write this book. He collected his grandfather's personal papers, letters between his grandparents before their marriage that he retrieved from his aunt's attic, and letters his grandparents wrote to his parents and aunt after they emigrated to Australia in 1938. Singer also travelled to Vienna to see where his grandparents lived and visit the school where his grandfather taught. He searched for additional pertinent information in the Austrian archives, interviewed his grandfather's surviving students, and went to Theresienstadt to see for himself where his grandfather died. Singer believed that reading through his grandfather's vast collection of writings in German, most of them in longhand that was difficult to read, would be "to undo, in some infinitely small but still quite palpable way, a wrong done by the Holocaust."

   The final part of the book describes the departure of the children to Australia in 1938 after the Anschluss, the illusory hope that life would somehow go on, the desperate efforts from faraway Melbourne to save the parents from the impeding catastrophe, and finally Theresienstadt. During his research Singer also learned what happened to his paternal grandparents: the Germans transported them to Lodz in Poland (after that they were probably gassed at Chelmno).

   Professor Singer's well-crafted tribute to his grandfather and the lost world of Jewish Vienna is a valuable contribution to Holocaust remembrance and mourning.

   --Charles Patterson, Ph.D., author of ETERNAL TREBLINKA: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust