1 comments about Jewish Life in Germany (Modern Jewish Experience).

1. Dr. Richarz provides the reader with an opportunity to understand the German Jewish experience from the subject's vantage point and in their own (translated)words. Her anthology demonstrates the many facets of German Jewish experience from the eighteenth century until the Holocaust. The contributors speak of their own and their families' degree of religious observance, the psychological and economic effects of state-sponsored discrimination, as well as the geopolitical maneuvering that Jews in Europe, and in particular German Jews, had to do in order to preserve their too often despised communities. This book is a must read for persons interested in any aspect of modern German Jewish social history.

5 comments about Your Name Is Renee: Ruth Kapp Hartz's Story as a Hidden Child in Nazi-Occupied France.

1. "Your Name is Renee" is the unforgettable story of Ruth Kapp Hartz, told from her viewpoint as a child in Nazi-occupied France in the early 1940's. It is too compelling to read in little increments...you'll want to consume it from cover to cover in one sitting. The writing style is simple and tremendously effective, never distracting from the story itself. Mrs. Hartz's story should be required reading from middle grades on up. Hats off to Stacy Cretzmeyer for giving us such a gem.



2. This is the story written from the view of a 5 yr. old girl who is literally torn away from her parents where she is not old enough to understand what is happening. The story is heart rendering and a good one to start reading about the holocaust. Other books are far more compelling than this as regards what happens to people, but in the eyes of a youngster it is almost life ending for her and her friends. It seems there is another book or two awaiting to tell Ruth's parents' side of the story as well as possibly the Resistance Movement in and around the geographical area mentioned in this book.



3. Your Name Is Renee is an extraordinary book that captures the mind and spirit of the reader. It keeps you interested and has so much great detail that you just fall in love with the characters. I was truely amazed at how wonderful this book was. There were several reasons I found it so astonishing. There was great detail and information about the characters, events of WWII, and of the Holocaust. While you read this book you discover how hard the Jews had to work to stay unharmed and how scary it was for them for fear of being caught. You learn that everywhere they went they had to be cautious not to give themslves away as Jews. I love how you felt as if you were there. The events seemed so real. You especially felt sorry for the young children,such as Ruth (Renee was her fake French name), who had no idea what was going on, why families everywhere were being pulled away from eachother, and why her family was on a constant run. It was very emotional to learn about the Jew's struggles and ways of life during the Holocaust. Even children like Ruth had to adapt to this lifestyle and learn exactly what they should say around strangers to keep themselves safe. I got really into Your Name Is Renee, even catching myself yelling at characters for treating Ruth or another Jew cruely or taking something away from them. I mostly loved this book because I learned a lot about the Holocaust and who was involved during it. I also learned that the Jews always had to be alert no matter where they were and careful about who they trusted. Your Name Is Renee is a remarkable book full of suspicion, suspense, suffering, and support. I recommend to each and every person who likes or dislikes reading. Your Name Is Renee will astound everyone.



4. When i was a senior in high school, the class read this book. A chilling, heart rendering tale of a horrible time in our history through the eyes of a victim too young to be so brave. While others griped about having to read yet another book. it was not long till all eyes in the class were glued to their books. The writing makes you want to continue, almost as if you stop reading then maybe you can close your eyes and act as though the horror never happened. Yet you continue out of a strange respect for this child. Luckily for our class after we had read the book and its end became known to all of us, our teacher had Stacey Cretzmeyer,the author, come and speak to our class. An awe inspiring moment for most of us. While origianlly she was there to talk about the writing of the book, it became abundanlty clear that even the toughest of kids where concerned about what had happened to that child. She informed us that she had been to a family reunion not to far long before this event.She passed pictures around the class and yes.there were tears shed as people were finally able to put faces to names we had only read about. The most poignant picture was of a group photo. A large smiling group of people looked back from the glossy page-and the most hard hitting moment that dawned on the class-and finally uttered by one of the biggest, quietest, hulking guys in the class- "They grew into such a large family" They had carried on. The Nazi's had lost in every way. Not just to U.S. bombers and fighters but to the unending spirit to survive, thrive and to flourish. Even Ten years after reading this book for the first(but not the last time) I look forward to reading this story with my own little girl.This story is so touching and leaves a mark on you that never fades from your memory.



5. I read this book in fifth grade. It was one of the best books I have read. Me being a huge WWII fanatic who reads about it all the time. I was said when Uncle Heinrich didn't make it to the train i felt like crying because Ruth loved him and Jeanette. I have read many books like this like Number The Stars, Hitler's White Russians, The Russian Roots of Nazism, The Russian German War, but this book was nothing like those others it was incredible, fascinating, heart thumping, and most of all touching. Sure it was a little slow in the end, but it was still an incredible book.

No comments about Friends for Life: The Story of a Holocaust Survivor and His Rescuers.

1 comments about From Auschwitz to Ithaca: The Transnational Journey of Jake Geldwert.

1. Considering the sheer volume of Holocaust accounts, it has become incumbent upon the author of each new title to justify its existence. Diane Wolf does this by claiming "a substantially different spin from conventional Holocaust testimonials." By this she means that most oral history interviews of Holocaust survivors give short shrift to their lives after the war and give little attention to how they might have gone on to create meaning and a new life out of the chaos and horror that they once endured. For example, the Shoah Foundation video interviews cover their subjects' post-war lives only briefly and conclude with a view of the survivors surrounded by children and grandchildren. With a seemingly happy ending thus affixed, any continuing bitter memories, regrets, and unresolved trauma on the part of the survivors are downplayed, or not explored at all. Wanting to avoid such an oversimplified portrayal, Wold takes a life review approach to reveal how her subject's personal identity was "reconfigured in a post-Holocaust world."
   
   Following an introduction that blends the theoretical (editing methodology) with the personal (her long-term friendship with her subject), Wolf presents her interviews with Holocaust survivor Jake Geldwert. Mr. Geldwert recalls his life growing up in the predominantly Jewish town of Auschwitz prior to World War II, the rise of Nazism and outbreak of World War II that results in his imprisonment at the Auschwitz concentration camp, a recounting of that imprisonment, and an account of his eventual liberation, marriage to his wife Jeannette (who was also in Auschwitz), and their post-war adjustment period. He goes on to describe their emigration to America, and new life in Ithaca, New York, where for many years he worked at the grocery story of his wife's relatives. The book ends with Mr. Geldwert's expressed hope that younger generations will "remember what happened to the generation before, to watch out to do the best they can to have a peaceful world."
   
   Whereas books based on oral history vary from the raw (such as certain Texas Folklore Society Publications) to the well-cooked (Studs Terkel), this one may be considered lightly steamed. The five chapters that comprise the main body of the text consist almost entirely of Geldwert's words. Though the lack of explanatory material may leave some general readers adrift, many of the stories speak for themselves. My favorite anecdote of Jake Geldwert dates from a time many years after the war when he was taking his oral examination to receive United States citizenship. The interrogator sprang a question on him at the end that was not in his study book: "How come they have a Senate and a Congress? Isn't one of them enough?" Mr. Geldwert's winning reply: "In our home town at home when we served the tea, they gave you a glass of tea and they gave you an empty glass right with it. Why did they give you the empty glass? Because if the tea was too hot for you, you poured it into the other one to cool it off. And the same thing here. You put a law into one house, so if it's too hot they cool it off in the other one."

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.
   

No comments about Louis Brandeis: The People's Justice (Justices of the Supreme Court).

5 comments about Kaddishel: A Life Reborn.

1. In Kaddishel: A Life Reborn, Bennett Golub documents the personal history of his father, Aharon Golub. Bennett's purpose in doing so was to achieve a better understanding of himself and to preserve his father's experiences for the benefit of future generations. In the process, the reader is provided a first-hand account of three major historical aspects of Jewish life in the 20th Century: traditional Jewish life in a Polish town; the horrors of the Nazis occupation and holocaust; and the formation of the state of Israel. Kaddishel: A Life Reborn reveals Aharon's inner strength that even after witnessing the death of his family members, his resolve was not to rage or hate, but rather the formation of a deep conviction that the Jewish people needed their own homeland and the power to protect themselves anywhere in the world if they were to survive anti-Semitism. Aharon's personal journey eventual led him to America where he raised his own family and has his own "Kaddishel" to live on and help him tell his story. Kaddishel is a welcome and recommended contribution to the growing library of holocaust survivor memoirs and biographies.



2. As someone who grew up with Ben Golub, and knows Aharon Golub personally, I was astonished at the story. While certainly aware of the tip of the iceberg growing up, and knowing that Aharon had an artificial leg, I was completely amazed by the events that Aharon lived through, and how deep the pain was (both literally and figuratively). I found the story especially compelling because it talked about more than the typical concentration camp stories, but shed real light on the plight in Eastern Poland, where some of my own relatives perished. It makes me think about whether they were murdered at the hands of the Germans or others. That is what makes Kaddishel special, is it makes you think without being overly negative all the time. I also found the story about the development of Israel from 1946 through 1954 extraordinary.



3. As a child growing up in the 60's I had the opportunity over the years to know friends and relatives that were holocaust survivors. While as a teenager I couldn't fully appreciate their hardships, it wasn't until Aharon's book "Kaddishel: A Life Reborn" earlier this year that I truly understood, and appreciated the stories, from someone who I've known for many years.
   
   However, as important for me, a middle aged Jew, to undertand his hardship, it's important for the teenagers of today to read and understand.
   
   It's a wonderful and important book for any library.
   
   -Bill Sobel



4. A premier storyteller, Golub draws you in with a fascinating tale of everyday life in 1930s Eastern Europe before plunging you over the abyss of German occupation during World War II. You keep telling yourself, "this is non-fiction"; these are someone's memories, not their imagination!
   
   It is difficult to believe that so many people could be so cruel, so evil, so hateful. Human spirit and compassion prevail and the story follows the author through the creation of Israel and beyond. Historical segments fill in the reader's gaps and provide important background.
   
   This is a story of today. It repeats in Rwanda, in the Caucasuses, and in Serbia. The book will impact your life's desires, your imagination, and ultimately your understanding of mankind and the world.



5. Kaddishel is a wonderful book that provides 1st person insight into both a less often told side of survival during the holocaust, and the author's experiences in settling of survivors in the budding state of Israel. Many books have been writen about the horrors of the concentration camps, but in Kaddishel, we learn of the different yet equally painful and often fatal challenges that Jews faced in attempting to survive against their enemies in the woods of Poland.
   
   The book follows Aharon Golub's life, from a youth in a happy and comfortable family, through surviving the holocaust by the barest of possible margins, to the founding of the state of Israel, and finally to marrying and establishing a family in America. This book, written by Aharon with support from his son and Kaddishel, Ben, is the amazing story of survival of a man who in most ways is similar to many Americans. It is a story that many of us, our parents or our neighbor's parents may have narrowly avoided, just by the fate of place and date of birth.
   
   Aharon Gobub's story should be read by everyone who has an interest in a compelling, 1st person narration of the most critical events that occurred in Europe and Israel in the middle part of the 20th century. Bravo to Aharon and Bennett Golub for the bravery and effort of retelling and publishing this story for the world to know!

5 comments about Ben Israel: Odyssey of a Modern Jew.

1. I highly recommend the reading of this book for both religious and non-religious people alike. It is thought provoking, entertaining, and probably for some, life changing. It honestly is one of those books that years from now, when you are sitting around with your friends talking about memorable books and movies, you will think of with great fondness.



2. This book is written by a very self-absorbed man with an extremely protracted adolescence. He wanders the earth backpacking a la 70's style looking for himelf and the answers of the world on this jouney. He has many affairs on the way, impregnates a woman, while a wife is left back at home in a mental institution all during the jouney.

   Apparently he proposes that he found all the answers he seeked at the end of the book---he converts from Judaism to Christianity. Although he didn't seem to really have much understanding about Judaism at the start. I don't get how he arrives at this conversion, he waxes on so poetically, as the beatnick poet he imagines his life to be. And I am convinced he's just as messed up at the end of the book(where he claims he's found Jesus and the answers to his great quest) as he was in the beginning. Or more so.

   It disgusted me as a Jew that some guy---a selfish loser--- treats it all so poorly. And takes himself this seriously.




3. 
   Is there such as a Jewish Christian? Yes, indeed. And this also I wondered, before reading Arthur Katz's testimonial book. It doesn't really matter so much that he be a Jew, although only from a cultural perspective, but that he represents the true seeker.
   
   The genuine evolution in the author's narrative tone through the book, his psychological portrait, his humanity, his inner live, are presented to us in the way of short daily annotations.
   
   This is not fiction, it is real. And we are given a wonderful window into the heart and soul of a man. But, of course, in the end it all comes up to you, the reader, to decide how to take his story.
   If you are another seeker, an honest one -regardless of your cultural background-, I strongly recommend this book. If you are already a sincere Christian, this will surely identify with your own search, sometime along the path of your live. As it did to me.
   And for the curious, those who lead complacent, sedative or self-deluding lives, it is also a great read, a travel book where you are sure to find some character that you may have found along the way in your own trips in Europe or Israel.
   
   Enjoy it whoever you are.



4. In an untouched, diary format, Katz describes his mindset and world view as it slowly develops over time revealing every embarassing shortcoming as he desribes his journey from an aetheistic, anti-Christian, Jew to the born-again Christian that he is today. One is struck by how selfish and self-absorbed he was until he received the promptings which led him to a greater understanding of himself and ultimately about the nature of a loving God.
   
   This is a great source of encouragement not only for Jews who have converted or who are contemplating doing so but also for anyone who has fallen on hard times self-inflicted or otherwise. This man's testimony shows that there is always hope and that no one is a "lost cause". All you need is faith in yourself and in God.
   
   One of the better autobiographies I've read in a while.



5. Raw, beautifully ruminant and observational account of one intellectual Jew's search to find truth. This book has some adult content since it is essentially a series of journal entries from a tumultuous time in Art's life. A must read for the intellectual elite, the modern Jew, and those struggling to find truth. Not for children.

2 comments about Elli: Coming of Age in the Holocaust.

1. Just a few words, if you have not read this book go get it now! This is one of those books written from the heart, that cannot- but have you in tears, truely written from the heart; it stired my soul! A true story of a young girl overcoming nightmares that we would not dread to imagine, it has truely opened my eyes, to the horror, that so many people lived through, and so many not....Well done Livia! A book that will live for an eternity!



2. This is a really good book, it really brings to mind things that no one could have made-up, its just way too horiffic, but it DOES open your eyes to what power one man can have, and how people follow the majority, not standing up for others.

5 comments about Behind Enemy Lines: The True Story of a French Jewish Spy in Nazi Germany.

1. I became aware of Marthe's story when told I was going to interview her for an article. I found the writing smooth, and the book a quick and educating read. As other reviewers have written, it is filled with events that are intense, suspenseful, sad and hopeful. This is an amazing true story that I'm glad Marthe decided to share.



2. This is a story of great personal courage in the midst of horrible tragedy. It is the story of Marthe Cohn who was born in the city of Metz, raised in a devout German- speaking Jewish religious household. Circumstances including the loss of her fiance led her to become a fighter in the French Resistance. Courageously she worked behind enemy lines to provide vital intelligence for the Allies.
   In this book she tells her own story but while doing so tells that of tens of others with whom she shared a struggle and a world. At the end of the book she discloses what has become of many of them with the passing of the years.
   For her courageous actions she was awarded the Highest French Military Medal of Distinction.
   She comments at the end of the book that her maiden name translates as "Hope and 'Goodness'. Her life and actions certainly were an exemplification of her name, and evidence of the greatness of the human spirit in times of darkness and adversity.



3. On October 7 and 8, 2006, C-SPAN 2 featured this book and author on Book TV. The author, now in her mid 90s, spoke in impeccable English for about one hour without notes. Because she used the active voice, her adventures were easy to follow. It was a tour de force.
   
   Her parents lived in Alsace when it was part of Germany. But she and her five older siblings grew up in Alsace after WWI when it was part of France. As a result, she became fluent in German because that was the language spoken in her home, and she became fluent in French because that was the language she learned in school. Despite her youth, her fluency in both languages made a perfect spy for the French resistance and French Army.
   
   The book is about her amazing adventures as a spy and agent of the Free French. Despite her modesty, her actions reveal a woman of incredible physical and moral courage. This book and author should be the subject of movie or miniseries that would inspire young women to use their talents for great causes.



4. I saw Marthe Cohn on Book TV and was inspired to buy the book. She appears to be a very tiny white haired woman, no wonder her family and friends were shocked to find out that she had been a spy for the free French and a genuine hero. She is blessed with a very sharp mind and a remarkable memory. Her story is so well written that it had me on the edge of my seat, in spite of knowing that she did indeed survive.
   
   The most telling part of the book is where she describes the paralyzing fear she felt as she was about to cross into Nazi Germany. She somehow found the courage and made the crossing many times. Petite, blond and speaking impeccable German, she was easily accepted as "Aryan", even by one Nazi officer who was sure he could "smell a Jew". She was thus able to get much vital information and saved many lives.
   
   This is a great book for anyone who likes adventure stories. The fact that it is true makes it all the more appealing. I couldn't wait to share this book.



5. I hadn't expected this book to be as interesting as it was. I had difficulty putting it down. It is the story of a young Jewish woman in occupied France during WW II. Her efforts during the war to save her family and spy for the French resistance are thrilling and awe inspiring. It is amazing how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when faced with life threatening challenges. Her courage was so admirable.