1 comments about Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina, an Exile's Journey (Jewish Women Writers).

1. This is a beautiful book. Some sentences are so evocative that I returned to them again and again to inhale them, to plumb them for more meaning, to enjoy the beauty of the words, wording, and thought. At the same time, the words impelled me on and on--I could not put the book down until I was finished with it, and was then sorry I was--into Zonana's story of loss, her feeling of geographical and personal exile and search for home. As I read, her story, it became my story, even though the outlines of my life have been completely different. Zonana taps into a universal loneliness, estrangement, need for answers, and desire to find a place that makes us feel complete, like we belong and are at home.

2 comments about They Called Me Mayer July: Painted Memories of a Jewish Childhood in Poland before the Holocaust.

1. This book is a treasure! It provides reminiscences in text and in paintings of a Polish Jewish shtetl, Apatow or, as the Jews called it, Apt. Like Grandma Moses, Kirshenblatt began painting late in life and, like her, has produced primitive, lively, intimate illustrations of his remembered world. The text is equally intimate describing the people, their nicknames, and their lives. Anyone interested in furthering his or her knowledge of the shtetl, as told by one of its last living inhabitants, must read this book.



2. They Called Me Mayer July is a beautiful book, both in the written word and the art work. It details the day-to-day lives of the Jewish people who lived in their 'schtetles' before the Holocaust and it goes into the various personalities, nick names, and jobs that were done during those years. Artistically, the detail is stunning and a joy to behold. For those of us whose ancestors came from these places, it gives us the opportunity to see and read what life was like, both the good and the difficult. I was so impressed that I bought a book as a gift for a friend and have recommended it to others. We owe a debt of gratitude to the author and his daughter for giving us this wonderful gift.

2 comments about Farewell to Salonica: City at the Crossroads.

1. I discovered this book by reading Mazower's book. This was a pure delight to read. The author brought me back to a Thessaloniki I had learned about in Mazower, but added the warm, personal details of family life and interaction among the groups which made up Salonica in the early 20th century. I didn't want the book to end. I was surprised to learn that it had been published quite a while ago and that the author's child added an epilogue. I wish I had read it before and wandered the streets to find some of the landmarks.



2. Farewell To Salonica: City At The Crossroads is the autobiography of Leon Sciaky and tells of his having grown up in Salonica (now called Thessaloniki), in Greece. A remarkable view of a place where Sephardic Jews, Greeks, Turks, Macedonians, Albanians, and Bulgarians all met, traded, and went about their daily lives. A superbly written memoir, Farewell to Salonica is a heartfelt, highly recommended testimony to a memorable city and a cultural mecca.

5 comments about The Rabbi's Daughter.

1. If one is familiar with the religious Jewish life the book grabs you until the last page. A few small points are interesting however. If she comes from a orthodox family why does her father as a rabbi use a loudspeaker on sabbath and kiss other woman? sounds a bit strange.... in addition the very specific language describing in full detail the sexual experiences where not needed to make the book a fantastic book. All in all very well written! Looking forward to her next book.



2. I finished this book in a day and found it very hard to put down.
   It reads as the memoir of a woman who grew up in a religious Jewish household, left the fray to lead a lifestyle of sex and "liberation" and returned to join the ultra-religious Hasidic community. The book promised to highlight the struggles a woman faced in choosing between a religious lifestyle and a non-religious one. And that is my biggest issue with the book. The religious lifestyle she describes consists of a joyless virtually loveless existence full of empty rules, stringencies, and empty relationships. The "non-religious" lifestyle she chooses consists of adultery, promiscuous sex, drug use, lesbianism, more drug use, and more promiscuous sex.
   I had truly wanted to relate to the author, as I am a (mostly happy) Orthodox woman myself, but I do question what "life on the other side of the fence" might be like from time to time. I found it impossible to do so for two reasons. First the author's experience of Judaism was skewed, extreme, and not an accurate glimpse of mainstream Orthodoxy. Second, her non-religious lifestyle disgusted me and I have a hard time believing most secular people engage in half the things the author happily did in her pursuit of a "non-religious" way of life.
   Like some other reviewers I found some of the incidents related strained belief. A woman who repeatedly professes to love G-d so much she joins the most extreme and ascetic Orthodox branch happily recounts how she lost her virginity in a synagogue of all places.
   Her emotions just did not ring true to me. Nor did I really get a sense of genuine spirituality coming from the author.
   I hope anyone reading this book realizes the views of this author are extreme and her experiences are not shared by the majority of Orthodox Jewish women. Some of us do live balanced, fulfilling and happy lives, and interact with genuinely caring and loving people.



3. "The Rabbi's Daughter" is a fascinating journey from one woman's perspective. I was interested to see how many peole were completely turned off by this book. I believe that those who were disappointed may have been looking for 'answers' from a Jewish perspective. If the novel is read in that way, I can see why there would be confusion.
   
   However, this well crafted memoir, by a flawed, caring, idealistic woman, is far more in line with Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love" than a work of Jewish philosophy or theology. This isn't a theological work to bring enlightenment. It's a very raw and real story of one woman's search for inner peace. She looked for it in drugs and sex and being a part of the modern world. She looked for it in the most restrictive forms of Hassidic Judaism. What she finds along the way is knowledge and her own sense of self and balance.
   
   I applaud Ms. Mann's bravery for telling her story.



4. Reva puts everything on the line and does not white wash anything. This book was unbelievably cathartic for me. The descriptions of her feelings and locations were incredibly vivid. It brought me back to my years attending a seminary in Jerusalem. I understood her hunger for spirituality, her desire to suppress her blemished past, and her fantasy about wanting to live a pious life. Although I never got married, I have many friends who did and now live in the ultra-orthodox world in Jerusalem. I am still not quite sure how I escaped the grip of marriage. I wish there was a bit more resolution at the end but it is a memoir, she is still living. I wish her luck and thank you.



5. My feelings toward Reva ran the gamut as I read her book. I would have given it three stars but I read it during a succession of visits to the bookstore coffee shop and found myself thinking about it in between visits. This book is pretty much a memoir of growing up with low self-esteem and its aftermath. What makes this one unique is that much of it takes place in an insulated Hassidic community. I couldn't help thinking of another very similar memoir called Beautiful Stranger by Hope Donahue. Hope also grew up with a distant father and narcissistic mother. In order to fill her chronic void Hope, who is very pretty, becomes a plastic surgery addict. Same story different setting and coping mechanism.
   
   Reva had one thing Hope didn't, a mentally handicapped older sister. Eventually their mother gets tired of taking care of the sister and puts her in an institution far away. This devastates Reva and haunts her throughout the book, even though she doesn't seem to make much effort to visit her sister. Reva seems to feel that her anxiety and loneliness problems are somehow tied to her sister's trauma. It is my personal belief that her mother's narcissistic unavailability and preoccupation with appearances (such as bullying Reva into a nose job at 16) had a lot more to do with it.
   
   First Reva tries to fill the void with drugs and promiscuity. Later she joins a Hassidic sect in an effort to atone and straighten herself out. After a series of introductions by the community's matchmaker Reva marries Simcha. They meet in hotel lobbies and take long walks because physical contact is forbidden. A lot of the young people in this book seem to feel that religious observance will conquer all of their problems and hang ups. Reva is over sexed and feeling guilty about it and looking forward to marriage. Simcha has some hang ups about sex and is trying to avoid it. They both feel that religion will provide them this outlet. She expresses her disappointment on their wedding night. The two become intimate strangers and eventually the marriage falls apart. Reva is left feeling even worse since she feels that her community blames her for her marriage's failure.
   
   I don't want to spoil the ending but Reva's mother who made such an impression on me insists on committing one last selfish act. I would recommend this book along with Beautiful Stranger to young women suffering from low self-esteem, poor family relations and interpersonal skills. They should be read as cautionary tales about quick fixes, especially external ones.

2 comments about Shush! Growing Up Jewish under Stalin: A Memoir.

1. Imagine a young Jewish boy now an adult, who still utters the word "Jewish" only sotto voce. The subtitle of Emil Draitser's heartwarming and heartbreaking memoir Shush! Growing up Jewish Under Stalin explains why. Multiply the ordinary difficulties of childhood and adolescence exponentially to comprehend what happened to Jewish families (not to mention others) in Russia. Certainly this book will strike a chord with readers who have had similar experiences. And perhaps these readers with direct experience of the atrocities of the Stalinist regime will need as much courage to read it as the author must have had to write it--people are generally inclined to relegate painful memories to the past and avoid resurrecting them.
   
   It has obviously taken the author years to sort through the dire circumstances of his childhood and to reclaim his identity and roots--an affirmation of the strong values that somehow survived and a credit to his parents and extended family. In circumstances that could justifiably bring out the worst in people, what shines through in this family are pride, dignity, and principles.
   
   Draitser's visual and well-paced writing balances the sad with the humorous. His descriptions of his parents' mannerisms made me laugh out loud. But then, the opposite effect occurs; for example, there's a photo of a young couple--the author's aunt and uncle, the parents of three small children--looking bright-eyed, and, one imagines, forward to life--and suddenly you read that the entire family perished!
   
   I am not Russian or Jewish. I was not raised in a repressed society or discriminated against. But this book has a much broader appeal--don't be fooled by the title. It also reminds us how profoundly marked we are by our childhood impressions, and evokes anyone's painful first days as a young school pupil. Jewish, Russian, black, white, Asian, whatever--kids are mean! My mother occasionally packed leftover "ethnic" food in our lunch boxes. This never failed to attract the attention and derision of the kids sitting nearby eating their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We begged our mother to please stop packing the stuff. It's no fun being the brunt of jokes.
   
   This is a fine memoir, well-written and courageous--an inspiring book for readers of all backgrounds and ages.



2. Shush is Emil Draister's memoir of growing up a Jew, in Russia , during Stalin's time. It is the story of a boy's search for pride in his Jewish identity. Historical events are seen through the eyes of the author, a member of the "Young Pioneers", indoctrinated in communist propaganda, and through his parents and family, as they try to survive under a Russian regime threatening to Jews.
   
   Draitser, as a child, unquestioningly accepts his inferior status. He looks different, his name is unusual and he is the victim of his classmates' cruelty and, as a voracious reader, finds even his favorite authors portraying Jews as evil. I felt his pain, his parents' fears, and the specter of prejudice-something I never experienced growing up in U.S. as an American-born, Russian, non-religious Jew in the 1950's and 1960's.
   
   This was the first book that ever made me laugh out loud. Draitser mixes humor, poetry, prose and suspense, enveloping the reader in the culture and events of Russia , particularly Odessa in the 1940's and early 1950's. In addition, the stories of the author's grandparents give the reader insight into Jewish life during pre-revolutionary Russia , from where my own father and grandfather fled.
   
   It is a must read for every Jew born in this country, practicing or not, yet it also goes beyond the Jewish experience. It is a story for everyone who has been the victim of prejudice.

5 comments about Out of Egypt: A Memoir.

1. This is a well written memoir about the Aciman clan, the reader gradually become familiar with each one of the family members of the Aciman family. The book relates the easy and good life in Alexandria before the Suez war in 1956 and afterwards the oppression of Jews until they were forced to leave the country. It's amazing to know that Andre Aciman's father spoke many languages like Ladino , Greek, Turkish, French, English, and probably Italian besides the languge of prayers Hebrew. I woul like to recommend another moving and poignant memoir about the life in Cairo, written by Henry Mourad Exodus II The Promised Land



2. REVIEW OF "OUT OF EGYPT" for Amazon.com July 12, 2007
   
   Andre Aciman describes his colorful and complicated life (and family)in
   Alexandria in the 1960s. Childhoods like that are often the preparation
   for a life of writing. The child absorbs all the peculiarities as part of
   normal life without knowing they are peculiar until much later. Then they
   need to make sense of it all.
   All this is heightened by the fact that the Acimans are Jewish, in a
   Muslim country still resonating with the after effects of British rule.His
   experiences in the theoretically best school in Alexandria, run by
   British teachers, would be funny if they weren't so awful. For complete
   cognitive dissonance,his parents force him to learn Arabic to survive.
   Reading about those lessons alone is worth the price of this book. At
   home they speak Ladino, the Sephardic Yiddish, among themselves.
   His beautful mother was born deaf. When provoked she can produce a
   high-pitched scream. used to good effect at the butcher's. Once she has
   made her point they are all quite happy. The butcher has to give the package
   to her Arab servant. She never touches an Arab's hand.
   The Acimans and Andre's maternal relatives live in a state of mutual
   scorn, but when faced with the threats of Pan-Arab nationalism pull together very
   efficiently. Eventually they all flee, the sedate Sephardic merchants
   and the shady international adventurers too.
   Two other writers come to mind when reading this book. Laurence Durrell
   evokes something of the same atmosphere in his Alexandria Quartet and Elias
   Canetti grew up in a large Sephardic family in Bulgaria. That society has
   completely disappeared. Without Canetti's memoirs one would not know it had ever
   existed.
   This is an eloquent and elegiac account of that love and absurdity
   known as a family.



3. Aciman wrote this book not only being 'Out of Egypt' like Blixen was 'Out of Africa', but as well being "Out of Childhood'. So the grown-up is looking back and remembers his extended family with live-in servants and longtime friends. Whoever loves family stories will enjoy this well-written book.
   
   Having myself spent some summers in Egypt I would say that his kind of Egypt isn't gone completely - there is still, beneath the noise of the traffic and industries, the chit-chat of the doorkeepers, sharellas and nannies. Or the difference of daily lives in regular, in summer, during the ramadan. Egypt still works as a time machine.



4. This memoir is the very best I've read. It takes the author from his earliest years as part of a large Jewish family which moved from Turkey to Alexandria (he was born in 1951), through the air raid sirens during Suez war with France and England, to the expulsion of the Jews by Nasser in the late 1950s, and then on to his adulthood in America and his return to Egypt following his marriage. After a lengthy opening section dating roughly from age 5 or 6, the narrative skillfully skips back and forth in time. The descriptions of the boy's exotic world and his dysfunctional extended family are priceless, as are the re-invented conversations and arguments among the adults who surround him. There is something Proust-like in the writing, a love of detail for the texture it creates, and something Nabokov-like as well, in the hooded humor and artful language. I found it utterly captivating and written with love, especially for his mother, who was born deaf. I heartily recommend it to anyone who contemplates or is writing a memoir.



5. Andre Aciman's Out of Egypt is an amazing book, I found it very hard to put down. At a time of increased hostility in the middle east it is heartwarming to read of a time when Jews lived in peace with their Muslim and Christian neighbors in Alexandria. Not a whiff of anti Jewish sentiments was reported by Aciman until after the Suez War. Aciman and his family left Egypt in the sixties.
   
   Aciman, like many "Egyptian" Jews preferred to hold European nationalities and in some cases some were French or Italian without ever setting foot in these countries. Europeans had their own courts in Egypt and did not fall under Egyptian Laws. For Aciman, born and raised in Egypt and in many ways no different than many affluent Alexandrians life became unbearable after the waves of Nationalization in the early 60's.
   
   Aciman writes of an Alexandria that no longer exists not just for Egyptian Jews. The population explosion in Egypt has transformed Alexandria beyond recognition; hence Aciman's beautiful writing of Alexandria, its beaches and its tram will bring floods of memories for anyone who's known Alexandria.
   
   Affluent Egyptian Jews who left Egypt in the fifties and sixties are not immediately thought of as refugees and there is little discussion on their issues of identity and affiliation in Egypt and elsewhere. Aciman through his acute sensitivity to the people and events around him and his wonderful story telling skills has produced beautifully written and very touching book that subtly challenges many assumptions on all sides.
   
   Readers will see the very same Alexandria in Leila Ahmed's Border Passage and in parts of Ahdaf Souief's In the Eye of the Sun. Enjoy

5 comments about My Bridges of Hope.

1. Came close to what I expected. Not as powerful as her previous book (I HAVE LIVED A THOUSAND YEARS) but gives a good overview (specially the first 2/3) of what it was like coming back to a soon-to-be Communist (Stalinist) country behind the Iron Courtain, and what it took to flee it and keep on living in limbo for years - and all that in the teenage years.



2. This is one of the best sequels to a Shoah memoir I've read yet. Too many such sequels fall into the trap of simply recounting what happened next and aren't as compelling as the first book because there's no constant suspense and wondering what's going to happen next, which of these people being spoken about survived and who perished. In this sequel, though, there are a lot of interesting details about what happened next, such as Elli's involvement in the Bricha, the refugee house she liked to visit and hang out at, her work at a childrens' summer camp in the mountains, her training to become a teacher, and the long hard road she and her mother went through on their way from escaping from their home town to America before it was too late and the Iron Curtain closed permanently. It was also nice that each chapter was prefaced with the date or dates during which it transpired, so you had a real timeframe of things. The only minor complaint I have is about the languages used; in this book, the Friedmanns' town has returned to Czechoslovakian control and is in what is now the free nation of Slovakia, so they speak Slovakian, though in the first book, when they were in Hungarian hands, they seemed to be native speakers of Hungarian, and in the section of this book where Elli and her mother are being cross-examined when they're sneaking over the border with a transport of real Hungarians, Elli says they can make it, since they speak Hungarian as well as natives. I can't find any mention in the first book about the Friedmanns being Slovakians or speaking that language like their native tongue, but overall, apart from that minor unexplained detail, it's a really good sequel.



3. I recommended the first book to two of the people I know, but what was dissapointing was that they never wanted to read the second book. I think that this was even better than the first, which was really good too! This was a really good addition to the first, very suspenseful and interesting. You only want the best for her.



4. My Bridges of Hope is a fascinating and well-written book that keeps you hooked from the first word to that last. Livia Bitton-Jackson gives you insight into what happened to those who were among the few to survive the Holocaust. The girl in the story is actually a younger Bitton-Jackson when she was growing up. This autobiography is more like a story than a recollection of one's past. The book is set in Czechoslovakia where before the war, Elli (Bitton-Jackson), her brother Bubi, and their parents lived. After the war, their beloved home feels abandoned and changed. Other settings of the book include Elli's apartment and various temporary homes that they live in on their way to finding hope in America.
   They have survived the horrid concentration camps but return to find that their father and aunt both perished in the war. The book describes events that happened through June of 1945 to March 30 of 1951 to a young Jewish woman. Elli is 14 when the book starts out. While fighting her past, she helps out in a camp for orphans, helps refuges escape to Palestine, and continues her education. After her schooling, Elli becomes a teacher. Elli is strong-willed, confused, and hopefully. She is loving and smart. Elli's mother is a seamstress and wants to go to America because they can't stay in their homeland any longer. Her mother loves her children very much and is unfamiliar with the "newer" age. Bubi is Elli's older brother. He is a warm, caring, and affectionate. Elli looks up to him and often finds herself needing his comfort.
   Although both her mother and brother want to go to America, Elli wants to join her friends in going to their "homeland" The dialog in the book was appropriate because she was the character. The words were probably even words she used herself. She keeps you interested because she adds in different languages and so it matches the period. Her style is wonderful and it flows and blends perfectly. She always made it so you understood what was happening. I think this book was written so she could move on and maybe start healing. I think she also wanted others to know what the Jews went through.
   I think this is a wonderful book for young adults. It shows how a young girl changes into a confident woman while she is fighting her past and trying to live her future. It is a great book to add to anyone's Holocaust collection.



5. My Bridges of Hope is an excellent book about a girl named Elli returning from the dreadful Holocaust. Elli returns home expecting everything would be all right, but to her surprise everything has changed and she must too. The Friedmann family goes through many challenges when returning home and must also cope with the loss of family members. The family has to make many tough decisions and just as one problem is solved another comes along. They know they cannot stay in Czechoslovakia but where else would they go? They spend many years waiting and finally their chance comes to be sent to America to start a new life.
   This is an excellent book and I recommend reading it. Even though the Holocaust was over Jews still had many challenges to overtake. Although we think the end of the war was the end of Jewish troubles it was not. This book gives one account of a person's life after the Holocaust.

5 comments about Swimming Up the Sun: A Memoir of Adoption.

1. Very interesting and realistic twist on the adoption search story. The author doesn't sugarcoat anything, and produces a nice mix of humor and deep emotion.
   
   Characters are realistic, which is fitting because this is a memoir, not fiction. But it's very hard to convey a realistic view of family members. Hats off to Nicole Burton for that.
   
   Needs a little editing, otherwise 5 stars.



2. This book rivals some of the best mystery novels. The reader accompanies Nicole Burton as she solves the mystery of who her parents are and describes the relationships she forms with them. The book was sensitive, insightful, and beautifully written. Although it was a serious subject, I found the book witty and humorous. It was a pleasure accompanying her on this adventure.



3. This is a very eloquent and heartfelt account of one woman's search and reunion. The author provides a very moving and well-written account of the events surrounding her search for her birth family and the ensuing reunions and relations. She honestly portrays the feelings and relationships that occured for her. I would highly recommend this book to anyone touched by adoption.



4. Nicole has written a heartfelt, honest account of the complex needs, tensions, and feelings of all the members of a biological family involved in adoption. As an adoptive mother, I especially appreciated the open and sensitive account of an adoptee's search and her emotional roller coaster as she sought to connect with her biological family. I highly recommend this book to all those already involved in adoption, or who are considering an adoption. Adoptees' needs are an important aspect of the situation, and Nicole presents this perspective simply and eloquently.



5. Swimming Up the Sun is a touching and well-written story that reveals the wonderful and agonizing complexity of family relationships. The writer demonstrates grace and wit in her portrayals and inspires empathy in her readers. Though I have never been involved in an adoption, I found the story poignant and deeply relevant, especially at a time when fewer and fewer families resemble traditional family models.

1 comments about The Black Seasons (Jewish Lives).

1. The Black Seasons lets the reader share the fragments of childhood memories of a Jewish child survivor in Poland during German occupation and the Holocaust. This brilliant translation of Michel Glowinski's recounting of his childhood memories is a valuable contribution to the understanding of the experiences of Jewish families in Poland during the time of the "industrialized mass murder", and at the end also shares the reflections of the author at a later time in his life. This book is unique in that it is the honest recounting of fragmentary childhood memories of a time of constant unspeakable fear, told in articulate and eloquent language.

3 comments about The Diary of Petr Ginz.

1. A very thought provoking account of the holocaust. At such a young age Petr inspires through his art, poetry, boyish nature and keenness to learn. Such a clever boy could have grown to be an amazing man and no doubt, if given the opportunity, would have contributed a lot to the world. Unfortunately he was murdered at Auschwitz at age 16 so we are left to a two year snippet of life as he saw it.
   
   His account of Prague during the occupation is very matter of fact, which is very poignant in itself, as it seems almost a natural state of being to Petr. His diary provides a unique insight into the systematic erosion of his rights and the rights of the Jewish community, and the seemingly endless transportation of his friends and family.
   
   Sad and cruel. But I'm glad the diary was uncovered and I was able to experience it is such a small way.



2. This book must be read by both young and old. It will touch your heart and soul. I was moved to tears many times while reading.



3. In reading numerous Holocaust accounts, one is struck especially by the tragic loss of young lives, who had yet to experience the richness of life...Petr Ginz is one such soul. The Diary of Petr Ginz is a chronicle of a 14 year-old boy's day-to-day life under Nazi occupation in Prague. The entries themselves are brief, but are accompanied by Petr's poetry and illustrations, a testament to this young boy's talent, and resilient spirit. His diary chronicles his life between 1941-1942, and ends in Aug 1942, prior to his being deported to Thereisienstadt where he was incarcerated for two years before being sent to a tragic end at the Auschwitz death camp. One can't help but feel a sense of impotent rage at the Nazi monsters that robbed so many innocent souls of a life meant to be lived, especially at the senseless killing of ones so young, and in Petr's case, and many others, possessing such talent that would have enriched the world. This is a remarkable diary, in the vein of the diary of Anne Frank, and other Holocaust diaries that prove the resilience of the human spirit during a dark period in history.