I’m getting ready to go to The Netherlands to do research. Two days ago I suddenly thought of a place I hadn’t considered visiting yet. My mother and her family went into hiding for a short time during the war. My mother had told me that they were hiding in the attic of Bobby andContinue reading “What’s in a Name?”
Category Archives: Memory
Stolperstein and The Day of Judiasm
The Day of Judaism (January 17) is a day dedicated to Christian-Jewish reflection. The Roman Catholic Church in Italy started this day in 1990. I am not entirely sure of the history, but I believe it is intended to be a way for Christians to better understand the Jewish roots of their faith. In 1997Continue reading “Stolperstein and The Day of Judiasm”
Why I’m Writing about the Holocaust – Part 2
This is a powerful piece (click on the link below) by Naftali Bendavid that appeared in the Wall Street Journal last week. It is about the last survivors of the Holocaust telling their stories. According to the popular press there were only 100 child survivors of Theresienstadt. My mother was one of them. I don’t knowContinue reading “Why I’m Writing about the Holocaust – Part 2”
Why I’m Writing about the Holocaust
Please watch this short video. It is short and speaks for itself. We are raising a generation of students who don’t know about the Holocaust. If they don’t know, it is because nobody taught them. If they don’t know, G-d help us all in the future. We all need to know what has happened toContinue reading “Why I’m Writing about the Holocaust”
Writing Tools
My daughter asked me to blog about my writing process. I have been thinking about that request at the same time that I have been stuck. It isn’t so much that I have writer’s block. It is more that I keep getting confused. I am having trouble keeping track of the dates and who-was-where-when andContinue reading “Writing Tools”
Journey of the Ring
I caught this short story on NPR yesterday. Warms the heart! I think I know a bit of how Mr. Cox feels as I have had the same surprise and appreciation each time I encounter someone across the miles who puts a piece of my family’s WWII story together.
Bobby and Bertram – part 2
In May I wrote about my Great Uncle Bobby and how he had tried to escape Nazi-occupied Netherlands with his friend Bertram Polak. As far as I can tell, Bobby and Bertram probably met through their work, as they were both involved in the leather industry. However, thanks to modern technology, I have figured outContinue reading “Bobby and Bertram – part 2”
The Most Important Critic
Mom reading a draft of the book I’m visiting my parents this week and have a new reader — mom. When I pulled my current draft out of my bag and put it on the coffee table it was quickly scooped up. Mom dove in immediately and the editorial remarks have been coming in fast.Continue reading “The Most Important Critic”
A picture tells a thousand words (especially when I don’t have time to write)
Just a quick post today. Here are a couple of pictures of our meeting last week. You can see how excited we all were to share the pictures and documents we had from the 1940’s. Top: Arnoud-Jan showing me some documents he found in the Red Cross archives. Bottom: I’m showing the pictures I pulledContinue reading “A picture tells a thousand words (especially when I don’t have time to write)”
Bobby & Bertram
In the last post I told you I would be having an exciting meeting this week. Yesterday I had a lovely lunch with Arnoud-Jan Bijsterveld, Fred (nephew of Bertram), my mother and my Aunt Nicky (nieces of Bobby) and various other friends and spouses. Fred and his wife, Carol, were gracious hosts. We sat onContinue reading “Bobby & Bertram”
K Heidi Fishman (Popje and Me) 