Of course it’s every peasant whose forgiveness must be sought. But the rabbi’s point is even more tyrannical: nothing erases the immoral act. Not forgiveness. Not confession.
And even if an act could be forgiven, no one could bear the responsibility of forgiveness on behalf of the dead. No act of violence is ever resolved. When the one who can forgive can no longer speak, there is only silence.
Fugitive Pieces is a must read for those interested in Jewish fiction or the history of World War II. The book is told in two parts. In the first we have Jakob Beer, rescued as a child from the forces of WWII by a Greek scholar. He struggles mightily with the memories of his parents and sister. They haunt him throughout his life, overshadowing even the good. In the second, we have Ben, the son of two Holocaust survivors. He is much influenced by Jakob’s poetry, which helps him understand his parents’ deep emotional pain, and, in turn, his own. In this regard, I found the second section a bit reminiscent of Maus. In both parts, there is always the question of whether or not the survivors really and truly survived or if they are hopelessly caught in their pasts.
I have a difficult time reading anything about the Holocaust, even if it deals primarily about the aftermath of the survivors. But, I feel it is extremely important for me to do so. I highly recommend this book if you have a similar interest in this topic.
I watched this movie from Netflix instant viewing to wrap up my Jewish Literature Challenge. I also used it for the Orbis Terrarum Film Challenge.
Words cannot describe how much I loved this movie. It’s a film about love, hospitality, and above all, faith. Ushpizin means “holy guests,” and when Moshe and Mali have unexpected guests during the Succoth holiday, their faith is not only tested, but also their love for one another. This is a must see if you are interested at all in the Jewish experience. Highly recommended.
I really loved participating in this challenge again. I enjoyed all my books, especially Petropolis, but the highlight of the challenge was the film Ushpizin. I loved it!
This is a wonderful book for children. Not only was it a Newbery Honor Book, it was also written by Nobel laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer and illustrated by the wonderful Maurice Sendak. With stories of fools, mixed-up feet, devils, and pet goats, this book can be enjoyed by both children and adults.
My favorite was definitely the title story, “Zlateh the Goat.” Zlateh has been good to Aaron’s family, but it is now Hanukkah and the family needs money for basic necessities. Aaron grudgingly leads her to the butcher, only to be caught in a snowstorm. The snow is so bad that no one can even search for the pair. Will Aaron be reunited with his family in time for Hanukkah? Will he even survive the storm?
Recommended for families with children and adults with a Jewish interest.
“Because who wins if a Jew doesn’t go to synagogue?
I’ll tell you who: Hitler.” — p. 133
This collection of stories by David Bezmozgis is about a Latvian Jewish family who emigrate to Toronto, Canada. It was a NYT Notable Book in 2004.
Mark is the only child of Roman and Bella Berman. All seven stories in the collection feature Mark in his growing up years. First, I’ll give a brief synopsis of each story and then my thoughts on the collection as a whole.
“Tapka” — It’s 1980 and Mark has been in Canada for 3 weeks. He’s in the first grade and hangs out with his cousin Jana. Some elderly neighbors have a dog that they idolize, and they begin to trust Mark and Jana to take care of it.
“Roman Berman, Massage Therapist” – Mark’s father works at a chocolate factory but is also studying to become qualified as a massage therapist. He hopes an important doctor in the neighborhood will be a source for referrals.
“The Second Strongest Man” — Sergei, a very important person from the Bermans’ past, comes to Canada for a wrestling tournament.
“An Animal to the Memory” — Mark begins to have trouble with his classmates and the principal, particularly on Holocaust Day.
“Natasha” — Mark and Natasha, the daughter of his uncle’s wife, become close friends.
“Choynski” — Mark deals with the deaths of two people who are close to him.
“Minyan” — Mark’s grandfather looks for a place to live.
This is one of the best short story collections I’ve read. All seven stories were unique, but they all fit together nicely to explore Mark’s experiences. Although I thought all of the stories were extremely good, I thought “The Second Strongest Man” and “An Animal to the Memory” were the strongest. If an author can make me interested in a story about wrestling, he is very good indeed. I could really feel the menace, the frustration, and the envy of the characters come through the pages. And in “An Animal to the Memory,” the author’s depiction of Mark’s turmoil as he comes to terms with his Jewish heritage was very well done.
Highly recommended, especially for those with an interest in Jewish, Soviet/Russian, or Canadian literature.
From a fearful height, a wandering light,
but does a star glitter like this, crying?
Transparent star, wandering light
your brother, Petropolis, is dying.
From a fearful height, earthly dreams are alight,
and a green star is crying.
Oh star, if you are the brother of water and light,
your brother, Petropolis, is dying.
A monstrous ship, from a fearful height,
is rushing on, spreading its wings, flying.
Green star, in beautiful poverty,
your brother, Petropolis, is dying.
Transparent spring has broken, above the black Neva’s hiss
the wax of immortality is liquefying.
Oh if you are star – your city, Petropolis,
your brother, Petropolis, is dying.
–Osip Mandelstam
Sasha Goldberg has a hard life in Asbestos 2, a dying town in Siberia. Her father has either disappeared or left his family, her mother is very high-strung and a bit crazy, and her community is almost completely in shambles. After securing a coveted position in a prestigious art school, Sasha, too, leaves it all to become a mail order bride to an American. In America, she learns English, lives in Arizona, Chicago, and New York, and tries to find her father. In doing all this, she is also trying to find herself and come to terms with her past and her homeland.
I could say so much more about the basic plot of the book, but I always hesitate to give away too many spoilers. Sasha was a very unique character, and I enjoyed reading about her and seeing her development from a young girl to a young woman. The imagery in the book was also done very well. The descriptions of the poverty in Asbestos 2 were especially convincing, and there is a scene at the end of the book that I found particularly chilling (but fascinating). In fact, the last few pages of the book impressed me enough to raise my rating from a 4 to a 4.5. I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in Russian history and/or the immigrant experience.
Did you know it was Jewish Book Month? I didn’t, but when I found out, I wanted to read a title from a Jewish author. Lara Vapnyar won the 2004 Goldberg Prize for Jewish Fiction by Emerging Writers forThere Are Jews in my House. She emigrated from Russia in 1994 when she was in her early twenties and now lives in New York.
“A Bunch of Broccoli on the Third Shelf” tells the story of Nina, a Russian immigrant who loves to shop for vegetables but rarely cooks them.
“Borscht” is a sad story about two people who come to the States to earn money for their families, but then their loved ones are indifferent to them going back home to Russia.
“Puffed Rice and Meatballs” is about Katya’s memory of a childhood incident that she refuses to share with her American boyfriend.
In “Salad Olivier,” a mother tries to find her daughter a boyfriend — but he must be Russian.
“Luda and Milena” was my favorite story. Two older women fighting over an older man with their cooking.
In “Slicing Sauteed Spinach,” Ruzena lets her lover choose her food for her. Until…
I really enjoyed this collection, but especially “Luda and Milena.” It was a pure gem. I now plan on reading There Are Jews in My House for the Jewish Literature Challenge.
“[A psalm of David.] The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”
Of course it’s every peasant whose forgiveness must be sought. But the rabbi’s point is even more tyrannical: nothing erases the immoral act. Not forgiveness. Not confession.
This is a wonderful book for children. Not only was it a Newbery Honor Book, it was also written by Nobel laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer and illustrated by the wonderful Maurice Sendak. With stories of fools, mixed-up feet, devils, and pet goats, this book can be enjoyed by both children and adults.
