Harriet Ottenstein

Memories of a Jewish Childhood (Volume 1) Harriet Ottenstein

'Memories of a Jewish Childhood" is a unique book. It is an American story. Detailing an almost exclusively Jewish neighborhood in the northeast during the 1950's, the neighborhood becomes a Jewish haven for arriving survivors of the Holocaust. Stories from the Holocaust abound, but this is not a Holocaust book. Rather it addresses the impact of those tales of horror told behind closed doors and the influence of those stories on the identities of Jewish children who grew up in America in the shadow of the Holocaust. It will reveal a life that most Americans have never experienced, becoming a window into Ashkenzic Jewish life and assimilation. The book is touching and terrifying, but with quite a few laughs as well. There is a lesson in every story which is suitable for young readers as an introduction to life after the war and even the Holocaust itself. Teachers in public schools have requested the book for their classroom discussions. Jewish Day Schools and Sunday schools have found a feeling, poignant aid to their curriculums. "Memories of a Jewish Childhood", written in a conversational narrative tone lends itself for a teacher or parent to read aloud. It has captivated audiences of young and old. Jewish values and traditions are demonstrated in simple everyday living. The Christian community has applauded the book recognizing that it gently demonstrates much insight into the Jewish holidays and beliefs which adds more understanding of universal Christian-Judeo practices. The book will resonate with "baby-boomers", of the 1950's era. Readers have shared that they could not put the book down and came away with much to consider and much to remember. "Memories of a Jewish Childhood" is a slim little volume that packs profound messages...a must read for people who want to feel, laugh and cry, but most of all learn.