Tuesday, December 17, 2019

In Fire and Snow: Memories of a Ghetto FighterIn Fire and Snow: Memories of a Ghetto Fighter by Yaacov (Yakubek) Putermilch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Raising the memory of his comrades and fellow holocaust survivors...

The late Israeli author Yaacov Putermilch wrote a unique and exceptional memoir about his experiences during the Holocaust. He paints an all-encompassing human dramatization of love, loss and survival in a very vivid and compelling way. It's a heart-rending and thought-provoking read that will leave you, unexpectedly, feeling like a better person for having read it.

IN FIRE AND SNOW is a powerful story about a young boy who joined the “Hashomer Hatzair” youth movement, and in the summer of 1942, joined the Jewish combat organization - JCO in the Warsaw Ghetto. He participated in the Polish uprising in Warsaw. In January 1945, upon the liberation of Warsaw, he and a group of surviving fighters, including his future wife, Masha, who fought in the central Ghetto as a member of the “Bund” movement, left Warsaw toward Bucharest, Romania. In October 1945, the group received certificates to travel to Palestine, and Yaacov fulfilled his wish to reach the holy land.

Each Holocaust survivor has a unique and individual story. However, these survivor’s stories didn’t end in 1945. They continue through to the present day. Their testimonies provide us with an understanding of how the events of the Holocaust have shaped their lives and are an ongoing testimony to the strength of the human spirit.

This was such a phenomenal read. It’s a story you won’t soon forget. It’s a book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it.

Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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