Celia Gurevitch Jewish Community Library

A few weeks ago Linda Press Wulf, the author of “The night of the burning: Devorah’s story” announced on the Jewish librarians’ email list that a benefactor is sponsoring sending five copies of the aforementioned awards winning book. It was a first come, first served opportunity, but I responded fast enough to the message to be one of the lucky ones. The book has arrived last week and today I managed to finish cataloging and adding it to the library’s collection. You’re welcome and encouraged to borrow it, particularly if you have a child in the 5th to 7th grade age group. But the book is good read for adults as well.

The description from the author’s website summarizes the story in these words:

The novel tells the story of sisters Devorah and Nechama, who survive a brutal pogrom in Poland after the First World War. A Jewish philanthropist (based on real-life hero Isaac Ochberg) offers to take them to safety in South Africa, in a group of 200 war orphans. But their new-found security in Cape Town is cut short when the two are sent to live with different families.

Following the link above you will also find a number of resources related to the book, including questions of a reading guide, an explanation to what extent the book is fiction and history at the same time, and reviews.

What I enjoyed most in the book, besides the heartbreaking and heart warming storyline were the descriptions. As Chanukkah is coming up let me just quote a brief passage about that from page 5-6, set in the orphanage.

I must have drifted into sleep no my mattress. I was dreaming about Mama’s latkes. Usually Mama would cook the potato pancakes on the iron sheet on top of the stove, but at Chanukkah she fried them in precious, expensive oil.
“Ah, Mama,” Papa would sigh with satisfaction. “The pancakes are like angels singing.”
“More, Mama, more, Mama, more!” I would chant, and of course Nechama copied me.
Someone was shaking my shoulder gently. I groaned, trying to hold on to my dream. I was so happy being in my old life again.