Currently Reading...

I was fortunate to meet Lorraine Lotzof Abramson, the author of My Race. Lorraine's grandparents left Eastern Europe to escape oppression, only to find themselves in another oppressive society. This time, by the virtue of their white skin, they were on the same side of the fence as the oppressors. Lorraine's first-hand account shares her ambitions, achievements, losses, and family ties--and her growing unease with the system of social inequality that simultaneously excluded her and celebrated her.

What struck a cord with me was when Lorraine shared the story of her recent visit to Poland with her grandfather, to the town where he was raised. As she and her family walked down her grandfather's childhood street, they spotted a small shul at the end of the block. Their guide explained the synagogue had long been closed and boarded up, but upon further inspection, Lorraine's daughter noticed that a back door was ajar. It gave me chills to listen to Lorraine recount what they found... the shul was ransacked and appeared as it most likely had the day it was raided by the Nazis. There were sedarim and tefillin strewn across the small prayer room. When Lorraine lifted an old Torah cover she saved from the tiny shul I began to cry. My Ziedi, in his mid-eighties, prays twice a day. A survivor of these harrowing stories and he still has his faith. Listening to Lorraine I felt a grief, but also a strong sense of pride. 

I've just started reading My Race and am enjoying Lorraine's stories. For more information, visit www.lorrainesbook.com.