Havah's Journey

The Havah's Journey trilogy-Please Say Kaddish for Me, From Silt and Ashes, As One Must, One Can-abridged into one illustrated volume with bonus stories. No one can forget the bravery and perseverance of Havah Cohen Gitterman, the Jewish heroine of Rochelle Wisoff-Fields's captivating family saga. Born in Czarist Russia at the turn of the century, Havah is the only survivor of the pogrom that kills her family. But with Arel, the love of her life, she makes it to America hoping for a second chance. There, Havah bucks tradition by teaching Hebrew and the Torah to girls. She is blessed with a daughter, who is born blind. Given strength by the memories of those who have been lost or left behind, Havah learns to rely on her faith and courage to rise above the prejudice and hate that hide in the shadows of the New World. This is her story, told in illustrations, short stories, and character profiles of the fictional and historical figures who cross Havah's path. It is a tribute to the persecuted Eastern European Jews who survived against all odds and lived to inspire future generations.

Nineteenth-century Russia is not a safe place for those of Jewish faith. They are prisoners in their country, unable to own land, and denied an education beyond their Hebrew schools. Pogroms rage-and it is one such massacre that rips Havah Cohen's family from her... Found wounded and barefoot on the steps of nearby synagogue, clad in only a nightdress, Havah is taken to safety by a rabbi and his son, Arel, who are shocked to hear the words of the Kaddish come from a mere girl. No woman should know the holy writings. Havah is welcomed into the house of the local midwife, where she becomes part of the family and close-knit community-though some eye her with suspicion as the rumor of her praying spreads. And while she now lives with the girl who is Arel's intended, his kind face is never far from her mind. With the pain of her family's death and the threat of pogrom always hanging over her, the fiercely intelligent and independent Havah knows that a bigger world awaits-if she's brave enough to meet it...

The author of Please Say Kaddish for Me continues the story of a Jewish woman's journey from Czarist Russia to the heartland of America. Since losing her family in a pogrom, Havah Gitterman has already seen the worst of humanity. But at last, she and her husband Arel have made it to Kansas City, thanks to Havah's benefactor. Though haunted by friends and family they have lost-and those left behind-the couple hopes to make a new beginning, especially since Havah is pregnant. But some traditions are hard to change. Havah studies the Torah in Hebrew and considers teaching it to other girls, much to the chagrin of those still clinging to the old ways. And when Havah gives birth to a daughter who is blind, Arel's dismay shocks Havah, threatening their marriage. Havah will learn that even in the New World, prejudice and hate thrive in the shadows, and some wounds will never heal. But with perseverance and faith, Havah will find her way and set an example for her daughter, her community, and generations to come...