January 2016 Herbert Quelle, German Consul General
“Karen Kaplan’s memoir "Descendants of Rajgród" has moved me deeply. The author permits an intimate insight into her soul and the psychological burden that she has carried along as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. She freely shares her family story, especially the difficult relationship with her father, embeds it into the history of the Jewish people constantly confronted with anti-semitism, and shows the reader in a carefully meditated way how she overcame her traumatization. Her private solution lies in forgiveness. Her effort of soul-searching is painful. Not everyone may come to the same conclusions. At any rate, reading her journey to freedom is inspiring and time well spent.”
Herbert Quelle, German Consul General in Chicago
July 2, 2016
What a beautiful book you have written. Thank you for sharing your life and experiences. The relaxed, conversational prose pulled me right in. I felt as though I had met you and your family members because of the generous way you shared your stories. Although I was raised Catholic ( no longer a member) I have never been able to fathom forgiveness. You have given me the determination to delve into this complex subject. Thank you and bless you!
Judith E. S.
MAY 2016 I Highly Recommend "Descendants of Rajgrod!"
I read quite a bit of history and I don't usually read memoirs. But I am so glad I read this... you wrote it from the heart, it was hard hitting and very honest. Forgiveness is one of the toughest subjects for people to deal with, because of the personal damage that the hurt that was inflicted leaves in its wake! We as humans know how to treat a wound on our body, first thing we learn is don't pick at it and we don't and it heals. The wound to our psyche we love to pick at because we don't want to the wound to heal. We have been wronged, our pride is at stake, we have been lied about and in most cases we don't want to forgive... Only the weak forgive, when in truth only the truly strong forgive and move on...... As a Priest friend said to me one time; Priests, Ministers and Rabbis spend more time helping people deal with their emotional problems then psychiatrists do, and it's cheaper! "LOL" ......... For those of you who have not read this book, "Descendants of Rajgrod" all I have to say is that this is a special kind of book, of a journey down the road to forgiveness. Highly recommend it! - Robert Snow
July 24, 2016
Lorna Cameron Tough .......I had always believed, Karen, that our bodies carried "our" trauma and I discussed with my therapist last week what you said in your interview and how I wondered whether I carried my father's ptsd. She was in agreement with you. Wake up calls galore for me so I am grateful to you for your validation of your own wounds. Namaste xx
FEBRUARY 2015 Rabbi Len Zukrow
While Karen Kaplan writes very personally of her journey – growing up as the child of a survivor, suffering from her father’s ill will toward her and the terror of a robbery she brings us to forgiveness – the most challenging of human behaviors and emotions. She brings us her story that ultimately becomes our story as we share through her forthright openness her lesson that forgiveness does have the power to overcome tragedy and heartbreak. Her presentation to our community was moving and powerful. A moment of transformation that all of us will long remember as we consider her story when we are called upon to forgive, repent, repair and move forward toward a life of purpose and meaning with kindness and generosity of spirit.
Rabbi Len Zukrow, Temple Beth El of Munster Indiana
April 2015 A review from GreeceDear karen,what you went through was not just a transformation. To me, it looks like a trip to hell. ........... Thank God you are back, alive and well. And thanks for sharing.The book is not a simple memoir, in an era where pseudo-memoirs are in abudance. Your book is what I call in greek "katathesi phychis" or "soul submission" according to Google translation, though another exprssion such as "bare of soul" maybe more appropriate..........Txxxx"Those who do not forgive are those who are least capable of changing the circumstances of their lives".
MAY 17, 2016 Review from Warsaw, PolandDear Karen,I finished reading. This was without any doubts one of the most important book in my life. Not only because it is written with inner passion and with visible story-telling and writing skills, but rather because it shows also the essence of the story of my life.
I had a very difficult and dark childhood, with too strict, demanding and emotionally chaotic father who turned over years into a heavy alcoholic. I hated him so much, for who he was, for what he did to me, my sister and my mom. I was constantly afraid of him beyond my capabilities to deal with it. My life was a nightmare then. When I was a teenager I was already isolated from him. I built a shield, and I locked him outside my world. ...........I did not see that by doing this (and that could not be avoided at that time) I deeply hurt myself......,...my world turned up side down............ Now I can feel pure love for him, pure love to myself and every people, even those who did hurt me. I just let go. I let go my atheism, I know that there is a divine power, I felt it and I keep feeling it. I am not a realigious person, but I let spirituality to my life and I understood that our material form of being is a temporary stage, we came from..... I did what you did, in my own world, I challenged my fears and hatred. And I triupmhed. I will have more challenges and happy moments but I am equipped now with a perspective on life that I think we share.
I believe your book is very important. I believe everybody should do in their life what you did in yours. I believe that we may get to the next level of our humanity if we all get what you and me understood and implemented.
Now, a young Polish guy was crying while reading many words you wrote. It was a cathartic read, as Professor Emman Chedade Randazzo stated (a Palestinian saying this... is so beautiful). I felt close to you and shared many feelings that you expressed in this memoir. I felt this obvious closeness to you, a Jewish woman from America, daughter of a man, who had to kill any love in his life in order to survive the nightmare of Shoah. And the reason he had to do that is related to evil people from my tribe, my nation. It opens up so much. I just want to say, never mind it sounds crazy, that I love you for what you did in your life to overcome what he felt about Polish murderers of his beloved ones and his own ability to love and share love.
I wish you all the best and you can be sure that there is at least this one man in Warsaw today, who is sending you the best energy all the way to Chicago and your life. I hope one day I will have a chance to meet you again .......And you can be sure I will send the same energy to Arie Kaplan, his spirit. Maybe this deed coming from a Pole, who belongs to Krystyna Franciska part of our community and opposes the Jablonski and Kordash part of our community, will bring your father's soul some calm.
J....
November 2015 FILM DIRECTOR review
Hi Karen,
We met (briefly) in Evanston when I showed my film in November. I finally got around to reading your book and I must admit, I wasn't looking forward to it (I've read a LOT of Holocaust era memoirs), but I found it completely compelling and engaging. Your father sounds "typical" in some ways for survivors, but rather extreme in certain colorful ways and your personal history of coming to terms with it all was very moving. And then after all that, the Epilogue … wow! A very moving book............
...........But on a more important level, your story was very moving and touching. Congratulations with it, and with getting it out there!I had just returned from a trip through Poland before I screens at the synagogue in Evanston, and ironically one of the screenings was in Bialystok, where I had never been before. I didn't know its history, how it had had a large Jewish population, and the recent book about it which painted a very intolerant image of the city, and which got a lot of press and attention in the country, In actuality it was, after 12 trips to Poland, one of the very first places I was at besides Warsaw and Krakow - there've been a few for brief trips, but my experience in Poland is deep, but narrow. I certainly found it fascinating on that level, but also what was, and what is.Also, I remember your saying you'd be going to Germany, I too am hoping to go there this spring, for a number of screenings. Looking forward!Once more thank you, and congratulations. Wish you well with it and do hope to stay in touch.All best,xxxxxx
APRIL 2018ByJ. Goldmanon April 17, 2018This was an amazing book. I read it non-stop from start to finish. This was last year, but I find myself still thinking about it, and that's rare for me, so I figured it was worth my writing this review.
It's a very personal story, but it's also as universal as could be. To me, the book is about how a horrible history, which seems so long-ago, not only permanently warped a young man but continued to cause acute pain to the man's descendants, 60 and 70 years later. Reading about how the author figured everything out was absolutely fascinating. It was also inspiring. This is a story about history, family, being a detective in your own life, and the necessity and challenges of forgiveness.
July 11, 2016 The Cornelia Street Cafe with Karen Kaplan and Robin Hirsch
Interesting evening at Cornelia Street Cafe.....What brought my friend Renee and I to the Village was Karen Kaplan discussing her book about growing up in a family of Holocaust survivors & why forgiveness was crucial to "moving on and living a healthy, productive life.....And to the remnants of my extended family, who have risen from the ashes of the Holocaust, I say that I'm a work in progress & am ever hopeful that our current reality evolves. -S. Levin