A Day of Small Beginnings

by Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum

Book Overview

Poland, 1906: on a cold spring night, in the small Jewish cemetery of Zokof, Friedl Alterman is wakened from death. On the ground above her crouches Itzik Leiber, a reclusive, unbelieving fourteen-year-old whose fatal mistake has spurred the town's angry residents to violence. The childless Friedl rises to guide him to safety -- only to find she cannot go back to her grave. Now Friedl is trapped in that thin world between life and death, her brash...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316014516
• ISBN13: 9780316014519
• Release Date: November 2006
• Publisher: Little Brown and Company
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Well written on so many levels

This is an extraordinarily rich novel on so many levels, Jewish and non. We are taken on a soulful, suspenseful journey of 3 generations of a Jewish family. Grandfather Itzik triggers a series of events that lead to his immigration to America. Years later, his son Nathan travels to Poland on a work-related project, where he awakens unresolved issues relating to his father's secret past and begins to question his own inner identity as a secular Jew with an Americanized last name. The third and final generation is represented by his daughter Ellen, a young, modern Jewish woman whose sensibilities and attitudes are, to me, characteristic of the generation she represents. Each character makes discoveries about the role of Judaism in his/her life. The characters are extremely human and multifaceted. Regarding Judaism, you will find lots of references to Jewish wisdom and experience. (I delighted to learn that pisha paysha was indeed a real card game, not just a game made up by my own Jewish Polish immigrant grandmother.) In the author's recreation of the Jewish world that was, we do not find a musty world. Freidl - a ghost - is a link between all 3 generations and their Polish past. She is, in fact, the driving force in this suspense novel. Her role as catalyst and connecting thread is, from a literary standpoint, superbly woven. She is something of a "living" witness to shtetl life, thrust into our modern era. This makes for some humorous moments, as well. Besides recreating the experiences of Poland's Jewish past, the author gives us a vibrant look into modern Poland. Through some well-developed, non-Jewish Polish characters, we are presented with perspectives into the Polish psyche. As Ellen starts to make friendships with other young adults she meets in Poland, she explores the possibility for Jewish-Christian reconciliation and also finds new meaning in being a Jew. This is one of the best novels I have read in a very long time, and I am awed by the knowledge base of the author.

an excellent book

'A Day of Small Beginnings' is such a good book- well written, credible and sympathetic characters, thoughtful insights into history and genealogy, a setting that depicts anti-Semitism to those of us who did not grow up in Europe and that adds to one's understanding of the world that created pogroms and the Holocaust in the first place. The main aspect of this world that makes me sad, however, is that the hope we have lived with since the end of the Second World War, the values of individual liberty, democracy, progress , help for the suffering, freedom of religion, and so on, are perhaps farther away now than they were 60 years ago. Tribalism and balkanization are as alive and well now as they were in the Middle Ages.

Suburb writer!

Reviewed by Deb Shunamon for Reader Views (11/06) I would read anything else written by this author in a heartbeat. Not only is this story incredibly interesting, but Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum is a superb writer. "A Day of Small Beginnings" is catalogued as a fictional novel on the topics of: Spirits, Jewish families, and Poland, but it is so much more. Fourteen year-old Itzik Leiber awakens the spirit of a Jewish woman by desperately praying for help in a graveyard, and so begins a fantastic story that travels through generations, from Poland in 1906, to America, and back to a healing, present-day Poland. The book masterfully covers a lot. The scrutiny of, loss of, and tentative discovery of religious faith, and the abundance of historical and cultural information on Poland are fascinating, but I particularly liked what it had to say about some effects of immigration. Rosenbaum says in the Acknowledgement that she discovered her story was more universal than she had originally thought, and I totally agree. This book will appeal to interests beyond the formal catalogue topics, as this wise author comments on human nature, religious and cultural change/clashes, and insularity vs. the globalization of our world. If I have any criticism to make, it's that I don't like having dance or artwork described to me as I am never able to fully empathize with the character's reactions to the works afterwards. However, the opening paragraph of the book immediately peaked my curiosity, the second paragraph had me hooked into a tale that I had to learn more about, and by the end of the first page I had a very difficult time putting this book down for any reason. It was a sincere pleasure to read Rosenbaum's concise, clear writing, and experience this elegant, insightful story about life. "A Day of Small Beginnings" moves along at a quick, enjoyable pace; its cover is lovely and the chapter designs are refined, and the words on its pages are worth every minute of any thoughtful reader's time.

A masterful achievement that touches the heart

Other reviewers have summarized the plot of this wonderful debut novel by Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum. I'm impressed by the way Rosenbaum expertly interweaves characters and plot lines, taking us on a journey from Europe to America and back again. On the way, she tackles the big topics, such as how one connects to his or her past, how one learns to balance the spiritual and the intellectual in the modern world, and how one learns to embrace an almost-unknown heritage, to forgive, and move on. The novel is about courage, assimilation, reconciliation, and the healing power of art. As I read the story of Itzik, Nathan, and Ellen, all influenced by the magical spirit of Freidl, I was led to examine my own relationship with my ancestors, my religion, and my creativity. It's hard to imagine that a book about being Jewish in the last century could be so positive and hopeful. That Rosenbaum accomplishes this is a masterful achievement.

Painful, Beautiful, Illuminating

In 1906, a fourteen-year-old Jewish boy tries to save small children from the wrath of a drunken bully. The man is killed by accident, and Itzik Leiber is pursued by an angry group bent on revenge. When Itzik hides in a cemetery, the ghost of Freidl Alterman rises to save his life. Childless in life, she promises God she will care for the errant boy. In 1991, Itzik's son, Nathan, travels to Poland for a political conference. While there, he visits the town where Itzik was born. He meets Rafael, the last Jew of Zokof, and learns about the ghostly woman who figured in Itzik's escape. Nathan returns to the United States confused and restless. In 1992, Itzik's granddaughter, Ellen, is invited to work with a prestigious Polish dance troupe. During her summer stay, she visits Rafael to learn more about her heritage and Freidl. Raised an atheist, Ellen is confused about her identity as a Jew. She senses her love of dance and music are connected to many unknown aspects of her life, including Freidl, who she comes to admire. Supported by her musician lover, she seeks meaning and rest for a charismatic ghost. In this, her first novel, Lisa Pearl Rosenbaum writes not only with the voice of a seasoned author, but also with a deep, soulful heart. The stories of Itzik, Nathan, and Ellen are painful, beautiful, and illuminating. Questions raised by the characters will sink into the reader's spirit in a way rarely accomplished in popular fiction. What does it mean to be a Jew? What does it mean to be a Gentile? What does it mean to deny who you are? These are small beginnings to larger questions. Beyond the inherent soul-searching, Rosenbaum meets head on the issues of anti-Semitism in today's world. Americans of Jewish descent often have little idea that walls of hatred and suspicion still exist in places far from the "land of milk and honey." What we see in the news is abstract until we experience it for ourselves. This is a small part of what Rosenbaum teaches us. But more importantly, she offers hope. A good life is a series of steps taken over roads rough and smooth. Know what lies within your heart and use it, then you will find the strength you need to move on. Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer 11/03/2006