A Dissenter in the House of God

by Alvin Rosenfeld

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312043031
• ISBN13: 9780312043032
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.

Customer Reviews

An Inspiring and Enjoyable Read

On the surface, Alvin Rosenfeld has written a "Jewish book" about a Holocaust survivor who is battling the demons of what he witnessed and who he left behind under the ground in Eastern Europe. The book is filled with yiddish expressions and other references to Jewish culture, including the culture that was created by the largest Jewish community in the Western Hemisphere (New York City). Believe me, though, this book should be read by Gentiles as well as Jews. It is not a book about the Jewish world so much as about the human condition and, in particular, about the way people cope with tragedy. Rosenfeld, a renowned psychiatrist, has conceived a character, in Hyman Schwartz, to whom the reader cannot help but relate. Devastated by the Holocaust and the loss of his beloved wife and son, Schwartz goes through life in New York in a semi-living, semi-loving state. Is such a condition terminal? Rosenfeld gives us hope that the answer is a resounding "No!" but he also shows us that "reenter[ing] the world of vulnerable, suffering humans" after the tragedy of tragedies is easier said than done. In the end, Rosenfeld's book is a tale of the importance of knowing people who truly care about us. Given such support, the psyche can endure incredible suffering and come out the other end -- scathed, yes, but still ready to engage life emotionally as well as spiritually. But without human affection, without genuine support, what are we left with? Rosenfeld doesn't explicitly tell us, but I'm afraid he doesn't have to.

a unique and extraordinary perspective

Although many books have been written about the Holocaust, this is the first book to my knowledge that is written from the framework and viewpoint of a Survivor. We presented the book to a friend who lived through a concentration camp, and his response was enthusiastic and thankful. He felt as if the book had told his personal story, a story not previously recounted. He felt it would help his family understand him better and that it was important and valuable for them to be able to make sense of his experience.

Absorbing story of holocaust survivor and his return to life

This short book (St. Martin's Press, 1990) is a gem.Hyman Schwartz, a Polish Holocaust survivor who has lost his wife and son, finds work as an accountant in New York. Hyman lives an ascetic life and accepts no favors or invitations; he is angry at God and sees himself as uniquely qualified to indict Him. Ten years later a young Hungarian refugee, Shimshon, appears in the accounting firm and demands instruction. Hyman rejects Shimshon's requests as he has rejected all other attempts to involve him in relationships.: his life is on hold and he thinks only of his lost Rachel and David. Shimshon appears every day at noon and asks Hyman to eat with him; every day Hyman tells him he is too busy. But Shimshon has a secret: just as Hyman has lost a son, he has lost a father. In a dramatic moment the younger man reveals this, challenging Hyman's claim to solitary suffering. Shimshon's persistence in spite of repeated rebuffs eventually wins him not only Hyman's friendship and support, but also the knowledge that he has reached the embittered man's frozen heart and thawed it.Rosenfeld enlivens his story with rich detail. The reader is informed about the concurrent activities of the Brooklyn Dodgers (who win their first World Series), about the history of the Jewish communities in Poland and Hungary between the wars, and about the practice and philosophy of accounting. Doubtless there are many literary parallels to the evolving friendship of Hyman and Shimshon, but this reader was reminded of St. Exupery's Little Prince and his instruction by the fox about how the prince must behave if he wants to tame him. He must come the same day of the week at the same time, and though the fox will run from him at first, sooner or later he will look forward to his visits.The author's style is often spare and poetic.: a barn whose roof was tilted so low "that it looked like an old stoop-shouldered woman bowing to pray," or Hyman finding his old house in Warsaw destroyed; pressing his forehead to the step "he prostrated himself and cried, 'Please send them back, please,' but the cement did not reply."Hyman Schwartz's story is memorable. This reader has read the book twice and both times found it compelling.

Excelent book, Very Real and from the heart.

This book was wonderful.. You can just feel the characters come alive. I wish it had 300 more pages

A fantastic book

This is a fantastic book. The characters are so vividly depicted that I felt like if I were wondering in their minds. The writer balances inner thoughts and every-day elements with a deep knowledge of human nature.