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Galician Portraits: In Search of Jewish Roots
In his first book, Galician Trails, Andrew Zalewski traced his mother's family from the 18th century to the mid-20th. Now, in Galician Portraits, he discovers his father's side, who also lived in Galicia, but whose experiences were very different simply because they were Jewish. Galician Portraits is much more than a record of one family. The story is anchored in Austrian Galicia (1772-1918), which once spanned parts of today's Poland and Ukraine, but it also covers centuries of Jewish history in the region, before and after Galicia existed. Large cities, small towns, and tiny farming villages are the tale's backdrop. In them, people from a variety of ethnic groups live alongside a large community of Israelites. In these pages, Galicia's Jewish community emerges as far more diverse than one could ever imagine. The laws and trends of the day were hotly debated within it. A perpetual tension between old and new sometimes brought dramatic consequences, even breakaway factions. Passionate arguments about language, customs, and loyalties easily erupted. But even in difficult times, there were brave voices that spoke loudly against prejudice. Tracing Jewish heritage anywhere in Europe is complicated; and certainly, the long shadow of WWII broke any continuity between past and present in the place that was called Galicia. Yet the author has discovered many voices that had long been forgotten, as well as surprising details about his own family.
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Galician Portraits: In Search of Jewish Roots
In his first book, Galician Trails, Andrew Zalewski traced his mother's family from the 18th century to the mid-20th. Now, in Galician Portraits, he discovers his father's side, who also lived in Galicia, but whose experiences were very different simply because they were Jewish. Galician Portraits is much more than a record of one family. The story is anchored in Austrian Galicia (1772-1918), which once spanned parts of today's Poland and Ukraine, but it also covers centuries of Jewish history in the region, before and after Galicia existed. Large cities, small towns, and tiny farming villages are the tale's backdrop. In them, people from a variety of ethnic groups live alongside a large community of Israelites. In these pages, Galicia's Jewish community emerges as far more diverse than one could ever imagine. The laws and trends of the day were hotly debated within it. A perpetual tension between old and new sometimes brought dramatic consequences, even breakaway factions. Passionate arguments about language, customs, and loyalties easily erupted. But even in difficult times, there were brave voices that spoke loudly against prejudice. Tracing Jewish heritage anywhere in Europe is complicated; and certainly, the long shadow of WWII broke any continuity between past and present in the place that was called Galicia. Yet the author has discovered many voices that had long been forgotten, as well as surprising details about his own family.
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Galician Portraits: In Search of Jewish Roots

Galician Portraits: In Search of Jewish Roots

by Andrew Zalewski
Galician Portraits: In Search of Jewish Roots

Galician Portraits: In Search of Jewish Roots

by Andrew Zalewski

Overview

In his first book, Galician Trails, Andrew Zalewski traced his mother's family from the 18th century to the mid-20th. Now, in Galician Portraits, he discovers his father's side, who also lived in Galicia, but whose experiences were very different simply because they were Jewish. Galician Portraits is much more than a record of one family. The story is anchored in Austrian Galicia (1772-1918), which once spanned parts of today's Poland and Ukraine, but it also covers centuries of Jewish history in the region, before and after Galicia existed. Large cities, small towns, and tiny farming villages are the tale's backdrop. In them, people from a variety of ethnic groups live alongside a large community of Israelites. In these pages, Galicia's Jewish community emerges as far more diverse than one could ever imagine. The laws and trends of the day were hotly debated within it. A perpetual tension between old and new sometimes brought dramatic consequences, even breakaway factions. Passionate arguments about language, customs, and loyalties easily erupted. But even in difficult times, there were brave voices that spoke loudly against prejudice. Tracing Jewish heritage anywhere in Europe is complicated; and certainly, the long shadow of WWII broke any continuity between past and present in the place that was called Galicia. Yet the author has discovered many voices that had long been forgotten, as well as surprising details about his own family.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780985589424
Publisher: Thelzo Press
Publication date: 10/04/2014
Pages: 422
Product dimensions: 7.00(w) x 9.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Andrew Zalewski is a cardiologist who lives in the Philadelphia area with his wife, Margaret. They have two children and four grandchildren.

In his first book, Galician Trails, Andrew Zalewski traced his mother's family from the 18th century to the mid-20th. Now, in Galician Portraits, he discovers his father's side, who also lived in Austrian Galicia, but whose experiences were very different simply because they were Jewish.
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