The End of Terror
Page 24
“But why? What did we do?”
Ari interceded, “Esther dear, because for all those centuries we had no country. We were driven out of our ancestral home by the Romans. We were scattered all over the world. Europe, Spain, South America, Russia. Wherever our ancestors found a safe haven for a few years or a few centuries, we were eventually persecuted because, with our Talmudic education and penchant for study and learning, people feared us. Without a country to call our own, we were always going to be under attack. You are only slightly aware of what happened to your great-grandparents a little over eighty years ago.”
“Why, Abba? What happened to them? Zaide always steered me away from asking too many questions, but I wonder. Why?”
“Ephraim and Miriam Lazarus, your great-grandparents, were originally from one of greatest cultural centres of Europe, Vienna. They were both brilliant doctors and leaders in their field. They were well established in the upper echelons of Viennese society. That all changed when Hitler and the Nazis took over. Almost overnight, your great-grandparents were beaten, all their possessions stolen or confiscated, and they were sent in filthy stinking cattle cars to the death camps.”
“Oh, Abba, I had no idea. How awful! Why didn’t you or Zaide ever tell me this?”
By now Esther was visibly upset. Leah, meanwhile, was concerned that their Paris visit would become a total disaster.
“Esther, so much has been written and said about the Shoah that I know you are aware of what happened. Ephraim and Miriam never wanted to discuss their very personal experiences. They felt that there was nothing more to be gained. In fact, your Zaide Eli told me a long time ago that when his parents finally reached Haifa, immediately after Israel became a state in 1948, they refused to talk about it because they couldn’t bear it. They made a commitment to leave the horrors of the Shoah behind them even though they would never forget them. Your great-grandmother Miriam told Zaide Eli that she made an affirmation of life to only go forward as they stepped off the ship that brought them to Israel.”
Ari then took his tearful daughter in his arms and hugged her tightly. He stroked the tears from her cheeks and kissed the top of her head, then proclaimed to both Leah and Esther that in previous centuries and decades, Jews all over the world would recite the prayer, “Next year in Jerusalem,” but now because of the daring Israeli men and women under arms, Jews could say and pray emphatically without fear of terror: “Always in Jerusalem.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I want to thank all the wonderful people who have helped me through the trials and tribulations of writing and publishing a first book.
A big shout out to Beth Kalman Werner of Author Connections, who held my hand through the entire process. Without her encouragement and constructive criticism this novel would never have been published.
A very special thank you to Karin Cather, whose brilliant suggestions with regard to Israeli culture and Jewish tradition enhanced the integrity of my narrative.
Many thanks to Meghan Behse and all the folks at Iguana Books, who have taken me from manuscript to final publication.
Without the creative skill of Ruth Dwight from Design Playground the cover would not have happened.
Finally, a huge thank you to my wife, Joan, who stood by me and encouraged me to carry on when I was suffering that awful “writers block.” Her critiques and suggestions of the early manuscript are baked into The End of Terror.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bruce Howitt was born in Teddington, England, and educated at St. Paul’s School, where he studied history and English in between rowing. He later emigrated to Montreal, Canada, attending McGill University while working and raising two of his sons. Soon after, Bruce settled in Vancouver, where he ran several companies in the lighting industry until his semi-retirement in 2015. Bruce now divides his time between Vancouver and Palm Desert while focusing on his writing. Bruce has been married to his wife, Joan, for 26 years. They have five children and eight grandchildren.