Risk, Resilience, and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story

“Risk, Resilience, and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story” by Frank W. Baker tells the story of Bluma Tishgarten and Felix Goldberg. These two individuals both were thrust into the terror of Adolf Hitler’s regime, dealing with life as Jews during the time of the Holocaust. The book goes back and forth telling both Bluma’s and Felix’s stories, ensuring that the terror they endured is not forgotten. The two young Jews didn’t know if they would survive, but when all was said and done, they found a way to move on from the past by building a life together. Eventually, they moved to America, and despite knowing no English, having very little money, and bringing with them a young son, they were welcomed by their new community and started working and making a life in their new home.

The story is one that touches on a number of themes, including dealing with the atrocities of the past and shaping a better, stronger future. The Holocaust is a time that must never be forgotten. The back matter of the book includes resources, including websites, to uncover more information about this terrifying time in world history.

Frank W. Baker’s Risk, Resilience and Redemption: A Miraculous Holocaust Survival Story, follows Polish Jews Bluma Tishgarten and Felix Goldberg as they endure the Holocaust and, after surviving, build a life together honoring those they lost.



What I Liked: This story was adapted from Baker’s graphic novel We Survived the Holocaust, and I thought the sprinkling of illustrations throughout the book engaged readers. The Holocaust and the horrible conditions Jews were forced to endure can be hard to read, but Baker is able to write about Bluma and Felix’s experience in a way that is sensitive to the brutal atrocities and, at the same time, makes the reader feel hopeful. I think he does this best by showing us how resilient both Bluma and Felix could be. Bluma and her sister Cela evaded Nazi capture for weeks by hiding out in the woods. Felix jumped off a train to escape the Nazi. They fought back when they could, and that was truly inspiring. This book is well researched with a list of resources for readers who wish to learn more.

Risk, Resilience and Redemption is a moving non-fiction story that shows readers the brutal reality of what Jews endured and ensures that the suffering of the Holocaust will not be forgotten