Mosaic - A Chronicle of Five Generations

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International praise for Diane Armstrong highlights her ability to craft a compelling family history that reads like a novel, drawing readers into the extraordinary lives of her characters against the backdrop of significant historical events. This remarkable true story begins in Krakow in 1890 and spans a century and four continents, focusing on the Jewish Baldinger family. Patriarch Daniel Baldinger divorces his beloved wife due to her barrenness, believing he must have sons to say Kaddish for him. He marries an eighteen-year-old girl and, by 1913, has eleven children, including six sons. Eager for his son Avner to begin his rabbinical training, Daniel sends him to cheder at the age of three, where boys learn Hebrew and the Torah in a strict environment. However, despite Daniel's hopes, each of his sons ultimately rebels against their faith, failing to fulfill his wish for Kaddish. The narrative follows the family's journey through the Holocaust, where Diane and her parents assume non-Jewish identities to survive. It captures the essence of Polish Jewish culture, the complexities of family dynamics, and the impact of war and prejudice. Through her exploration of heritage, Armstrong reveals the deep scars left by history and the enduring strength of family bonds, making this a poignant story of resilience and identity.