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The Tailors of Tomaszow

The Tailors of Tomaszow

A history and memoir of Polish Jews

Seven decades after the Nazis annihilated the Jewish community of Tomaszow-Mazowiecki, Poland, comes a gripping eyewitness narrative told through the eyes of one of the youngest survivors of the Holocaust, as well as through first-hand accounts of other Tomaszow survivors. This unique communal memoir and history presents a rare view inside the extinguished society of Eastern European Jewry, before, during, and after World War II. It is both the memoir of a child and of a lost Jewish community, an unvarnished story in which disputes, controversy, and scandal all play a role in capturing the true flavor of life in this lost community.

Nearly 14,000 Jews, one-third of the town’s population, lived in Tomaszow-Mazowiecki before World War II, many making their living as tailors and seamstresses. Only 250 of them survived the Holocaust, in part because of their skill with a needle and thread.

Engaging and highly accessible, The Tailors of Tomaszow is a powerful resource for educators and a compelling read for anyone wishing to gain a deeper, more personal understanding of Eastern European Jewry and the Holocaust.

Praise for The Tailors of Tomaszow

“…truly an amazing and powerful read. The Tailors of Tomaszow is a critically important work of history.”

–Wolf Blitzer, CNN Anchor


“Unforgettable. The Tailors of Tomaszow is a genuine and truly insightful portrait of European Jewry’s lost culture….This important communal memoir is a great resource for students of all ages seeking to understand the consequences of hatred.”

–Abraham H. Foxman, Former National Director, Anti-Defamation League


"I like this book very much. I am impressed with both its understanding of the world before the Holocaust and its depiction of Auschwitz. A serious work indeed."

-Michael Berenbaum, Holocaust scholar, Former Director of the U.S. Holocaust Research Institute at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Former President and CEO of the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation

 


"Well written and moving, this book is recommended for all synagogues and community libraries."

–Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews


"... a stark and powerful account of her hometown, combining the voices of survivors and serious research not previously compiled."

–The Jewish Week
 
"The minute details that record an Eastern European life pre-Holocaust are precious....an unforgettable narrative."
–Eva Fogelman, Author, Conscience and Courage: Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust
 
"One of the truly original Holocaust memoirs."
–Thane Rosenbaum, Author
 

Reviews and coverage

Jewish Book World (766 KB)

Review of The Tailors of Tomaszow

Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews (976 KB)

Review of The Tailors of Tomaszow