THE WEDDING CUP

Final Testament

The tortured life of a Jewish policeman from the ghetto.

ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM ASSOCIATE EDITOR

D

avid will be a hamantash.
alel Perechodnik was a under the wheels of the speeding
Leah will be a butterfly.
Jew, a father, a policeman wagon, which will crush her to a
Dylan will be a king.
in the ghetto. But was he pulp. And maybe, if there is re-
But Noah has no cos-
ally a God in the world, there are
also a killer?
Am I A Murderer? (West- good angels who will spread an tume planned for Purim, (though
view) is the fascinating, terrible invisible carpet so that nothing he wants to be something really
story of the destruction of one will happen to her. Maybe your different). While all the rest of his
Aluska will fall softly to the friends' families are preparing for
man, and an entire people.
Calal Perechodnik lived in Ot- ground, will fall asleep far from the holiday, Noah's is getting
wock, Poland, with his wife and the train rails, and in the morn- ready for a new baby.
A Costume for Noah (Kar-
young daughter. He did not ing some decent Christian, cap-
know, he says, what was coming. tivated with her angelic looks, Ben Copies, Inc.), by Susan
He did not see that, with the will pick her off the ground, cud- Remick Topek with pictures by
Nazis, "the ground was on fire dle her, take her home, and raise Sally Springer, is the story of a
boy who thinks he is forgotten
her as his own daughter.
under our feet."
Do it, Anka, do; don't hesitate (though of course he isn't) at one
The Perechodniks planned on
of the most exciting times of the
immigrating to Palestine. In- for a second!"
year.
stead, they were
As Purim ap-
sent to the Otwock
proaches, all every-
(just outside of War-
body wants to talk
saw) ghetto, where
about is the new baby
Calal decided to join
coming to Noah's
the Jewish police. In
home. Then it's time
this role, he was ob-
for the school party.
ligated to help round
"Everyone came to
up Jews for the ak-
school in costume.
tion, the journey to
There were kings and
death aboard the
queens, butterflies
trains, the terrible
and bunnies. Every-
trains.
one lined up for the
But what will he
parade. Everyone but
do when time comes
Noah."
for his own wife and
Then suddenly he
daughter to go?
appears and, guess
Calal Perechod-
what? He's got a great
nik kept a diary in It may be healthy, but is it kosher? A health spa in Switzerland.
costume.
which he writes,
Susan Topek is the author of
lso new on the Holocaust,
with painful honesty, of his de-
the Historical Atlas of a number of "Noah" stories in-
cision with his family and of his
the Holocaust (Macmil- cluding A Holiday for Noah, A
role in the ghetto. He is hard on
lan) is a collection of maps Turn for Noah and A Taste for
himself, hard on those around
him who, he insists, should have designed for the U.S. Holocaust Noah.
hinking of a trip abroad,
Memorial Museum.
seen the Holocaust coming.
but where could you pos-
The book provides extensive
Perechodnik passed this un-
sibly find a synagogue in
usual testimony to a friend just information about Jewish com-
Limoges, France? And is
before his death in 1944. It then munities before the war and
found its way to Yad Vashem, throughout various areas of Eu- kosher meat available in the city?
The Jewish Travel Guide:
and finally was published in rope, Nazi death camps, rescue
and resistance, death marches 1996 (Vallentine Mitchell) can
Poland in 1993.
Am I a Murderer? also covers and Europe after the war. Fea- tell you everything you need to
Mr. Perechodnik's life after the turing more than 230 color know about Limoges and cities
ghetto (from which he eventual- maps, the book is clear and con- throughout the world. (Yes, there
ly runs) and his thoughts as he cise, detailing the rise of the is both a synagogue and kosher
watched his wife leave for the Nazis from their early days to meat in the French city.)
Edited by Stephen Massil, The
their defeat at the hands of the
death camps.
Allow me, Anka, at least in my Allies, and including informa- Jewish Travel Guide lists Jewish
thoughts to accompany you far- tion about Jewish emigration af- organizations throughout the
world and cites places of current
ther. For ten long years were were ter the war.
Authors consulted a number and historical interest. It also lists
together...
You are in the fourth cattle car of rare and unusual sources in locations of mikvahs, kosher
from the locomotive, a car that is researching the atlas. These in- restaurants, Jewish centers and
almost completely filled with clude recently declassified U.S. synagogues.
our lovely Jewish daugh-
women and children. In the Army topographical maps, Al-
ter is about to go out on
whole car there are only two men lied and German aerial photos
her first date with the
— are these your protectors? You and German army maps secured
nicest guy in the world.
are sitting on the boards with by American forces.
An especially helpful aspect He's tall, dark and handsome.
your legs tucked under you, hold-
ing Aluska in your arms. Is the of the book is a lengthy glossary He loves children. He has a good
child sleeping already at such a at the end, with a descript,i.m of job and he's polite, to boot.
various World War II terminol- There's just one issue: he's not
late hour?...
Anka, Anka, do it, throw out ogy, as well as a comprehensive Jewish. Should you, as the par-
the child, and don't let your hand list of all cities and towns on ent, say anything?
Yes, says Rabbi Alan Silver-
shake! Maybe the child will fall maps in the atlas.

C

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