Borders of Hope is a Holocaust memoir, a story about the life of Abraham Getman, born in 1926 in Luboml - one of many Eastern European towns whose identity had changed many times over the centuries as wars were fought and won, then lost again. Although not rich, the Getman family had strong emotional bonds, a social and religious structure to their lives and a reassuring consistency. After Germany invaded Poland, life began to change. First, the changes were minor and the family was patriotically stoic in adapting to what they thought were simply the hardships of war. But gradually the local attacks became more severe and focused and the Getman family realized that this was just a war between Germany against Poland or Russia; this was a war against the Jews, a war against them. When Abraham was wrenched from the bosom of his family, he was forced to survive by his wits in a way that will touch, astound and dismay you. How does a boy - barely a teenager - with no family, no money, no home and no guidance survive when he is forced to live like a hunted animal? Getman's story brings a compelling intimacy to a period of history that many thought could never happen and all must ensure never happens again.

 

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