Holocaust memorial mural in Wiesbaden, Germany. Today is Yom HaShoah. But it’s not any Yom HaShoah. It’s the first Holocaust Remembrance Day since Hamas attacked Israel last October 7, an event which has ignited yet more antisemitism across the United States and has divided college students, left-leaning people, and even (perhaps I should say, especially) … Continue reading Yom HaShoah Today
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Through the Generations, Darkly
Wartime heroes (l to r) Daggusin, Morel, and Mirat. Photo credit: Max Hirschkind. One of the recurring themes in my memoir, The Silk Factory: Finding Threads of My Family’s True Holocaust Story, is that most people who went through the Holocaust never talked about it to their children or grandchildren. Perhaps it was due to … Continue reading Through the Generations, Darkly
But I Digress… And Become No. 1!
Some of you know that for a year I ran a podcast called But I Digress, where I talked to dozens of published writers about the business and economics of writing – specifically with the notion that most fledgling or beginning writers are intimidated by the mysteries of the publishing industry. Do I need an … Continue reading But I Digress… And Become No. 1!
Wildfires, Silence, and the Jewish Experience
Wildfire smoke carries everywhere. Source: Wikimedia Commons I’ve always been reticent to use the term “gaslighting” because it’s so reminiscent of the term “gassing” – which is synonymous (at least to me) with the Nazi death camps like those where my grandmother, my great aunt and uncle, and many other relatives were murdered by the … Continue reading Wildfires, Silence, and the Jewish Experience
Why Can’t We Say Junteenth? We Have to Talk
Our local library is closed in celebration of Juneteenth, but it apparently can't bring itself to say the actual words. So it calls it "the federal holiday." You can bet it will say Independence Day when it comes to July 4. This is a big deal. I realize there's a lot of political pressure from … Continue reading Why Can’t We Say Junteenth? We Have to Talk
75 Years of Controversy: The Israel Question for the Children of Holocaust Survivors
My father was a Holocaust survivor, but his relationship to Israel was complicated. And so is mine. The image above is of an affidavit my father had to sign attesting to thefact that he had no nationality. He was a man with no passport, because theNazi state had stripped him of his nationality for the … Continue reading 75 Years of Controversy: The Israel Question for the Children of Holocaust Survivors
My Father Never Told
(Please order my forthcoming memoir, The Silk Factory: Finding Threads of My Family's True Holocaust Story.) When you tell on someone, it’s usually a bad thing. But there was something great that my father never talked about. But why? My father, a German Jew – probably more German than Jewish in his everyday life, but … Continue reading My Father Never Told
Ineffable Greatness
Paul Mirat alongside a portrait of his grandfather, Paul Mirat. How hard do you figure it is to be great at any one thing? I mean, how hard is it to become a great painter? It would take a lifetime. How about horse breeder? Probably another lifetime. Or how about getting elected mayor of your … Continue reading Ineffable Greatness
Digressing with Vince Passaro
Vince Passaro is the author of the novel Crazy Sorrow, which you can order here. During this podcast we talk about the rare dinosaur that is Gordon Lish, when and if to pursue an MFA, the shallowness of most editors, his hatred of doing anything except writing, and how smaller presses are going to save … Continue reading Digressing with Vince Passaro
Digressing with Dawn Raffel
An insight I had during this wonderful podcast with Dawn Raffel: Editors have a low opinion of the reader's intellect and her ability to leap from one idea to another, while the writer has an inflated opinion of the reader's ability to guess intent. Editors want writers to connect the dots with thick, confident pencil … Continue reading Digressing with Dawn Raffel
Digressing with Myself, Imposter’s Syndrome, and God
Thanks to Vipal Monga for sharing this song with me. There are days when you just need to know that things can be sweet and dandy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcKYZbDjBEA Today was one of those days when I wonder what the hell I'm doing here anyway, a place way more hopeless than imposter's syndrome. And while I'm at … Continue reading Digressing with Myself, Imposter’s Syndrome, and God
Digressing with Michael Seidlinger
I had a great conversation last month with Michael Seidlinger, a prolific author, professor and onetime indie lit publisher. During our podcast, Seidlinger shared his strategy for writing fiction and keeping his head above the poverty water line. We also discussed the current state of the book publishing industry, and how the independent presses are … Continue reading Digressing with Michael Seidlinger
Michael Missing 
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