Broken Birds, The Story of My Momila

By Jeannette Katzir

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0615274838
• ISBN13: 9780615274836
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Jeannette Katzir
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Learning from the Holocaust

Katzir, Jeannette. "Broken Birds: The Story of My Momila", 2010. Learning from the Holocaust Amos Lassen Many regard the Holocaust as a moment in history but it is so much more and should be looked at as a force that changed the lives of future generations. Jeannette Katzir is the child of Holocaust survivors and in "Broken Birds" she examines her family as well as the experiences of families like hers. Katzir's mother was a partisan fighter during World War II. Her father survived Dachau. When her mother died, she left what had been hers to only one of her children and the family began a path to emotional destruction. But that was towards the end. Before that both of her parents had stories to tell and her and this is what makes up the book. Their lives were full of emotion and Katzir shares those emotions with us. All of us have heard many Holocaust stories but there are many stories that have not been heard because they were not told. What we get from the stories is sorrow which is sometimes mixed with joy. These stories are from a world that we will never know and we are lucky because of that. Jeannette Katzir gives us a portrait of her mother as she remembers her and her mother's story is the story of family. It was not enough that this Polish family endured the misery of the Holocaust; they also went to war over an inheritance. Channa Poltzer, the author's mother, controlled the happiness of the family and all of the children inherited her traits. Channa had the last word on everything and there was great loyalty from Jeannette and her four siblings. The father was also held under the mother's spell and he provided for her and the children. This way was life was something that Channa developed by living through the Holocaust. She and her husband cherished the family but there was a downside to this and that was the fear with which the members of the family lived. They were afraid of their mother as much as they loved her and ultimately the family was torn apart after the mother's death. Katzir has attempted to make amends with her family through the writing of this memoir and that is not up to the reader to decide the outcome. "Momila" as Katzir's mother was known was obviously quite a presence and because she held the stories of the Holocaust inside of her, the family was ultimately torn asunder. Channa saw the world as a hostile place and this is what she taught her children. Happiness was never real for the family and we must thank Katzir for bringing this all to light in a way that is highly readable and with great honesty.

A Must Read!

There are things that are not taught in school and this book is a fine examlpe of that. I never would of known!

A fine read for those looking for a unique family history and memoir

People remember their mothers in many different ways. "Broken Birds: The Story of My Momila" is how Jeannette remembers her mother, telling her life story. The story of her mother is the story of her family, as this Polish family faced much heartache through their lives, and even an inheritance war. Jeannette offers a truthful and conflicted spin of love for one's mother. "Broken Birds" is a fine read for those looking for a unique family history and memoir.

What a riveting book could not put it down.

From the moment I picked up the book to the very last page I held my breath. I laughed, I even cried. A fast and interesting read.

Broken Birds Sheds Light on Children of Holocaust Survivors

I read Broken Birds practically in one sitting, because I found it fascinating to sort through the mystery of author Jeanette Kazir's "momila" or mom. Her mom (and her dad) lost most of their families in the holocaust, but with much spirit and courage, and some luck, they survived. Yet, this mom would never talk about her experiences escaping the Nazis--she held it all inside. The results were a disaster for Jeanette and her four siblings. Mom viewed the world as hostile, and passed that on to them. She saw want and loss everywhere, and poured cold water on happiness for her children on many occasions. The remarkable thing about the family is how well some of the children turned out. I think it took much courage to write this book, to so honestly illuminate the day by day dysfunction of the family wherein the Holocaust tarnished the lives of not just one generation, but two. Judy Reynolds