MEMORIES OF SURVIVAL

For many children of Holocaust survivors, the personal history of their parents’ ordeal is often a brief verbal rendition of an unimaginable time and experience. In one such family, Steinhardt’s mother, Esther, distinctly crafted her brave story through an amazing series of 36 beautifully and delicately embroidered scenes of a Polish girl’s escape. Esther ran from her farm community to a hidden life disguised for over two years as a Catholic farmhand in a neighboring village. She eventually arrived in New York following the end of the war and the loss of her immediate family. She tells her story in very simple words that accompany her artwork, rich in detail and color. Daughter Steinhardt extends the story with her own fleshed-out explanations for each scene and circumstance, highlighting the increasingly difficult environment Jews faced with the impending dangers of Nazi rule. The outstanding design against colored backgrounds that reflect blissful peace through bright hues opposite war, fear and destruction on dark shades of brown, grey and black, is a culmination of an exhibit of the original needlework displayed through Art and Remembrance, a foundation formed by Esther’s daughters. A remarkable achievement and a must for any collection. (Nonfiction. 10+)