One Hundred Saturdays, In Search of a Lost World, Michael Frank
This book had a profound effect on me, although I have read hundreds of other books about this barbaric period of history. I had neither known about the history of Rhodes, nor was I aware of the Juderia, a community of Jews that lived there, Jews that wound up there as they historically fled persecution from other countries of the world, persecution that was and is unfathomable, but was apparently, unstoppable. They lived there in relative peace; Muslims heard their call to prayer; Jews, went to Synagogue. The children that qualified, attended schools run by the Church. It was a place where they enjoyed following their customs and traditions and maintained their culture.
After a series of interviews between Michael Frank and Stella Levi, that took place over a period of more than six years, beginning in 2015, this book was born,. Michael Frank has unearthed and written about the previously little known life of Stella Levi, and with it, the history of Juderia, her home on the island of Rhodes, an island that had survived under the rule of leaders from several countries, and like Rhodes, Stella’s life was also multifaceted, a result of her upbringing, her tragic experiences during World War II, and her future life as she went from country to country in order to find a home, a home that would accept her, and one in which she would find comfort. Whether that marriage of desires was completely fulfilled will be left to the reader to determine. Stella, may not be certain, even at the age of 99, if America was the correct choice. Of what she is certain, however, is that love, in its many forms is the thing that sustained her and still does.
I have not read another approach like this one, that exposes the way in which an entire community reacted to the barbarism of the Nazis. The story is touching and heartbreaking because they were so naïve. At first, when Mussolini allied with Hitler, the effect on their community was minimal, although Stella’s father’s business was taken from him, as a result. Gradually, after Germany took over, the racial laws became more oppressive, and still, no one rebelled. They merely accepted what was happening because they believed it would soon be over. When schools were closed, a secret school run by professors and clergy, appeared for some. Others did not want to participate. It seemed that the oppression was so subtle, at first, so gradual as to go unnoticed, and was disbelieved, questioned, until it was far too late to resist.
The Jews had enjoyed their lives, their culture, their customs, and their traditions, and they continued to enjoy their lives in their small enclave of Juderia, worshiping their G-d, attending services, singing and dancing in their courtyards, and generally continuing to communicate with and to help each other in times of need. Their Synagogue, family, and friends were the center of their universe. Some children rebelled and wanted more, but many simply continued to live as they had throughout history. We Jews, both Ashkenazi and Sephardic, still observe many of the same customs. We serve eggs after funerals, put out bowls of water at the door, rent clothes as we mourn, refrain from sitting on furniture in mourning, view all Jews as a part of our community. It is a birthright, period.
When the status quo came to an end, they were unprepared and still very much naïve, believing they were being gathered together to be sent to another place to live temporarily. No one there could have imagined the fate that awaited them. Some were saved from the Nazi’s ultimate end game by serendipity, some by nationality, some by sheer luck and courage. Most, were not saved. Many were murdered. Survivors did not wish to return to Rhodes, the place where it all began for them. However, it began for the rest of the world, elsewhere, and the book will inspire deep thought into our current way of life and force us to study the question, could it happen again?
As this remarkable book described the life of a young woman from the early 1900s until the present day, as I witnessed what she had to live through, the choices she had to make, and was amazed by her courage, independence and wisdom, as they shone bright throughout the telling of her story, I wondered why the conversation about the Holocaust often makes it about a choice between those who believed in Communism and those who believed in Fascism? Both are undesirable extremes at either end of the spectrum of evil. Surely there must be a middle choice we can all agree upon.
As communication was curtailed by their government, as opposition and speech was silenced, as the news from only one point of view was presented, and as people who disagreed were disrespected, diminished and mocked, increasingly unable to defend themselves, the world descended into madness. Is it really impossible to believe another Holocaust is impossible, as we witness events in our current world today. Are we as resilient, are we as supportive of each other, is there even a common culture to support to help us survive? We have all been scarred by our history, but how we deal with our scars will determine whether or not the world will succumb to tyranny or peace.
As the Jews were removed from society, bit by bit, so the Republicans are now being removed, silenced and forbidden to participate in life, by the very same people who think that they are the virtuous ones. Is history repeating itself today with politics rather than religion? As there was little resistance from the Jews, during the Holocaust, so difficult was the end result to imagine, we see little resistance from the Republicans as they naively believe this will end with cooler minds in charge. It is not happening, however, as the Democrats continue to perpetuate hate and division with deceitful behavior which is denied by a complicit “state” media.
Although in Rhodes and elsewhere, many were proud to join underground organizations to fight the tyranny of the leadership, today they are shamed and maligned for fighting back against this heinous cancel culture, not different from the racial laws of Hitler. How different are the policies of the brown and black shirts from the policies of the “green” shirts of today? As are schools and our employment choices are being closed to certain people, under the pretense of inclusion, but are really the opposite, exclusionary, how do they really differ from the Nuremberg Laws enacted in 1935? When property is taken from one to give to another, how different is it from forgiving student debt? Will the masses continue to remain impassive because of personal benefit?
I implore everyone to look in the mirror and hope that the person looking back is not guilty of the same shameful behavior of the National Socialists as they slowly but surely attempted to (and almost succeeded), wipe out an entire nationality because no one could believe it could actually happen. If the same naivete exists today, as one political party attempts to do that to another, are we doomed to repeat history?
I loved this book. I loved it for its history, its humanity, its courage, and its honesty, but I loved it more for the warning it sent to me. If half the country is silenced by the other half, can our country survive? As the Jews were removed from society, bit by bit, so the democrats are trying to do that to the Republicans. Although this was not the intent of the author, this is an important message I gleaned from the book. As love, in its various forms, sustained Stella, how can we restore mutual love and respect in America, before it is too late? We must not let history repeat itself.