Sunday, October 20, 2013

Lieberman, Leanne. Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust.


Lieberman, LeanneLauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust.  Orca  2013  256p      ISBN 978-1-4598-0109-7  ms/hs  Paperback  E-BN  Realistic fiction  
Lauren Yanofsky is sixteen and in Grade 11 in a Vancouver, British Columbia, high school.  After her bat mitzvah at thirteen, Lauren decides that she is becoming “non-Jewish by choice.”  She feels “Holocausted-out.”  She coerces her parents into letting her leave her Jewish day school and attend public school even though it creates enormous friction in the family.  Her father is a prominent Holocaust scholar, and the family is closely tied to their synagogue.  Not all of Lauren’s life is focused on her religion.  She experiences the normal joys and sorrows that every teenager does.  However, this year Lauren’s life in public school isn’t going to be a picnic either.  Her closest friends are changing: two of them are involved in Christian groups, one has joined the “smokers,” and she sees the cute boy she likes getting involved in playing Nazi war games in the park.  She is faced with a huge ethical dilemma about whether she should report his group to the school authorities or feel as though she is betraying her heritage.  And, to top it off, her younger brother, who has special needs, is refusing to go through with his bar mitzvah, to the agony of his mother.  The writing is thoughtful, yet not overladen with sentimentality and leavened with humor throughout.  The plot is straightforward, which allows the beauty of the characters to shine through.  Lauren is a girl well worth knowing.  This book is highly recommended for all middle- and high-school libraries.   

Summary: Lauren Yanofsky is sixteen and in Grade 11 in a Vancouver high school.  After her bat mitzvah, Lauren decides that she is becoming “non-Jewish by choice” and attends a public high school.  When she discovers that the boy she likes is involved in playing Nazi war games, she is faced with a huge ethical dilemma: say nothing or renounce her heritage.

Judaism-Fiction, School stories                                 --Susan Ogintz

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