Rena’s Promise: A Story of Sisters in Auschwitz, by Rena Kornreich Gelissen and Heather Dune Macadam is an extremely compelling memoir, and overview of life in concentration camps during World War II. Her account is amazing.

Rena Kornreich lived in a small village in Tylicz, Poland, and came from a family of Orthodox Jews. She eventually goes into hiding with a family, and when she feels their life could be in peril for hiding her, she naively takes a step that will change her life, as she knows it.

When Rena was 17-years old she voluntarily turned herself in to the authorities, in order to try to save family members, and ended up on the first transport to Auschwitz. She had made a promise to her family that she would keep her sister, Danka safe. Rena eventually reunites with Danka. Once they have been reunited Rena promises that they will die together…one will not go without the other.

This promise to her baby sister is what kept Rena alive. It helped her to endure the harshest and cruelest of times. The promise gave Rena a reason to survive, and she lived and breathed that promise each and every moment of her imprisonment.

The two sisters lived through the most horrendous and horrific elements of time, and managed to escape death. They were witness to atrocities, which are vividly described. The word images jump out from the pages, and are not sweetened in any aspect. Their ordeals are documented, and daily camp life is painted in full detail.

These daily life details give the reader a glimpse into the Nazi’s sadistic mode of thinking. Their inhumane brutalities, and their acts of trying to suppress the spirits of Jews is written with clarity and extreme attention to details. The Nazi acts of terrorism are written boldly.

Rena’s Promise is well-articulated and well-defined, and is a book that is of great historical value. It is truly a compelling Holocaust memoir. Rena Kornreich Gelissen and Heather Dune Macadam write with frankness, and don’t sugar-coat any experiences. The reader is given insight regarding camp life (if you can call it that). Rena’s courage and determination is overwhelming and inspiring. I highly recommend Rena’s Promise to everyone.
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Jew Wishes…Peace to you all.
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Saturday February 21, 2009 – 27th of Sh’vat, 5769