"The Clapping Club" traces a remarkable journey of family discovery that begins with a collection of faded envelopes containing letters written by my father, Paul. They are communications to his parents during the early stages of World War II. These letters provide rare insights into his youth in Vienna as the Nazis rose to power, and the times just before the tragedy of the Final Solution. They also highlight his close bond with three cousins - Max, Raphael, and Felix and their subsequent split because of their scramble out of Nazi-Europe.
As the letters unveil intriguing revelations, they also raise new questions about my father and grandparent's experiences during the war, particularly their vastly different experiences during the Holocaust.
Fueled by a deep need to uncover what exactly happened to them, I took a break from my career as an Australian academic in medical research to embark on a profound journey into all of my family history from that time.
The book delves into my father's early days in Vienna and his departure from Austria to emerging Israel with Aliyah Shaliachs. At the tender age of fifteen, Paul is given no choice but to leave his home and parents behind for strange lands. The story unfolds into what was a perilous and clandestine journey into Israel, as well as their lives on the earliest kibbutzim during the tumultuous years before, during and after the War of Independence.
My research extended to the other two cousins. Felix, the youngest escapes the Nazis and finds refuge in Switzerland, the UK, and Argentina, where he builds a new life and marries a Polish immigrant with an intriguing past; and Max, who narrowly evades the Nazi occupation with his girlfriend Judith, find sanctuary in Switzerland, France, Portugal, and eventually the Dominican Republic. There, among fifty individuals, they establish a Jewish community called Sosua, complete with houses, communal spaces, playing fields, farms, factories, and a synagogue. Their lives, struggles, and the ultimate success of their newfound village come to light.
The story then takes a personal turn as I embark on a quest to find a long-lost brother who has taken a different path in the United States and Israel. After years of separation, our reunion marks the beginning of a shared journey, exploring significant landmarks in the biblical land such as Caesarea and the Golan Heights, while reflecting on personal memories tied to being a tank commander in the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
Diving deeper into the archives, harrowing tales of my grandparent's experiences in the Minsk Ghetto emerge, where countless lives were lost among those transported from Austria. However, the story doesn't conclude there. Did they manage to survive the ghetto? This biographical novel goes beyond presenting historical facts; it offers a vivid account of the lives and adventures of the characters involved. Spanning four continents and multiple countries, it introduces real individuals who not only survived the Holocaust but also endured the tumultuous years that followed.
"The Clapping Club" stands as a testament to the resilience of three brothers and a cousin who navigated diverse circumstances against all odds, unaware that each of them had managed to stay alive in different parts of the world. Will they ever reunite? This is their extraordinary story.
