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    • The Spirit of Ruchel Leah
    • Through the Eyes of a PFC 1942-1945
    • Beyond the Swirl
    • Aloha Maui
    • Distant Dreams Myanmar
    • Tarnished Jewel Cuba
    • Beyond the Door - A Visual Journey in Spain
    • Divine Land China
    • I Still Remember
    • Warrior of Hope
    • Invisible
    • Perception of Christ
    • Hands: The Embodiment of Man
    • Manography - The Sensual to the Erotic
  • About
    • Artistic Statement
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Lester Blum
    Portfolio
      Vodka, Potatoes, & Pierogies
      Heterogeneous Heritage
      Enchanted Polynesia
      The Balkans
      Land of the Gods - Greece
      Magical Venice
      Bleakness of Winter/Vibrancy of Spring
      River of Kings The Danube
      Tarnished Jewel Cuba
      Distant Dreams Myanmar
      I Still Remember
      Invisible
      Despair
      Warrior of Hope
      Fantasy Theatrical
      Portrait / Portfolio
      Figuratively Speaking
    Books
      The Spirit of Ruchel Leah
      Through the Eyes of a PFC 1942-1945
      Beyond the Swirl
      Aloha Maui
      Distant Dreams Myanmar
      Tarnished Jewel Cuba
      Beyond the Door - A Visual Journey in Spain
      Divine Land China
      I Still Remember
      Warrior of Hope
      Invisible
      Perception of Christ
      Hands: The Embodiment of Man
      Manography - The Sensual to the Erotic
    About
      Artistic Statement
      Biography
      Curriculum Vitae
    Contact
   
The Spirit of Ruchel Leah 
     Imbued with hope, courage, and resiliency, The Spirit of Ruchel Leah by Lester Blum recounts the story of one woman’s determination for more than mere survival in the face of unimaginable obstacles.  The book is based on letters written by Ruchel Leah from Poland to her family in New York from 1938-1941 further enhanced by commentary on her correspondence and the correspondence of extended family members after the war. The commentary encompasses all aspects of the Holocaust placing the letters into historical, social, and religious context.
Stymied by the bureaucracy of the United States immigration policies, Ruchel Leah pursued obtaining the proper documentation so her daughter, Elka could immigrate to “The Golden Land”. As the murderous wings of the Nazi hordes enveloped Poland, the family fled east into Soviet Russia. Until her final letter, Ruchel Leah continued to express her resolution to save at least one child from the Holocaust.
Then, silence. Ruchel Leah, her husband, Anschel Taus, daughters, Elka and Surcha, and her brother, Moshe Blum were lost in the milieu of the Holocaust.
     In writing The Spirit of Ruchel Leah, parallel yet divergent sagas of survival emerged, each unique and with different conclusions.  Consistent throughout was the unimaginable determination, courage, and persistence for survival exhibited to protect and save their families, particularly their children.
     The Spirit of Ruchel Leah is a wide ranging Holocaust book which takes the reader on a complete educational journey.  The book is international in scope, bringing the reader from Poland and New York to Belarus, Soviet Russia, Cuba, Cyprus, Israel, Brazil, and Paris.
     A powerful story of hope and resiliency, The Spirit of Ruchel Leah is a skillfully written memoir weaving the individual stories together into the context of history.   Tension and despair mounts with the presentation and commentary of each letter.  
     Our legacy is The Spirit of Ruchel Leah.
“For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.” Eli Wiesel, Holocaust survivor
We will never forget!
$35. (free US shipping)