My Mother's Sabbath Days: A Memoir

by Chaim Grade, Channa Kleinerman Goldstein (Translator), Inna Hecker Grade (Translator)

This tender and moving memoir by the great Yiddish writer Chaim Grade takes us to the very source of his widely praised novels and poems - the city of Vilna, the "Jerusalem of Lithuania," during the years before World War II. Centered on the figure of Grade's mother, Vella - simple, pious, hard-working - this is a richly detailed account of the ghetto of his youth, of the lives of the rabbis, the wives, the tradesmen, the peddlers, and the scholars.

We see Vella, desperate after losing her husband, become a fruit-peddler, struggling to survive poverty and to remain true to her faith in the face of human pettiness and cruelty. We follow Grade as he walks in the footsteps of his scholar father, a champion of enlightenment; we see him entering marriage, and his mother finding some peace of mind in a marriage of her own - all of this in a world recalled with extraordinary physical and emotional intensity.

Then, World War II. The partition of Poland between the Soviet Union and Germany is followed by the new German invasion of June 1941.

Grade - believing, as do so many others, that the Nazis pose a danger chiefly to able-bodied men like himself - flees into Russia. In his travels on foot and by train he meets a fascinating, kaleidoscopic array of characters: the disillusioned Communist Lev Kogan; the durachok, or simpleton, a young prisoner who, mistaken for a German spy, is shot when he jumps from a train; the once-prosperous lawyer, Orenstein, who virtually becomes a beggar, dies and is buried by strangers in a remote Central Asian village. With the war's end, Grade returns to Vilna - to find the ghetto in ruins, to learn that his wife and his mother have gone to their deaths - and he is left with nothing but memories.

But it is here, amid the devastation of a people, that he finds the compulsion and the passion to commit to paper the world that has been lost.

Genres: Jewish, History, Judaism, Judaica, Nonfiction, Biography

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1955

Reviews

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the finest book Chaim Grade wrote. It truly came from the depths of his soul. It is so beautifully written and heart-rending. This book is a masterpiece.

[Daniel Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally avoid reading books relating to European Judaism set between 1930 - 1945 , but after the horror of October 7th, where a place very familiar to me and those in my extended family directly suffered Nazi-style horrors, and recently spending time in Germany and Poland, I decided to make an exception to my rule. I chose to read Chaim Grade's personal memoir of life in Vilna leading up to the Holocaust, to see if I felt anything differently.

All in all, my views haven't changed very much. I still don't find the early to mid-20th-century anti-Semitism and its effects to be that surprising, and still believe the underlying reasons that lead to such intense Jew hatred are still ubiquitous. I still believe there is a meaningful chance that in my lifetime I could be the victim of a pogrom.

One thing that stood out to me while reading this story is how many of the ways one experiences trauma is a product of the time. One of the haunting themes of this book is how traumatizing it is to not know what happened to your loved ones (are they alive? did they manage to escape? what did they think about your/their departure etc.), and for so many people to live in a sort of superposition, where their loved ones are simultaneously experiencing all the different terrible options, but you cannot actually confirm which type of terrible suffering they experienced. In 2023, there is no mystery as to what happened to your loved one, but you may find yourself opening your phone/social media to shockingly disturbing images of those you know.

This line really struck me from the memoir:

"I'm from Vilna, and I have a wife and a mother there," I say to him, and repeat my name several times. "If they shoot me, remember my name and that I'm from Vilna."

-

Unrelated, but I was pleasantly surprised to see much of this story take place in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, which have particular meaning to me.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was honestly incredible. I'd say it's three books in one. The first book is the story of Grade's mother. It isn't strictly non-fiction as he describes events and thoughts that he couldn't have known, but it feels true and from the depths of his soul. Grade shows how Vilna looked pre-war through his main character, his mother, and the people she knew. It really gives you a glimpse into the lives of the simple poor Jews. This first part lasted till about halfway through the book.

The rest of the book is told through Grade's eyes. The second part is the story of his escape into the Soviet Union, the tragedy of him leaving his wife behind, and how everyone lived. This was also deeply personal and you feel like you're right alongside him running for your life, not sure you'll survive the day.

The third part is the most astounding. It's about his return to Vilna, and it's honestly the most gut-wrenching, real thing I've ever read about the holocaust. Just tore me apart.

I thought this book was an incredible work of art. It's slow moving but really shows you the life of the characters and of the city Vilna. It's unforgiving though and a holocaust book, so expect a sad hard read.

After reading the end of this book, I understand why all Chaim Grade's stories take place in Vilna or nearby. After its destruction, he could never leave the city and is determined to carry it with him and show the destroyed city to everyone. He shows us how teeming it was with life, and the atrocity of destruction.

[Sara'la · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grade's memoir is a heartbreaking, beautiful love letter to his mother and a reckoning of his guilt for abandoning her (and his wife) in Vilna at the start of the Nazi invasion.

Grade portrays pre-war Vilna and the difficulty of being a single, devastatingly poor, pious mother, and the particular sufferings of their Jewish neighbors. (Grade has a wonderful ability in relegating space and breathing life into the downtrodden and outliers). We then follow Grade on his horrific refugee-journey through Europe and Central Asia to Russia. We are there when he falls to his feet in exhaustion and despair, when he screams and cries in disbelief and in hopeful yearning that those he abandoned had not yet met their end.

It is this denial that is shattered upon Grade's return to Vilna and we witness his complete pain and devastation. Grade stumbles feverishly through the seven alleyways of his ruined hometown - reckoning with immense guilt masquerading as anger; anger he directs towards his fellow Ghetto survivors. As Yom Kippur descends, Vilna comes to life in the ruins, as Grade is forever unable to let her go.

There are many moments in the book that punched me in the gut and brought tears. Heart-rending and grief-stricken with beautifully woven prose, "My Mother's Sabbath Days" is unlike any Holocaust memoir I've read.

[Jean Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching story of memories of a past now gone - childhood and memories of Vilna.

[Israel Drazin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chaim Grade’s “My Mother’s Sabbath Days”

“My Mother’s Sabbath Days” is a beautiful, fascinating, and eye-opening story by the Yiddish writer Chaim Grade (1910-1982). His name is pronounced gra, as in open your mouth and say ah, and de at the end pronounced as in eh, the word said in surprise. Grade in German and Yiddish means “straight.” Since his first name Chaim in Hebrew means “life,” his two names can be translated as “a straight life.” David Remnick discussed the Swedish Academy Nobel Prizes in Literature in the September 5, 2022, “The New Yorker.” He describes the failures of the Academy. Few people know anything about the 1901 first recipient Sally Prudhomme today. Remnick lists other forgotten authors and famous writers who received no award, such as Chekhov, Kafka, Borges, Orwell, Twain, and a long list more. Isaac Bashevis Singer (1902-1991) won the award in 1978. Remnick does not mention him. But many, including Prize winners, are convinced that Grade was a far better writer and he deserved the Prize.

Grade’s early writings were poetry. There are nine volumes of his poetry. “My Quarrel with Hersh Rasseyner,” published in 1952, was Grade’s first work as a novelist. He was successful, and other splendid, thoughtful dramas followed. The book is based on Grade’s life. It is so good that other writers made it into a film and a play. It is about the different opinions of Judaism by two former classmates at an Orthodox Yeshiva. Grade and his fictional counterpart in the tale left the Yeshiva and became a secular Jew because they felt the lessons of the Yeshiva were wrong, even harmful. Rasseyner continued his life living the Yeshiva beliefs. The Grade stand-in argues that Jews must open their minds to the enlightenment. Hersh Rasseyner argues fervently that only observant Jews are faithful Jews. The story is a classic because of its lasting merit. Its message is still relevant today despite being first printed seventy years ago because it addresses the current dispute between secular and observant Jews. It highlights the conflict caused in the past and today. The conflict between being Orthodox and secular is also one of the many themes in this book.

Grade was raised in an Orthodox family. His tragic father, who is only briefly described in this memoir, was a champion of the enlightenment who challenged, as did his son, rabbinical rulings. But his mother, Vella, depicted extensively in this memoir, was very devout. It was from her that he took his artistic, poetic nature. She agonized as she saw her only living child turning away from Orthodoxy. She was married to a much older man and had two daughters with him, both of whom died in infancy. Her husband became sick and was unable to help obtain money for his family. They were extremely poor. They lived in a small space in Vilna, Lithuania. Polish forces occupied Vilna in 1920, and before the outbreak of World War II, the city of Vilna was part of northeastern Poland. Under the terms of the German-Soviet Pact, Vilna, along with the rest of eastern Poland, was occupied by Soviet forces in late September 1939.

When the German forces invaded Vilna in 1941, Grade fled to Russia. Among the wealth of information, this book tells about his experiences as a refugee in Russia. He was convinced the Nazis would not harm women, so he left his mom and wife in Vilna. He was wrong. They murdered both of them, along with many other innocent women. He immigrated to America in 1948.

There is much to enjoy and much to learn from this splendid book. What is most striking in this book is the artistry and brilliant, interesting descriptions of the many Jewish and non-Jewish people that Grade encounters. The agonies of Grade’s mom move us. They show Grade as a first-class writer. We observe how the Jews deal with poverty and foolishly fight one another rather than unify and fight their mutual enemies. As a result, many unwisely turned to Communism which lured them with false promises of an ideal life in the Communist paradise. This behavior turned the semi-Fascist Polish regime to persecute many Jews. Many Jews who attempted to escape to Russia were arrested as spies and incarcerated in concentration camps. There is also, as previously suggested, the religious battle between Orthodoxy and secularism. What is it that alienates Grade from his mother’s religion? Is it something rational? Or is it the treatment that his mom, fellow citizens, and his fellow Jews suffer from the Russians and the Germans? Would life in Vilna have been better if Grade was Orthodox?

Readers of this volume will see why even in its English translation, partly done by Grade’s second wife after his death, is so highly praised.

Israel Drazin

[thewanderingjew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I read this book years ago, my edition is the one published in 1986; I am posting it today because I came across an article on Grade, on a literary site (https://www.jns.org/writings-of-notab...), and remembered how much I enjoyed his writing. I read it at a time in the past, when I was not writing reviews on Goodreads. I only know the general time I read it, and that was some time shortly after 1986, because I was still involved with Jewish life in New Jersey and a very learned friend gave the book to me. I am ashamed to admit, I must never have returned it, or it was a gift I should not have forgotten about, because I just searched for and found it on my bookshelf.
What I remember about it, after almost four decades, is how much I enjoyed it, how tenderly it was written, how much it impressed me, how much it challenged my emotions between smiles and tears, and how much I hoped that others would read it. This is the copy I read.
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/my-moth...
Some of his books are being made available online now, and I hope people take advantage and read the works of this man who has been described by some as one of the greatest Yiddish writers.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half's fantastic. Grade evokes the marketplace of his mother in Vilna, around the 1930s. The same immersion as in his novellas "The Sacred + the Profane, aka Rabbis + Wives" and epic "Sons + Daughters, both reviewed recently by me. The literal "bum-rush" of beggars trying to scarf samples and handouts from beleaguered vendors captures unforgettably threats from mad mobs.

Then, the Soviets find themselves under attack as the Reich turns on them, and Grade must leave both his aged mother and his new wife behind, as he rationalizes the Germans wouldn't stoop so low as to persecute women and children, whereas he, as a Jew, cannot survive their invasion. Alongside fellow refugees, he flees the advancing Nazis, managing to stay barely ahead as the Red Army front retreats. These sections evoke vividly the terror of headlong flight, fear, and impotence.

His subsequent self-imposed exile, as he cannot join the military as a suspected "Westerner" from Lithuania, occurs in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. The closing chapters find him returning to the ruins of Vilna's ghetto. These delve into a "dybbuk" mode, and the dark energies of evil haunt him. While powerful, they drag out as his understandably tortured conscience won't let him free himself from guilt. All in all, a recommended if sprawling dramatization of Jewish life under peace and war.

[Gabija Vei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Galvojau, paskaitysiu čia kažką apie Vilnių, bet, kadangi angliškai apie Vilnių skaityt keista, tikriausiai numesiu. Nežinojau, kokio stiprumo knyga manęs laukia. Prasideda ji labai gyvu, šurmuliuojančiu žydų gyvenimu, šmaikščiai ir meistriškai aprašomais veikėjais. Išorinis pasaulis kunkuliuoja, verda. O baigiasi ji tyla po karo, kai išorės šurmulys nutildytas ir atsiveria vidinio pasaulio skausmas ir bandymas jį sutalpinti.

Keista, liūdna ir gaila, kad neturim vertimo į lietuvių kalbą. Gaila, kad net nežinom tokio Chaimo Gradės, kuris gimė ir augo Vilniuj, rašė apie Vilnių.

Perkaičius dar pagalvojau, kad primena R. Gary „Aušros Pažadą“.

[Michael Burchfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was loaned to me by a friend. It was the first book I read of a biographical sort about the WW2 years and the impact on the Jewish communities of Europe. A captivating book about the authors mother and family before the Nazi's arrived in their village, of the authors escape, of his return to his home after the war was over, and of his disappointment. He brought out how women didn't flee, thinking the Germans would be kind to the women—only to learn that Jewish women were rounded up and killed as were the Jewish men. Sobering—sad—mournful.

[Laura Boudreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good book, easy to read and engrossing. It brings out clearly life in WWII Eastern Europe, with a very intense ending.

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine memoir of the difficulty of Jewish life in prewar Europe. People were poor and piety was declining.

[Vinnie Mann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book. Very enjoyable.

[Rona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Yiddish author who I’ve never heard of.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

moving