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Was it Just a Matter of Luck?: A Family, the Holocaust, and the Founding of a Museum
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 11, 2026
EDITOR'S PICK - BOOKLIFE:
Kaner’s first-person account of his mother’s life before, during, and after the Holocaust is a haunting, sometimes difficult, and absolutely necessary read. Born in Łódź, Poland, Rachela Kaner was the youngest of five children and only 13 years old when her family was imprisoned by the Nazis in the Bałuty ghetto in 1940. There, her close-knit family—who refused to believe “the German people would one day turn so severely against us”—suffered unspeakable horrors, near-starvation, the deaths of Rachela’s older brother and both of her parents, and their eventual splitting up: Rachela’s brother Elusch is sent to the Chelmno concentration camp, while Rachela and her sister Sally are sent to Auschwitz. In looking back on her experiences, Rachela often asks the question, why?—why did she survive when so many did not?
Kaner draws from his mother’s work interviewing survivors—she helped start the Center for Holocaust Studies in Flatbush, New York, where the motto “Never Again” began—to capture her memories. The narrative is concise but thorough, describing in vivid detail the fear and horrors Rachela—and others—witnessed and experienced. Throughout, Rachela shares acts of heroism and survival as she turns her anger into testimony, detailing not just stories of other survivors but also those of Nazi soldiers’ children and people who were called the “righteous among nations”—individuals who were not Jewish but risked their lives to help the Jewish people during the war.
Rachela’s legacy is lovingly crafted, illustrating the importance of gathering oral histories to “affir[m] the possibility of a shared humanity.” The narrative delves into Rachela’s time post-liberation as well, where she encounters her future husband, Leon, in a Displaced Persons camp. Their story together examines faith, healing, forgiveness, and resilience. Ultimately, Rachela decides the answer to why? doesn’t matter—but what does matter are the surviving children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who “carry our flame, our blessings, into the future.”
Kaner’s first-person account of his mother’s life before, during, and after the Holocaust is a haunting, sometimes difficult, and absolutely necessary read. Born in Łódź, Poland, Rachela Kaner was the youngest of five children and only 13 years old when her family was imprisoned by the Nazis in the Bałuty ghetto in 1940. There, her close-knit family—who refused to believe “the German people would one day turn so severely against us”—suffered unspeakable horrors, near-starvation, the deaths of Rachela’s older brother and both of her parents, and their eventual splitting up: Rachela’s brother Elusch is sent to the Chelmno concentration camp, while Rachela and her sister Sally are sent to Auschwitz. In looking back on her experiences, Rachela often asks the question, why?—why did she survive when so many did not?
Kaner draws from his mother’s work interviewing survivors—she helped start the Center for Holocaust Studies in Flatbush, New York, where the motto “Never Again” began—to capture her memories. The narrative is concise but thorough, describing in vivid detail the fear and horrors Rachela—and others—witnessed and experienced. Throughout, Rachela shares acts of heroism and survival as she turns her anger into testimony, detailing not just stories of other survivors but also those of Nazi soldiers’ children and people who were called the “righteous among nations”—individuals who were not Jewish but risked their lives to help the Jewish people during the war.
Rachela’s legacy is lovingly crafted, illustrating the importance of gathering oral histories to “affir[m] the possibility of a shared humanity.” The narrative delves into Rachela’s time post-liberation as well, where she encounters her future husband, Leon, in a Displaced Persons camp. Their story together examines faith, healing, forgiveness, and resilience. Ultimately, Rachela decides the answer to why? doesn’t matter—but what does matter are the surviving children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who “carry our flame, our blessings, into the future.”
June 19, 2026
Was It Just a Matter of Luck?: A Family, the Holocaust, and the Founding of a Museum by Charles Kaner is a powerful, deeply moving, and historically significant memoir that explores survival, memory, resilience, and the enduring responsibility to preserve the stories of those who lived through one of humanity’s darkest chapters.
At its heart, this book asks a profound question: when individuals survive unimaginable circumstances while so many others perish, can survival truly be attributed to luck alone? Through meticulous storytelling and personal reflection, Kaner examines his family's Holocaust experience while grappling with the complexities of fate, courage, circumstance, and human endurance.
What makes this memoir especially compelling is its ability to connect intimate family history with broader historical realities. Rather than presenting history as a distant series of events, Kaner brings readers into the lives of real people whose decisions, sacrifices, fears, and hopes shaped their survival. The result is a narrative that feels both deeply personal and universally meaningful.
The book's emotional impact is heightened by the author's thoughtful exploration of memory and legacy. As generations pass, preserving these stories becomes increasingly important. Kaner demonstrates how remembrance is not simply an act of honoring the past but also a commitment to educating future generations about the consequences of hatred, intolerance, and indifference.
Particularly inspiring is the story surrounding the founding of a museum, which transforms personal history into a lasting public contribution. The museum becomes more than a repository of artifacts—it serves as a living testament to resilience, education, and collective responsibility. This dimension of the narrative adds depth and purpose, showing how individual experiences can become powerful tools for public understanding and historical preservation.
The writing balances historical detail with emotional authenticity, allowing readers to absorb both the facts and the human realities behind them. Kaner’s reflections invite thoughtful consideration of family, identity, survival, and the ways history continues to shape lives across generations.
Readers interested in Holocaust history, memoir, Jewish history, family legacy, and historical preservation will find this book especially rewarding. Yet its themes of resilience, remembrance, and human dignity give it a much broader relevance.
Ultimately, Was It Just a Matter of Luck? is far more than a family memoir. It is a moving exploration of survival and legacy, a tribute to those who endured unimaginable hardship, and a reminder of why preserving these stories remains essential.
At its heart, this book asks a profound question: when individuals survive unimaginable circumstances while so many others perish, can survival truly be attributed to luck alone? Through meticulous storytelling and personal reflection, Kaner examines his family's Holocaust experience while grappling with the complexities of fate, courage, circumstance, and human endurance.
What makes this memoir especially compelling is its ability to connect intimate family history with broader historical realities. Rather than presenting history as a distant series of events, Kaner brings readers into the lives of real people whose decisions, sacrifices, fears, and hopes shaped their survival. The result is a narrative that feels both deeply personal and universally meaningful.
The book's emotional impact is heightened by the author's thoughtful exploration of memory and legacy. As generations pass, preserving these stories becomes increasingly important. Kaner demonstrates how remembrance is not simply an act of honoring the past but also a commitment to educating future generations about the consequences of hatred, intolerance, and indifference.
Particularly inspiring is the story surrounding the founding of a museum, which transforms personal history into a lasting public contribution. The museum becomes more than a repository of artifacts—it serves as a living testament to resilience, education, and collective responsibility. This dimension of the narrative adds depth and purpose, showing how individual experiences can become powerful tools for public understanding and historical preservation.
The writing balances historical detail with emotional authenticity, allowing readers to absorb both the facts and the human realities behind them. Kaner’s reflections invite thoughtful consideration of family, identity, survival, and the ways history continues to shape lives across generations.
Readers interested in Holocaust history, memoir, Jewish history, family legacy, and historical preservation will find this book especially rewarding. Yet its themes of resilience, remembrance, and human dignity give it a much broader relevance.
Ultimately, Was It Just a Matter of Luck? is far more than a family memoir. It is a moving exploration of survival and legacy, a tribute to those who endured unimaginable hardship, and a reminder of why preserving these stories remains essential.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews