Two Pieces of Cloth
One Family’s Story of the Holocaust
Torn apart by war. Reunited through faith.
In this remarkable true story of the Holocaust, we follow David Goldberger from the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, back to Budapest where his wife, Aurelia, and infant son are hiding under false Christian identities.
By the time he is liberated by the allies, Goldberger weighs a skeletal sixty-five pounds and is told to wait for the Slovakian legion to rescue him. With the threat of typhus looming, Goldberger instead escapes with a group of men to Hannover. There, he is given two pieces of wool cloth—the key to rebuilding his future as he searches for his wife and child.
Drawn from survivor testimony, personal conversations, and archival documents, and vividly brought to life by Goldberger’s son Joe Gold, Two Pieces of Cloth bears witness to the horrors of the Holocaust, while serving as a testament to the power and resilience of the human spirit.
Reviews
“Joe Gold has absorbed the teaching of the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, that in remembrance lies the secret of redemption. Basing his book on various sources, including his father’s oral testimony, he soberly conveys the history of his parents from their hometowns in Czechoslovakia through the horrors of the Holocaust, culminating in their eventual reunion and immigration to Canada. Two Pieces of Cloth is a sensitively written account of suffering and survival that allows the reader to understand the plight of European Jewry during World War II from the perspective of two individuals who emerged from the maelstrom without ever abandoning their humanity or their faith.”
“Joe Gold shares the inspiring story of his family: a story of resilience, perseverance, faith, and hope in the face of indescribable evil. Two Pieces of Cloth is a significant contribution to the imperative of remembrance as the generations unfold and in the face of Holocaust denial.”
“I am moved beyond words… Joe Gold’s Two Pieces of Cloth is an invaluable piece of not only one family’s story, but emblematic of the story of the Holocaust. Joe has captured the first-hand feelings and experiences coupled with the historical background that contextualizes his family’s story of resilience and survival. Joe’s father, David Goldberger, is truly a heroic figure and leader—not just of his family, but of the Jewish people. The story of his survival is a testament to true faith and love. What kept him going during the darkness? Faith in God and love of family. The way Joe tells this story feels like first-person testimony—he has not only done justice and kavod to his parents and family’s memory, but also provides the facts, photos, and stories that no denier can ever refute. Joe gives tremendous honor to his parents. Kol Hakavod!”
“A true treasure… Two Pieces of Cloth offers readers insight into the nature of human suffering and survival. Written with passion and precision.”
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“Another account of the Holocaust? Yes, indeed. Two Pieces of Cloth is an obvious labor of love, a generational testament to parents who survived the Shoah, and a treasure for our children and grandchildren. This is but one story of many that will remind the next generations of their past and help prepare them for the future. It is a powerful, authentic, and meaningful tribute to memory.”
“In Two Pieces of Cloth, Joe Gold offers a vivid portrait of and tender tribute to his beloved parents, David and Aurelia Goldberger. Told in his parents’ words, the story is bookended by Joe’s perspective—first as a child getting a glimpse of his father’s wartime experiences through the discovery of a book of concentration camp photographs hidden in his father’s fabric store, and later as a seventy-two-year-old realizing his father’s dream to write a book. Weaving together insights drawn from interviews and archival research, Joe does more than his stated goal of documenting the story for the benefit of his family; he offers a compelling intergenerational memoir of significance to those interested in the Holocaust and Vancouver history alike. David and Aurelia’s story of unimaginable loss and unlikely survival—punctuated by luck, tenacity, faith, and an abiding love for family—makes their immense contributions to their adopted home in Canada all the more remarkable. We are all enriched by Joe’s inheritance: to carry forward the memory of the Shoah for future generations.”
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$21.95 CAD • $17.95 USD
Published June 8, 2021
Paperback, ebook, audiobook