At the end of World War II, French Jews faced a devastating demographic reality: thousands of orphaned children, large numbers of single-parent households, and families in emotional and financial distress. Daniella Doron suggests that after years of occupation and collaboration, French Jews and non-Jews held contrary opinions about the future of the nation and the institution of the family. At the center of the disagreement was what was to become of the children. Doron traces emerging notions about the postwar family and its role in strengthening Jewish ethnicity and French republicanism in the shadow of Vichy and the Holocaust.

About the Author

Daniella Doron is Lecturer in Jewish history at Monash University where she teaches courses on modern Jewish history, the Holocaust, and the history of the family.

Reviews

Doron's work provides a valuable contribution to the growing body of scholary work on postwar relief and reconstruction efforts.

* Studies in Contemporary Jewry *

Jewish Identity and Youth raises fundamental questions for the understanding of not only Jewish reconstruction in post-World War II France, but also Holocaust memory, postwar French society and culture and the history of postwar European families and children.

* French Politics, culture and Society *

The value of Daniella Doron's deft and far-reaching study of the debates and institutions centered on Jewish children in post-Vichy France extends far beyond the author's rather modest assessment of the book's contribution to historical scholarship. This work not only adds knowledge to a number of intersecting fields, it also demonstrates what we stand to gain by bringing these fields to bear on one another.

* Journal of Modern History *

Doron's book appears at a key moment. Its emphasis on children emerging from hunger, displacement and war should render it standard reading for policymakers, NGOs and others interested in shaping the destinies of today's abandoned children.

* French History *

The present volume makes an important contribution to the history of the Jewish family and of French Judaism in therst decade after the war.

* American Historical Review *

Daniella Doron's recent book is a welcome contribution to French history and the history of childhood and will interest advanced students and scholars in these areas.

* AJS Review *

Ultimately, this comprehensive study highlights the debates surrounding family and identity as French Jewish communities slowly recovered and reestablished their place in the French nation. Historically grounded, well organized, and engaging. . . . Highly recommended.

* Choice *

This work ultimately fills an important gap in the scholarship, and it will serve as a bridge between the numerous studies on the Holocaust and those that examine the impact of the North African Jewish migration.

* H-France *



Book Information
ISBN 9780253017413
Author Daniella Doron
Format Hardback
Page Count 324
Imprint Indiana University Press
Publisher Indiana University Press
Weight(grams) 594g