My Soul Is Filled with Joy

A Holocaust Story

By: Karen I Treiger

Narrated by: Cheryl Stern

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

WINNER OF BRONZE MEDAL OF INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS BOOK AWARD (IPPY) IN THE CATEGORY OF WORLD HISTORY!

What do the TV series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and My Soul Is Filled with Joy have in common? I'll tell you - Cheryl Stern, the amazing actor who plays the role of Ida (Benjamin's mother) in season two of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and she is voice that expertly narrates My Soul Is Filled with Joy. Ms. Stern brings a rich background of acting and narration to bear on her storytelling. The audiobook's depth and meaning come to life with her voice.

The audiobook tells the story of Sam and Esther Goldberg who met in the Polish forest - just outside of the Treblinka Death Camp. It was August 3, 1943, just one day after Sam escaped the camp during a prisoner uprising. With 870,000 murdered at Treblinka, Sam was one of approximately 65 to survive and live until the end of the war. Esther had been hiding in that patch of forest for a year. They met, and after hearing of the prisoner revolt, she took him to the Righteous Gentiles who, at great danger to themselves, hid them in their barn for three days while the Nazis, Ukrainians, and Poles scoured the area looking for escapees.

Deciding to stay and hide with Esther, they dug a forest pit where they "lived" when it was not freezing. They subsisted in the pit and the barns - hungry, cold, and scared - for another year until they were liberated by the Red Army in July of 1944. This is only one piece of their harrowing story of survival.

This audiobook tells the story of Sam and Esther, Holocaust survivors who lost their entire families because of Hitler's Final Solution.

The author, Karen Treiger, is Sam and Esther's daughter-in-law. She and her family traveled to Poland to walk in Sam and Esther's footsteps and to meet the children of the Righteous Gentiles that helped them survive. It was an intensely emotional experience for both families. Also, with the help of a Polish priest, she was able to locate and meet a Goldberg cousin they never knew they had.

My Soul Is Filled with Joy: A Holocaust Story brings to life the horror of the Nazis' actions and the toll it exacted on so many Jewish families. This is also a story of hope, love, and determination; of a family rediscovering the path taken by their parents to find life and freedom in a new world. Sam and Esther's story is one of love and the will to live no matter what they had to endure. It reminds us that we are still learning the lessons of the Holocaust.

Tributes for My Soul Is Filled with Joy:

"It is vital that this book - as well as other accounts of the Holocaust - be preserved and disseminated widely to future generations to help prevent anything similar from ever happening again." (Marion Blumenthal Lazan, Holocaust survivor and coauthor of Four Perfect Pebbles)

©2018 Karen I Treiger (P)2018 Karen I Treiger

Critic reviews

"This book which started as a gift of love from the author to her survivor parents-in-law, turns out to be a gift of seeing life anew to every reader. It enables us - no, it compels us-to see our everyday lives in a new dimension of appreciation, meaning and purpose. I urge everyone to look deeply into this book and accept its priceless gift of a new life." (Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, president emeritus, CLAL: The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership; chairman, the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 2000-2002.)

"In Karen Treiger's important book she tells the story of her in-laws. Their suitcases were filled with only tragic and bitter memories. Yet, they had the courage to pick themselves up by the bootstraps, wipe away the tears, turn despair into hope, and rebuild Jewish life." (Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center)

"Karen has written a powerful and personal account of Sam and Esther Goldberg. This book is a must read for those interested in the greatest crime in the history of mankind." (Chris Webb, author/historian, founder of the Holocaust Historical Society)

I’m not crying!!

Wow. Great story about the strength of human spirit. Sam and Ester. I cried multiple times and it was great

Touching story of a family reaching into the past

With compassion and clarity, author Karen Treiger tells the story of her in-laws who survived the Holocaust. With gripping discernment, Cheryl Stern brings the details to life with accents that transport the reader to the life of 1940s Europe.

Making the story ever more relevant for our times, we hear how these stories continue to impact Karen's family to this day.

The audiobook contains some amazing audio of Karen's family in Poland in the present day.

Good Triumphs over Evil

This was my first audio book and I did not know what to expect. I was surprised and moved by this unique story.

The narrator, Cheryl Stern, was extremely effective and spoke with clarity, warmth and sincerity. Her ability to communicate in the proper dialects made the telling of the story even more moving. She is truly a professional and I would like to hear more of her work.

The overall production was outstanding.

What I learned from this story was that there are good people in the world who will risk their own lives to help others who suffer.

Thank you for bringing this production to Audible.

I know I’m biased.

My sister Karen wanted to write a book. I was happy she had something to say, but I didn’t give it much more thought, except “ugh, I’ll probably have to read her book”.
When she published the book I bought the book that day, and stared at it for months. I mean I opened it and read the first chapter, but it’s a historical book about the holocaust, and I am more of a sci fi, fantasy guy. So it was hard going, but then she came out with the audible version narrated by Cheryl Stern. I figured I could listen to it while I worked out, easy peasy.
This audible told an engaging story about my sisters family, and brought tears more times than I was comfortable with while working out. And on one occasion, a fellow gym member asked if I was ok.
I am so proud of my sister for following her desire to tell her in-laws and her family’s story. This is more than the story of Sam and Esther survival in Nazi Germany. It is the story of Karen’s journey and her discoveries on this journey. Without any spoilers, I want to say that this book and it’s future discoveries fill my soul with joy. Thank you Karen for taking on this project. “What took you so long”. Oh my god, I’m crying again.

My main complaint is that I can only give 5 stars

The best non fiction book I have listened to on the holocaust. This author is absolutely fantastic and keep me engaged thru out. Although I admit I did have to fast forward a little because I just couldn’t hear about the horrors of the treblinka DEATH camp. I couldn’t even imagine those poor souls in that hell. The research
Was certainly very thorough and I learned so much about pre and post war Poland and especially how things are in Poland today But I won’t do a spoiler for others the characters became alive both good and bad
This book is also a tribute to the righteous among the nations gentiles who risked their life and their family life helping the Jews who were hunted down like animals this is not a book about anger or revenge hence the name please read it for yourself because I could go on and on Looking forward for more from the wonderful novelist. What a great family she has