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Preface

This book was long in the making. It was about 2007 when I came across the Ginsburg correspondence in the Yad Vashem Archives. However, it took me some time to realize the unprecedented value of the letters and to figure out what could be done with them. My hope is that this book will serve as a literary monument to the unfortunate members of the Ginsburg family.

The first person who was able to appreciate the uniqueness of the Ginsburg collection was my mentor, the late Professor David Bankier. He did so during my 2009–10 postdoctoral project “To Stay or To Flee: Soviet Jews in the Northern Caucasus Facing the German Invasion in 1941–42” at Yad Vashem’s International Institute for Holocaust Research. Professor Bankier’s ideas were instrumental in helping me shape the narrative surrounding these letters. In this regard, I would also like to thank the staff of Yad Vashem’s units, most specifically the people at the archives and library, who made my research so enjoyable and exciting.

I owe a special debt of gratitude to Anne Horenstein, my language editor, for meticulously and expertly working on the book. It is a pleasure to acknowledge financial support from Ariel University, which proved indispensable for editing and publishing.

My special thanks are extended to Professor Maxim D. Shrayer (Boston College), editor of the series Jews of Russia and Eastern Europe and Their Legacy from Academic Studies Press, for his encouragement and ability to truly appreciate the tremendous importance of the letters. I would also like to thank Ekaterina Yanduganova at Academic Studies Press for being a most kind, thoughtful, and patient editor.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge my father Mark and my wife Nastya for their support and inspiration while I struggled with my research and writing. I dedicate this book to my mother.