Ludovic Bruckstein was a Romanian/Jewish author and playwright who grew up in Sighet, in the Northern region of Transylvania, a town well known for its flourishing pre-war Jewish community and Hassidic tradition. Bruckstein edited a Yiddish newspaper called “Our Life” (Unzer Lebn), and in 1947 he wrote a play, describing a Sonder-kommando revolt in Auschwitz. The play, titled “The Night Shift” (Nacht-Shicht), written in Yiddish, was presented in Romania by both the Bucharest and Iassy Yiddish theaters, and was the first literary representation of this true event. His novels and stories are translated into Hebrew, French and English.

“Whereas contemporary short stories often rely on ephemeral insight, the lessons here feel solid, timeworn and tested. . . The translation from Romanian by Alistair Ian Blyth captures brilliantly the sage wisdom of the rabbis with their humour and mischief...Recommended with enthusiasm, this is a collection I plan to return to often.” Rónán Hession, The Irish Times

Ludovic Bruckstein was a Romanian/Jewish author and playwright who grew up in Sighet, in the Northern region of Transylvania, a town well known for its flourishing pre-war Jewish community and Hassidic tradition. Bruckstein edited a Yiddish newspaper called “Our Life” (Unzer Lebn), and in 1947 he wrote a play, describing a Sonder-kommando revolt in Auschwitz. The play, titled “The Night Shift” (Nacht-Shicht), written in Yiddish, was presented in Romania by both the Bucharest and Iassy Yiddish theaters, and was the first literary representation of this true event. His novels and stories are translated into Hebrew, French and English.

“Whereas contemporary short stories often rely on ephemeral insight, the lessons here feel solid, timeworn and tested. . . The translation from Romanian by Alistair Ian Blyth captures brilliantly the sage wisdom of the rabbis with their humour and mischief...Recommended with enthusiasm, this is a collection I plan to return to often.” Rónán Hession, The Irish Times

Ludovic Bruckstein was a Romanian/Jewish author and playwright who grew up in Sighet, in the Northern region of Transylvania, a town well known for its flourishing pre-war Jewish community and Hassidic tradition. Bruckstein edited a Yiddish newspaper called “Our Life” (Unzer Lebn), and in 1947 he wrote a play, describing a Sonder-kommando revolt in Auschwitz. The play, titled “The Night Shift” (Nacht-Shicht), written in Yiddish, was presented in Romania by both the Bucharest and Iassy Yiddish theaters, and was the first literary representation of this true event. His novels and stories are translated into Hebrew, French and English.

“Whereas contemporary short stories often rely on ephemeral insight, the lessons here feel solid, timeworn and tested. . . The translation from Romanian by Alistair Ian Blyth captures brilliantly the sage wisdom of the rabbis with their humour and mischief...Recommended with enthusiasm, this is a collection I plan to return to often.” Rónán Hession, The Irish Times