This memoir of Menachem Mendel Frieden, translated from the original Hebrew, edited, and annotated by his historian grandson, recounts the history of the author’s family back several generations and covers his life from the time of his birth in 1878 until the middle of the twentieth century. The memoir tells of Frieden’s early years in a Lithuanian village; of his schooling, courtship and marriage in Eastern Europe; of his migration to and exploits in America early in the twentieth century; and, finally, of his settlement in Palestine in 1921 and his involvement in the project of nation buildi ... More

This memoir of Menachem Mendel Frieden, translated from the original Hebrew, edited, and annotated by his historian grandson, recounts the history of the author’s family back several generations and covers his life from the time of his birth in 1878 until the middle of the twentieth century. The memoir tells of Frieden’s early years in a Lithuanian village; of his schooling, courtship and marriage in Eastern Europe; of his migration to and exploits in America early in the twentieth century; and, finally, of his settlement in Palestine in 1921 and his involvement in the project of nation building in the Land of Israel. Thus, Frieden’s story provides insight into a multitude of topics related to the history of the Jews in all three of the most significant centers of Jewish life during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This memoir, which calls attention to some often ignored aspects of the modern Jewish experience, tells a fascinating personal story of a man who struggled with the encroachment of modern ideas into a traditional society, who faced life-altering choices at several points over the years, and who became involved in a variety of economic ventures as he worked to support his family and to fulfill his ideals. Ultimately, Frieden’s memoir represents both a marvelous source of historical information about a crucial period in Jewish history and a thought-provoking individual narrative.