The “Memory House” by Raki Kapernik was a delight to the senses and a book I would
highly recommend. I appreciated her use of compassion in portraying deeply felt family
memories that give this book its name. Kapernik has managed to take what could have been
novel length and turned it into a beautiful, poetic memoir of her family’s history. She tells the
story of one family’s struggles and heartbreaks through the results of WWII and what followed
for her Jewish family in the life of the Kibbutz and outside of it at times. Somehow, she manages
to bring you through the whole story with the full impact of what they went through, yet still
managing to protect the reader from the true horrors that were really going on. Almost like the
boogie man that only the kids see at night and the parents do not.

Kapernik manages to show off her unique writing style in this book as well with some great
lines throughout the book. One that stuck out for me was (Raki Kapernik, pg.62) “magical times
interweaved seamlessly with the challenges we want to forget.” What a powerful statement!
When we go through something terrible that we would rather forget, if we have loved ones to
help see us through those awful times, sometimes we are fortunate enough to have those awful
memories interweave into powerful memories to help mold us into what we are.

Another very impactful statement she makes is (Raki Kopernik pg. 84) “Childhood moves so
slow, Summer lasts forever, Winter is epic, maybe we are more present in childhood.” Once
again, a very powerful statement! As adults, in our crazy, busy lives, we forget to be present and
sometimes it is our children who pay the price. As she tells the struggle of her family, it sems to
me that she is learning along the way not only more about her family and herself but the world as
well. She shows her wisdom in comments she makes throughout the book like: (Raki Kapernik)
“Our memories woven together, mine for hers, hers for mine.” When she spoke of her mother,
whom she felt great love for. Then at the end of the book, she says it best, (Raki Kapernik pg.
123) “There is no one way. No one straight line, no one yes no one isn’t. Delicate sheets shield
the timeline of our stories, protect our hearts, make our distance, our loops, our spirals bearable.
Same different same. We are not made of angles. We are made of woven memory circles.” Well
said! We are the same but different, on this planet together. This book has a powerful message!