The Story of Selvino's Children

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"'Between the years 1945-1948, nearly 800 children and youths - holocaust orphans - were gathered in this house. They were survivors of the ghettos and concentration camps. Here the joys of youth and the belief in mankind, that was snatched from them, were restored to them. They learned their people's ancient tongue - the language of the Bible, and were prepared for life in their homeland - Israel. Here they learned to recognise and cherish the goodness of the Italian people.'". "These lines form part of a dedication plaque fixed to a house on the edge of the small village of Selvino in the Italian Alps. The house - formerly a home for the children of fascists - was run by a few soldiers from a Jewish-Palestinian unit of the British Army stationed in Northern Italy, headed by Moshe Zeirii. The children said: 'He was like a father to us.'". "In The Story of the Selvino Children, Aharon Megged follows the stories of the children who lived there for up to three years, based on interviews and conversations he had with them many years later. They told him the remarkable story of 'the house': from their Odyssey and their history before they reached Italy to detailed descriptions of the 'Children's Republic' established in Selvino and later the hurdles they had to surmount before reaching their homeland - The Promised Land."--BOOK JACKET.

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