The Cat With the Yellow Star by Susan Goldman Rubin with Ela Stein Weissberger

This book is the memoir of a survivor of Theresienstadt written for children and young adults.  The author, Susan Goldman Rubin, tells the story of  Ela Stein Weissbberger, who is one of the few children deported to this ghetto/slave labor camp that survived the Holocaust.

Ela Stein was eleven years old in February 1942 when she was deported with her family to Theresienstadt.  Her memoir offers an intimate portrait of her struggle to survive inn the ghetto/slave labor camp.  The memoir provides insight into Ela’s resilient nature and the strength she showed in spiritually resisting and overcoming feelings of despair and hopelessness. 

In addition, the reader is presented with a portrait of the children’s opera Brundibar and the important role it played in inspiring both children and adults.  “When we were singing, “said Ela, “we forgot our troubles…. It was possible to have hope.”  Ela’s memoir documents the fact that the adults in the audience joined into the singing of the children’s march at the end of the opera, where the defeat of Brundibar is celebrated.  Everyone in Theresienstadt knew that Brundibar represented Hitler.  “We all wanted to completely exhaust that moment of freedom, “ said Ela>  “When we were on stage, it was the only time we were allowed to remove our yellow stars.”

According to Ela, Brundibar was performed at Theresienstadt once a week.  As children who performed in the opera were transported from Theresienstadt to killing Centers in Poland, others took their places on stage.  Ela managed to get her name removed from a list of deportees to Auschwitz twice. 

Ela performed the role of “The Cat”.  She was in the performance during the visit of the International Red Cross in 1944 and was filmed by the Nazis for a propaganda film made at the time of the Red Cross visit.  Ela remained in Theresienstadt until it was liberated in May 1945. 

Ela’s memoir concludes with her move, together with her mother and sister, to Israel, her subsequent move to the United States, and her work today in speaking at performances of Brundiibar around the country.

The Cat With the Yellow Star is recommended for readers ten years old and up (Grade 4 and up).

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