The Past Is Always Present
by
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We finally were going to have our first authentic honest- to-goodness American meal. I conjured up a picture of a gorgeous steak by mounds of smooth white mashed potatoes. And fresh oranges! We hadn't eaten those since forever. We hadn't eaten those since forever.
As I was going through the line the first thing I heard from the same Jewish mess sergeant who had cooked for us GIs overseas. “You know, it's Yom Kippur today.” I knew Yom Kippur meant one fasted from sun down to sun down. I just smiled and said, Yup, and continued right through the food line.
As I sat down I wasted no time getting to the food. Then I overheard a Nazi prisoner of war who was serving our tables, make a remark in German to another prisoner.
Dieser Mann spricht mit deutschem Akzent. Er muss einer dieser stinkenden elenden Juden.
I had been looking forward to having some of that good old American food I dreamed about ever since I got on the ship to sail stateside; dishes I had not tasted for three years. However, this did not stop me from standing up, taking my metal plate with all six compartments overflowing with food, and shoving the dish right in that bastard German soldiers face. He yelped. It was good to hear. This arrogant German sonofabitch’s attitude disappeared as he wiped the mashed potatoes from his face.
"My God, what did he say to make you throw your dinner on him? someone asked.
Oh, he just said, I spoke with a German accent, so I must be one of those stinking miserable Jews."
To add insult to the Germans injured pride, a loud hurrah emanated from all those in the cafeteria who saw the incident. Needless to say, I hope he was heckled as he left the area, food dribbling down over his POW uniform.
“Don't know why you did that, buddy,” someone said to me, but I sure wish I had done it."
"Yeah. That SOB deserved it,” another soldier said.
With a grin, I went back in line and got myself a new steak and more mashed potatoes. My little victory was bittersweet because I came to realize that my war was not yet over.
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About the Book
On March 11, 1925, Heinz Stephan Lewy is born after a miraculous pregnancy and an arduous labor to a German mother and Jewish father. As Stephan grows up within a strict home environment, everything changes the day his mother suddenly dies, leaving Stephan and his socialist father in dire circumstances. Soon, Stephan’s father has no choice but to send the six-year-old to an orphanage where he knows he will be safe.
Stephan, who feels his identity has been ripped away, bravely attempts to accept his new home. With help from new friends, Stephan eventually adjusts to life in a dormitory where he must share a bathtub with other boys, eat awful food, and assume daily chores. As he immerses himself in Judaism and matures into a young man, Stephan embarks down a remarkable path where he must overcome a multitude of challenges that include escaping Nazi Germany to America, facing the horrors of World War II as a member of the United States Army, and reconciling his painful past in order to make a difference in today’s world.
The Past Is Always Present is the true story of Stephan Lewy’s life, his coming-of-age journey through war and peace, and how he continues to use his experiences to enlighten modern youth.
About the Author
Lillian Belinfante Herzberg earned an Associate in Arts at Grossmont College and a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences from San Diego State University. She is an award-winning writer whose stories have appeared in newspapers, literary magazines, and in Chicken Soup for a Kid’s Soul. She is a mother of three and lives in San Diego. This is her fourth book.