How My Grandfather Stole a Shoe and Survived the Holocaust in Ukraine

Join journalist, author, and third-generation descendant of Holocaust survivors Julie Masis for a compelling presentation on her new book, How My Grandfather Stole a Shoe and Survived the Holocaust in Ukraine.

Drawing on her grandfather Shlomo’s memories, family history, and extensive archival research, Masis recounts his survival under Romanian occupation during the Holocaust. Born in present-day Moldova, Shlomo later immigrated to Massachusetts, where he lived to the age of 102. During the program, Julie will read excerpts from the book, share family photographs, discuss her research, including discoveries from Romanian newspapers published during World War II, and reflect on her journey to uncover her family’s past. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

This program is appropriate for adults as well as middle and high school students.

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Julie Masis is a journalist, author, and third-generation descendant of Holocaust survivors. She is the editor and publisher of the Russian Boston Gazette, a newspaper serving the Russian-speaking community in the Greater Boston area. Her work on Jewish history and other topics has appeared in The Times of Israel, The Jerusalem Post, The Boston Globe, The Christian Science Monitor, The Montreal Gazette, The Globe and Mail, and numerous other publications. Beyond journalism, she has taught English to Buddhist monks in Cambodia, organized tours to the Khmer Rouge tribunal, and recently learned to ice skate.