Tracing a Family's Survival Through War and Exile in 'The Wanderers'

Daniela Gerson's new book, "The Wanderers," details her extensive research into her and her wife's family histories during World War II. * The families, Jewish and from the same Polish town, faced persecution from both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, leading to exile and imprisonment in Siberian gulags.

* Gerson discusses the paradox that this deportation likely saved their lives, as those who remained in Poland faced near-certain death. * The book also touches on the persistent challenge of antisemitism and the complex task of separating Jewish identity from criticism of the Israeli government.

Through personal narrative and historical investigation, Gerson illuminates a harrowing yet resilient chapter of 20th-century history.