Monday, December 30, 2013

Honored by this testimonial. Thanks Gene,


HONORED TO HAVE THIS TESTIMONIAL:
Ben Frank has made skillful use of his longtime expertise in researching the cultural and religious history of the far-flung diaspora of the Jewish people throughout the world and creating this credible and compelling novel about a passionate  young woman…”
 
 Gene Sosin, Ph.D., is a former senior executive of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
 
“Klara’s Journey” (Marion Street Press)
 
“betrayal, high drama, love!”
·        
Available  wherever books are sold. On all ebook formats!
http://amzn.to/13Sp769
 

Brest-Litovsk & The Russian Civil War


In December 1917, the Bolsheviks signed an armistice with  Germany and Austria. A few months later, the new Communist government would sign the treaty of Brest-Litovsk formally ending Russia’s involvement in World War I. Although out of a foreign war, Russia then entered another bloody conflict, a Civil War, that would cause the death of seven to ten million persons. That is the backdrop of “Klara’s Journey,” an historical novel and a story of “betrayal, high drama and love.” Available wherever books are sold and on all ebook formats. http://amzn.to/13Sp769 Also,nook, ipad,Kobo,etc.

 

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Lest We Forget, The Battle of the Bulge,


LEST WE FORGET: About 1 million American World War II veterans are still alive. We should honor them this month, including those who fought in The Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945). The battle was   a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium., France and Luxembourg on the western front. The battle involved about 610,000 American men of whom some 89,000 were casualties, including 19,000 killed. It was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in the Second World War.  That war is certainly a topic in “The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond.” (Globe Pequot Press). http://amzn.to/J3Z47T  Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :   

 

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Lest We Forget, 110 Years ago.


LEST WE FORGET: Of all the pogroms that rocked Tsarist Russia, the one in Kishinev in 1903 is one of the most infamous. In that pogrom, 110 years ago, 49 Jews were killed, 500 injured and 1,500 homes and shops were vandalized in this city that at that time was the capital of Bessarabia. (That city, the capital of Moldova, is now called Chisinau.) The collapse of the Russian government began with the Kishinev pogrom, as it showed  the “ghastly rottenness” of the Tsar’s government.. Klara, of “Klara’s Journey,” (Marion Street Press) will witness the collapse in 1917. “Klara’s Journey,”available on all ebook formats, http://amzn.to/13Sp769 Also,nook, ipad,Kobo,etc.And wherever books are sold.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Honored to have this comment!

CYBER WEEK CONTINUES:
 
Honored to have this comment:
 
 “…Another brave heroine – and another harrowing adventure – is depicted in Klara’s Journey (Marion Street Press) by Ben G. Frank. A veteran journalist and travel writer, Frank is at his best when explaining the historical circumstances in which his title character finds herself. At the beginning of almost every chapter, he sets the scene, describing what (really) took place at that time and/or place, quoting from historians and offering fascinating lessons about the events leading up to and just following the Russian Civil War….” Cynthia Ramsay, Jewish Independent, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
 
“Klara’s Journey,” an historical novel.
 
Makes a  great holiday gift.  Available on all ebook formats, http://amzn.to/13Sp769 Also,nook, ipad,Kobo,etc.And wherever books are sold.
 
 
 
 

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Praise for Klara's Journey

Ben Frank has made skillful use of his longtime expertise in researching the cultural and religious history of the far-flung diaspora of the Jewish people throughout the world and creating this credible and compelling novel about a passionate  young woman…”
 
 Gene Sosin, Ph.D., is a former senior executive of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
 
“Klara’s Journey”
 
“betrayal, high drama, love!”
·        
Available  wherever books are sold. On all ebook formats!
http://amzn.to/13Sp769
 
 

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Where is Klara on Thanksgiving, 1918?


And where’s Klara Rasputnis of “Klara’s Journey,” on Chanukah, 1918? She’s in Vladivostok, where she will be able to smell the salt waters of the Pacific Ocean. It’s been a year since she left Odessa. 
 
“ I feel like a sprinter crashing past the finish line in a long marathon,” she says…
 
  A few weeks later, Klara will stand on the upper deck of the SS Nippon Maru. She’s going to the “Land of the Rising Sun. ….”
 
“So long Vladivostok. Bye darling Sid.”
 
“Back at the Welfare Center, however,  the director, staff, and guests wonder why Klara left so early in the morning, without notice, without a good-bye, and without official papers?” 
from “Klara’s Journey,” an historical novel, a story of “betrayal, high drama and love.” Make a great holiday gift.  Available on all ebook formats, http://amzn.to/13Sp769

Happy Chanukah/ Thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Lest we forget!

Lest we forget. Time stood still at 2120 hours on the night of November 26, 2008, in Mumbai, India. Terrorists attacked all over the city, hotels, cafes, the rail terminals, and Nariman House, a five-story building in south Mumbai and home of Chabad. 174 persons, including nine gunmen, lost their lives. Six Jews are Nariman House were murdered  in the attack on the city which  shook India, the world and the Indian Jewish community which has experienced hardly a drop of anti-Semitism throughout its long history. As we are about to celebrate Chanukah, let us note that the Jewish community in India remains very strong and united. For more on “Incredible India,” and its Jewish community, check out “The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti and Beyond,” (Globe Pequot Press) http://amzn.to/J3Z47T Wherever books are sold and an ebook.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Radio interview!

Just taped a radio interview today on WFDU-fm, 89.1,” -The Voice of Fairleigh Dickinson ... Teaneck, NJ, to air Sunday morning, November 24,  at 6 am. Interviewed by Carl Kraus on his program, “Digest.”  Talked about “Klara’s Journey,” a story of “betrayal, high drama and love,” and that Klara’s Journey,” (Marion Street Press) an historical novel is a great gift for Chanukah and the holidays.

 Available on all ebook formats, including, Kindle:http://amzn.to/13Sp769,Nook link: http://bit.ly/1htY9vY

at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :

 

Thursday, November 21, 2013

My Article on Pastoral Kfar Blum

Sunday, November 17, 2013

My article on Burma in B'nai B'rith Magazine


 
http://mydigimag.rrd.com//display_article.php?id=1548613&id_issue=181545
 
Jewish Geography


Ben G. Frank
Here is an article on the Jewish community of Myanmar (formerly Burma) I wrote for B'na B'rith Magazine, winter edition. Check out my chapter on Burma in  "The Scattered Tribe, Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond," Globe Pequot Press . Available wherever books are sold and an ebook.


One sweltering day a few years ago in that far-away, once secretive Asian land known as Burma, now officially known as Myanmar, I gazed at the entrance of a two-story, blue-and-white stone building. I had arrived at the synagogue in Yangon, the city formerly called Rangoon

 A few moments later, Than Lwin, known to the 21 Jews in Myanmar as Moses Samuels, appeared. He bears the burden of Burmese Jewish life on his shoulders. Every day, this 62-year-old walks 45 minutes from his home to open the doors of 117-year-old Musmeah Yeshua, at 85 26th Street, to keep Judaism alive in Myanmar, the land of the Golden Pagodas. He is fulfilling a promise to his late father, Isaac, to never allow the house of worship to close.


 Since that visit, the country that had long isolated itself from the outside world has undergone a political metamorphosis. Thus, in November 2012, President Obama traveled to Burma to visit Aung San Suu Kyi, “the lady,” Nobel Peace Prize winner and former “prisoner of conscience,” freed from 15 years of home detention in 2010, and now, suddenly, elected to the lower house of the Burmese parliament.



 Her courage helped force a 50-year-old, repressive military regime to initiate political and electoral reforms, including the release of thousands of prisoners. Those actions, however tentative and precarious, gave 51 million citizens at least the hope for complete freedom, and also augured well for the survival of a tiny Jewish community with deep cultural roots.

 

 With the opening, tourists began flocking to this nation. With hotels booked up, tourism agencies were telling clients, “Now is the time to visit, to experience Burma’s true authenticity before it inevitably takes its place on the tourist map,” according to an advertisement in the London Times on Oct. 18, 2012. Among the visitors are Jews interested in finding Jewish sites. An Israeli backpacker told me his city map marked 26th Street with a Jewish star, so he walked there and found Musmeah Yeshua.

 

 To the extent that Burmese Jewry exists today it is largely due to the dedication of Moses Samuels and his son, Sammy, 33, descended from family members who came to Burma from India in the 1890s. Sammy, whose Burmese name is Aung Soe Lwin, is a graduate of Yeshiva University in New York City, where he lives. Until 2012, he normally spent three months in Myanmar, but now that he has opened a business there (MS Global Consulting), he stays longer.


 This father-and-son team heads Myanmar Shalom Travels, (www.myanmarshalom.com), which not only books tours for a “special Jewish experience in Burma,” but with the lifting of most U.S. and EU sanctions leveled at the country, works with American, Israeli and EU businesses interested in investing in this fast-emerging market. Because of increased tourism, Myanmar Shalom has expanded its office in Yangon and added branches in Bagan and Mandalay.
 

 Moses takes care of the synagogue. Nearby stores, which occupy synagogue property, contribute a total of $59 a month for its upkeep and repairs. Sammy gives part of the profits of his travel agency to the congregation. A rabbi has not served here for more than 40 years.


 Usually, Moses doesn’t get a minyan (a quorum of 10 men) for daily services. Moses and Sammy note, however, that the number of Jewish businesspersons, staff of non-governmental organizations and and diplomats has increased, especially since the upgrading of the U.S. embassy’s diplomatic status last year from a charges d’affaires to the appointment of a new ambassador, Derek J. Mitchell. The arrival of more officials and tourists has meant more Friday night services at the synagogue. If Sammy is in Yangon, he conducts the Sephardic service that Burmese Jews brought from Iraq and India. Moses, with his wife, Nelly, and two daughters,Dinah and Kaznar, greet Jewish tourists.


 For the last two years, Sammy has organized a public Chanukah candlelighting ceremony with more than 120 invited guests, including top Myanmar government officials; EU representatives; and Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Baha’i and Hindu religious leaders.


 During last year’s holiday celebration, Israeli Ambassador Hagay M. Behar stressed “the longlasting and good relations between the Jewish community, the people of Israel and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.” In an e-mail, he added: “I think that the Myanmarian government and civil society really appreciate the achievements of the State of Israel,” includng those in agriculture, science, technology and health. 

 Sammy notes that both Israel and Burma were born in 1948 from areas formerly ruled by the British, and strong ties were forged early on between U Nu, the county’s first prime minister who led his nation on and off for 14 years, and David Ben-Gurion, the first prime minister of Israel. After Burma recognized Israel in December 1949, U Nu became the first foreign prime minister to visit the Jewish state. Ben-Gurion traveled to Burma and spent two weeks there in 1961. Later, prominent Israeli visitors included former Prime Minister Golda Meir, Israeli diplomat Abba Eban, military leader Moshe Dayan and Shimon Peres, two-time former prime minster and currently president of Israel. After the military coup in 1962, Burma isolated itself from outside influences.


“We love Burma so much and want to keep the Jewish spirit alive,” Sammy Samuels said. “Being in the synagogue gives us our tie to Judaism.”
 

Musmeah Yeshua, which means, “Brings Forth Salvation,” has beautiful stained glass windows similar in style to the grand Magen David Synagogue in Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta), India. At one time, this house of worship possessed 126 Torahs resting on shelves mounted on the wall of a small, round room. In Burma, it was customary and a great honor for a family to donate a Torah. Moses showed me the last two remaining Torahs, which are in round wooden, cases covered with silver and designed in the style of the Torah scrolls familiar to Babylonian Jews. The other 124 Torah scrolls were taken out of the country when Jewish families began departing Burma beginning in the 1940s and carried to their new homes in the Diaspora and Israel.
 

 The nearby old Jewish cemetery on 91st Street, where pebbles rest on tombstones, stands as another memory of a vibrant Jewish community and a rich heritage.
 

 The first Jew in Burma was Solomon Gabirol, who served as a commissar in the army of King Alaungpaya (1752-1760). Then, in the early part of the 19th century, two European Jews moved to Burma from Galicia and Rumania, both as suppliers to the British Army.
 

 While a minority of Jews came from India and were known as the Bene Israel, most who arrived in the mid-19th century were originally “Baghdadi Jews,” from Iraq. Famous commercial families set up trading networks in Southeast Asia, and business leaders helped bring commercial expansion to Burma. “In Burma,” wrote the late Ruth Fredman Cernea, in her book, “Almost Englishmen: Baghdadi Jews in British Burma,” Jews from the Oriental Diaspora discovered “a wide-open land of opportunity for commercial enterprise, especially once the British extended their empire in India east into Burma in the latter half of the 19th century.”

 

In the 1930s, about 1,500 Jews called Burma home. Burmese Jews lived a very comfortable life, so much so that Cernea entitled one of her book chapters, “Beautiful Burmese Days.” Jews mixed with Christians, Burmese, Hindus, Muslims and Chinese, but almost all of it on a social basis, with minimal intermarriage. Two Jews served as mayors: one in Rangoon, another in Bassein. And, the Sofaer family donated the iron gates at the entrance to the Rangoon Zoo. Mordecai Isaac Cohen built the cast-iron bandstand in Bandula Square. Both are still standing today.


“It was a very good life,” recalled Simon Saul of Upland, Calif., who was born in Rangoon to a leading commercial family, adding, “Many worked for British companies.”


The Sauls had arrived in Burma from India in the early 20th century. Simon lived with his parents, two brothers and a sister close to the railway station. The children attended the Jewish English School. “We celebrated the holidays in our beautiful synagogue.” The Saul family left Burma twice, the first time to return to India after the brutal Japanese bombing of Rangoon in December 1941, then after World War II in 1945. They moved to the United States in 1949 to be with a daughter who married an American GI.


 To 90-year old Joseph Hyam Sassoon of Los Angeles, whose family arrived in Burma in the 1880s, “We had everything,” including rickshaws, carriages and motorcars. After the Japanese attacked Burma in December 1941, the family left for India, as did many other Burmese Jews. Following the war, they returned briefly for a visit but, otherwise, left Burma for good for India. The Sassoons immigrated to the United States in 1951.


 After World War II, several hundred Jews returned to Burma. But, the community “was devastated and never recovered,” wrote Cernea. Many emigrated to Israel in 1948, others to British Commonwealth nations and the United States. When the Burmese military seized control in 1962 and set up a harsh and repressive dictatorship, nationalized industry and isolated Burma, nearly all the Jews departed. (These military rulers renamed their country Myanmar in 1989.)


 More than 50 years later, Myanmar appears to be on the road, however winding, to democratic government, even as it deals with internal ethnic and religious conflicts. With talk of American foreign policy pivoting to Asia, Burma—strategically located between China and India—is critical to meeting the challenges of the new global power, China. But a large-scale return of Jews seems unlikely.


 Simon Saul, who went back to visit in the 1990s, doesn’t believe Burmese Jews will return permanently. “The younger generation is very settled in the Diaspora and Israel,” he says.


 The realists say the future of Burmese Jewry is tenuous. Still, says Sammy Samuels, “With American and British Jews and Israelis investing in Myanmar, our community could actually grow.”


To which Rabbi Marvin Tokayer, author, scholar and expert on the Oriental Diaspora, adds, “Hopefully, this won’t be the last page of the history of Burmese Jews but the beginning of a new chapter.”
 

Friday, November 15, 2013

Incredible India: Israel, India ties grow!


Israel, India ties grow as 2 nations do business!
 
A few quotes from a fascinating article in Ynet news underscores my chapter on India in “The Scattered Tribe,Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond,” (Globe Pequot Press). http://amzn.to/J3Z47T   Hopefully, it will lead to a “strong Indo-Israel Alliance.”

“Israel and India have long had an extensive military relationship totaling approximately $9 billion each year. Israel has sold India advanced weapons systems and planes and the two countries hold joint military drills annually. India has also recently launched a military satellite for Israel.

“Now the economic sector is catching up. The Indian company Jain’s recently bought the Israeli drip irrigation company Naan-Dan that had been run by two kibbutzim in Israel. Other Israeli irrigation companies also have a strong presence in India.

“The two countries are in the midst of negotiating a free-trade agreement which would expand the scope of trade significantly.”

 “Cyber-cooperation
“Another field of close cooperation is cyber security. According to Israeli media reports, cyber terrorists recently shut down the Carmel Tunnels Road in Haifa for almost eight hours, causing massive traffic jams and hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. Israel has long been a leader in the field of cyber security, while India has specialized in software development.”

 Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :  
 

Thursday, November 14, 2013

My article on Burma in Bnai Brith Magazine,just out, 11/12/13

My article in Bnai Brith magazine, on Burma. Check out my chapter on Burma also. "The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond." (Globe Pequot Press}

http://mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/?i=181545&p=30.
 

Monday, November 11, 2013

Friday, November 8, 2013

Lest We Forget, Nov. 7, 1917

Lest we forget: On November 7,1917, 96 years ago, a putsch occurred in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) Russia. The take-over was known as the “Great October Socialist Revolution.” Proclaimed was the world’s first Communist state, a state that crumbled 74 years later, after murdering millions and dispatching millions to the gulag. Nobody ever dreamed that the “Communist god” would fail and that today we would have a Jewish community in Russia which revived from nothing after years of Soviet persecution.

Much of the story of “Klara’s Journey,” takes place during the Russian Civil War (1918-22) which followed the Bolshevik seizure of power. Her story is a tale of “betrayal, high drama and love.”

Available on all ebook formats, Kindle:
http://amzn.to/13Sp769. Also,nook, ipad, Kobo, etc. Nook link: http://bit.ly/1htY9vY

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Klara leaves Odessa. "Klara's Journey, " a story of betrayal, drama and love."

“Before leaving the house, Klara follows the age-old Russian folk custom of sitting on her suitcase and reflecting, meditating, praying, or wondering what lies ahead before embarking on her journey. Mischa waits outside their apartment at 21 Proharovskaya Street in the Black Sea port of Odessa. It’s the end of November, 1917, a few weeks after the “Glorious October Socialist Revolution.”

From “Klara’s Journey,” (Marion Street Press) an historical novel, “a story of betrayal, high drama and love.” Available on all ebook formats, Kindle:http://amzn.to/13Sp769. Also,nook, ipad, Kobo, etc. Nook link:
http://bit.ly/1htY9vY
>

Visit Kibbutz Lotan

Well-worth looking over this website and info, as well as stopping for a visit at Kibbutz Lotan, located in the desert about 40 miles north of Eilat: www.kibbutzlotan.com Fantastic work and progress in community and environmental development work, including organic gardening, and natural building which means building with recycled materials. I visited Kibbutz Lotan and wrote about the kibbutz’ eco-friendly work; such as, its solar-powered tea house, in “The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond," (Globe Pequot Press) http://amzn.to/J3Z47T Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :

Saturday, October 26, 2013

A month since "Klara's Journey," became an ebook..and...




It’s a month since “Klara’s Journey, an historical novel, became an ebook. Never realized so many readers get their books on kindle, nook, ipad, Kobo. Available on all ebook formats and wherever books are sold.  http://amzn.to/13Sp769 
 
“Klara’s Journey, (Marion Street Press)a story of betrayal, high drama, love,” ISBN 9781936863471 is a gripping account of the Russian Civil War and its consequences. Order today.Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. wherever books are sold.
 

A Memory of India

When I was in India, I attended a wedding at Magen Hassidim Synagogue in Mumbai and wrote about it in travel articles and my book, “The Scattered Tribe, Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond,” (Globe Pequot Press. Rich in tradition, the ceremony and reception were joyous and one could see part of a rich Jewish heritage. Mazel tov to all the forthcoming simchas in this small, but still vibrant Jewish community. http://amzn.to/J3Z47T   Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :   
 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Time often stops in the land of the Maghreb

I remember it well: Excerpt from “The Scattered Tribe.”
 
“Time often stops in the land of the Maghreb. It certainly halted for me that summer day in 1964 in Algiers, my first encounter with the Jews of North Africa in their native lands…
 
“Algeria, sandwiched between Morocco and Tunisia, known (and often feared) as the Barbary Coast, was the first Arab country I had ever set food in. …”
 
Excerpt from the  chapter: “Time stops for me in the Maghreb,”  in “The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond,” (Globe Pequot Press) .http://amzn.to/J3Z47T
Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :  
 

The Chelyabinsk meteor and Klara's Journey

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Kerela, re the Jews of India, proud heritage.



“Whether you're looking for inner peace or just want to laze on some of India's best beaches, you can stay in style without breaking the bank on Kerala's beautiful coast, according to a news item in The Guardian U.K.” This item in India Travel Online is correct. I found it that way when I was in Kochi researching “The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond.” (Globe Pequot Press). I also discovered a wonderful Jewish community---though small—and a rich Jewish heritage. Check out my chapter on India. http://amzn.to/J3Z47T blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :

Monday, September 30, 2013

New Review of Klara's Journey,A Novel,"



Review:
‘Klara’s Journey’ captures drama of woman’s perilous trek
Jewish Chronicle, Pittsburgh, Pa. reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch.
 
 
Part history lesson, part novel, “Klara’s Journey” by Ben Frank chronicles a young Jewish girl’s travels from her home in Odessa, Russia to Winnipeg, Manitoba in the midst of the Russian Civil War.  It is a compelling story of an intelligent and brave young woman’s fight for survival amidst hardship and dangerous conditions.
Frank, a Pittsburgh native, based the character of Klara on his aunt, who lived in Greenfield, and traveled a similar journey from Russia to Canada.

Klara Rasputnis is 17 and the oldest child of five.  Her father, Gershon, is a cantor who seeks a better life for his family.  He leaves them, but after much time passes without word, Klara’s mother sends her to find him.  Klara’s chaperones fail to show up at the train station, so she makes an impulsive decision to jump on the train alone, much to the consternation of her younger brother, Mischa, who had accompanied her to the station.

Riding thousands of miles on the Trans-Siberian railroad alone, Klara embarks upon a life-changing adventure.

Each chapter begins with historical information about the political situation in Russia during the timeframe in which Klara was traveling, beginning in 1917. The book would have been more effective if the history were incorporated into the storyline, as the chapter headers interrupted the flow of the story. However, the synopses did serve to provide context.
There is very little that is soft about Klara. She swears; she steals; she’s opinionated. But her brash personality becomes her best weapon on her journey as she encounters danger around every corner. Facing would-be rapists and kidnappers, rampant anti-Semitism, violence, lack of money and food, and volatile soldiers, Klara is forced to use both her wits and her sharp tongue to survive.
With limited resources, Klara gets on and off the train in different Siberian towns. At times, she is unable to travel for months because of severe weather.

Klara catches up with her brother, Mischa, during her travels. Mischa has become a spy with the Red Army.  His on-and-off presence throughout her journey is initially a source of security, but then becomes a danger to her, particularly after he switches loyalties.

More than historical fiction, though, Klara’s is a star-crossed love story.  Along the way, she meets and falls in love with Vladimir, a non-Jewish member of the Red Cross.  Their relationship delays her on her quest to find her father, but it also gives her the courage to continue her arduous journey when fate intervenes to separate the couple.

Klara journeys throughout Russia, China, Japan, Seattle, Vancouver, and finally, Winnipeg, where she experiences an unfulfilling reunion with the father who, for all intents and purposes, abandoned his family.

The author, a travel writer who has written several Jewish travel guides, effectively captures the political upheaval in Russia at that time while shedding light on why so many Jews fled Russia during this time period.


 

Sunday, September 29, 2013

A Point f View re "pivot to Asia,"

A Point of View by Robert Kaplan, author, and national correspondent for the Atlantic,  “…Russia is increasing its influence in CentraA Point of View by Robert Kaplan, author, and national correspondent for the Atlantic,  “…Russia is increasing its influence in Central and Eastern Europe and China's military growth threatens to upset the regional power balance. These are more important phenomena about which America can do more to help.”…. Kaplan strongly supports the “pivot” to Asia, a continent covered in part in The Scattered Tribe, Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond.” (Globe Pequot Press).  Available wherever books are sold. http://amzn.to/J3Z47Tl and Eastern Europe and China's military growth threatens to upset the regional power balance. These are more important phenomena about which America can do more to help.”…. Kaplan strongly supports the “pivot” to Asia, a continent covered in part in The Scattered Tribe, Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond.” (Globe Pequot Press).  Available wherever books are sold. http://amzn.to/J3Z47T

Sunday, September 22, 2013

 


To:  All Valencia Pointe Men's Club Members

Please register for this month's Breakfast meeting!

Sunday - Sept 22nd at 9:45 am (doors open at 9:15 am)

Our Speaker: Ben Frank

Valencia Pointe resident and Men’s Club member, Ben G. Frank, travel writer, journalist and  author of “Klara’s Journey, A Novel,” andThe Scattered Tribe, Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond,”  will discuss his travels throughout the world, and  how he managed to visit 89 countries and turn out travel books and guides, as well as a novel about Siberia and the Trans-Siberian railway.  Ben is considered one of the most distinguished commentators on far-flung and exotic Jewish communities, such as in North Africa and Asia.  He has also been a reporter for Radio Liberty which broadcasts to the former Soviet Union.


News Alert! "Klara's Journey," on all e book formats!

NEWS ALERT: “Klara’s Journey, A Novel,” available on all e book formats, on
October 1. Pre-order on kindle this week! http://amzn.to/13Sp769. 
Also, nook, ipad, Kobo, etc.--- all on October 1st. “A human struggle of epic proportions, “Klara's Journey,” will linger in the mind long after the story unfolds."-
-Warren Adler, author of  “The War of the Roses.” ---


 “Klara’s Journey,”(Marion Street Press). ISBN 9781936863471, is available wherever books are sold!

>  
> 

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Lest We Forget, 9/17/39

Lest we forget: 9/17/39, Russia invaded Poland as part of  the perfidious secret protocol of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact dividing Poland between the two new allies Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Check out “The Scattered Tribe: Traveling the Diaspora from Cuba to India to Tahiti & Beyond” (Globe Pequot Press)  http://amzn.to/J3Z47T "I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :  

My Trip on the Trans Siberian



RE JEWS IN SIBERIA

My trip on the Trans-Siberian re "Klara's Journey,"

Florida Jewish Journal

I thought you'd like this link

http://fw.to/MKmaffF

Local author recounts aunt's 1917 trip from Russia
Travel writer Ben Frank has made several trips to Russia. But the trip the Boynton Beach author took almost 10 years ago was very different from the others. Frank, then 70 years old, traveled from Odessa on the Trans-Siberia Railroad as he traced part of the main character's route for his recently published first novel "Klara's Journey."

"Klara's Journey, A Novel," Available wherever books are sold. Amazon and Marion Street Press,

http://amzn.to/13Sp769

http://bit.ly/WyVSWq
 

Review, Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh

Klara’s Journey’ captures drama of woman’s perilous trek
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Klara Journey
Part history lesson, part novel, “Klara’s Journey” by Ben Frank chronicles a young Jewish girl’s travels from her home in Odessa, Russia to Winnipeg, Manitoba in the midst of the Russian Civil War.  It is a compelling story of an intelligent and brave young woman’s fight for survival amidst hardship and dangerous conditions.

Frank, a Pittsburgh native, based the character of Klara on his aunt, who lived in Greenfield, and traveled a similar journey from Russia to Canada.

Klara Rasputnis is 17 and the oldest child of five.  Her father, Gershon, is a cantor who seeks a better life for his family.  He leaves them, but after much time passes without word, Klara’s mother sends her to find him.  Klara’s chaperones fail to show up at the train station, so she makes an impulsive decision to jump on the train alone, much to the consternation of her younger brother, Mischa, who had accompanied her to the station.

Riding thousands of miles on the Trans-Siberian railroad alone, Klara embarks upon a life-changing adventure.

Each chapter begins with historical information about the political situation in Russia during the timeframe in which Klara was traveling, beginning in 1917. The book would have been more effective if the history were incorporated into the storyline, as the chapter headers interrupted the flow of the story. However, the synopses did serve to provide context.

There is very little that is soft about Klara. She swears; she steals; she’s opinionated. But her brash personality becomes her best weapon on her journey as she encounters danger around every corner. Facing would-be rapists and kidnappers, rampant anti-Semitism, violence, lack of money and food, and volatile soldiers, Klara is forced to use both her wits and her sharp tongue to survive.

With limited resources, Klara gets on and off the train in different Siberian towns. At times, she is unable to travel for months because of severe weather.

Klara catches up with her brother, Mischa, during her travels. Mischa has become a spy with the Red Army.  His on-and-off presence throughout her journey is initially a source of security, but then becomes a danger to her, particularly after he switches loyalties.

More than historical fiction, though, Klara’s is a star-crossed love story.  Along the way, she meets and falls in love with Vladimir, a non-Jewish member of the Red Cross.  Their relationship delays her on her quest to find her father, but it also gives her the courage to continue her arduous journey when fate intervenes to separate the couple.

Klara journeys throughout Russia, China, Japan, Seattle, Vancouver, and finally, Winnipeg, where she experiences an unfulfilling reunion with the father who, for all intents and purposes, abandoned his family.

The author, a travel writer who has written several Jewish travel guides, effectively captures the political upheaval in Russia at that time while shedding light on why so many Jews fled Russia during this time period.

Read more: The Jewish Chronicle - Klara s Journey captures drama of woman s perilous trek

"the drama of a woman's perilous trek.

Klara’s Journey’ captures drama of woman’s perilous trek
2 months ago | 0 0 comments | 13 13 recommendations | email to a friend
Part history lesson, part novel, “Klara’s Journey” by Ben Frank chronicles a young Jewish girl’s travels from her home in Odessa, Russia to Winnipeg, Manitoba in the midst of the Russian Civil War....

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

HISTORY BUFFS: Real Clear History column in Real Clear Politics today, notes that the U.S. , along with other nations, sent troops to Russia after WWI, the Bolshevik seizure of power, and the Russian Civil War. “These efforts are not mentioned in most history survey courses, and few texts even mention that U.S. troops, or those of any other nation fought against the Bolsheviks during this period,” noted the column.

My historical novel, "Klara’s Journey," (Marion Street Press), a “gripping account of the Russian Civil War (1918-22) and its consequences” as well as a story of “betrayal, drama and love,” takes up the American role in Russia after the fall of the Czar.

Wherever books are sold:
http://amzn.to/13Sp769, http://bit.ly/WyVSWq

I blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Jewish Leader, New London, CT, on "Kara's Journey, A Novel," (Marion Street Novel) wherever books are sold, including Amazon.com

See page 6 on link below

jewishleaderwebpaper.com

Sunday, August 18, 2013

My trip on the Trans-Siberian re "Klara's Journey,"


Florida Jewish Journal

I thought you'd like this:
http://fw.to/MKmaffF

Local author recounts aunt's 1917 trip from Russia
Travel writer Ben Frank has made several trips to Russia. But the trip the Boynton Beach author took almost 10 years ago was very different from the others. Frank, then 70 years old, traveled from Odessa on the Trans-Siberia Railroad as he traced part of the main character's route for his recently published first novel "Klara's Journey."

Sunday, August 11, 2013

"Will she ever make it?



My God,” thinks Klara, “it never lets up, the same fears, the same anxiety I had going into Moscow, into Chelyabinsk, into Irkutsk, Chita, I have them now heading into Harbin, and there’s still a long way to go. Will I ever make it.”--- “Klara’s Journey,” " a story of betrayal, high drama and love." Available wherever books are sold, including Amazon.com   links,   http://amzn.to/13Sp769  , http://bit.ly/WyVSWq
 
 
 

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Sounds like the days of "Klara's Journey,"

According to The New York Times, “more than 110,000 people are serving time for what Russia calls “economic crimes,” out of a population of about three million self-employed people and owners of small and medium-size businesses.” Sounds like the days Klara Rasputnis in “Klara’s Journey, A Novel,” (Marion Street Press) traveled across Siberia after the Bolsheviks took power. Already, the Reds were rounding up business people. Only the penalty was death. “Klara’s Journey,”  a story of betrayal, high drama and love. Available wherever books are sold, including Amazon.com, http://bit.ly/WyVSWq

Monday, August 5, 2013

Comment by Prof. Teicher:



Klara’s Journey. By Ben G. Frank. Portland, Oregon:

Marion Street Press, 2013. 228 Pages. $17.95

         Ben G. Frank, noted author of this novel, is a known for his
Jewish travel guides to South America, Europe, and Russia. He also
writes travel articles for Jewish magazines and newspapers. Fiction is
a departure from his usual work but he shows here his extensive
knowledge about travel. Also, he demonstrates his familiarity with
history by heading each chapter with an introductory note about its
historical background. The result is a synthesis of fiction, history,
and geography which some readers may regard as mingling too many
elements.

         The story takes place during the Russian revolution beginning
in 1917 with the overthrow of the Czar, proceeding through the
short-lived government of Alexander Kerensky, and followed by the
Bolshevik take-over. Ramifications of this background and its
development provide an ongoing setting for Klara’s Journey.

         She is a 17-year old Jewish girl living in Odessa with her
mother, her brother who is a year younger than she, and her three
younger sisters. Their father is a cantor who left for Canada three
years earlier, planning to send for his family once he was settled.
With no word from him, Klara’s mother has decided to send Klara to
Canada to find her father. The trip will take her across Siberia to
Manchuria to Japan, and across the Pacific Ocean to Canada.

         Klara’s long trek is filled with adventures, new friends, and
setbacks. Breaking down often and frequently delayed, the train moves
slowly across Siberia, a journey of 6,000 miles. Frank keeps us
apprised of developments in the revolution as well as telling us about
the cities along the routes and their populations. Most of all,
however, he spells out the trying experiences that Klara encountered
as she slowly moves to her destination. She discovers her brother who
decided to follow her in his new capacity as a participant in the
revolution. Also, she falls in love with a young man, casting aside
her hesitation to become involved with him since he is not Jewish. Her
unswerving determination to find her father enables her to cope with
all kinds of burdens and adversities, including hunger, illness, and
unfriendly anti-Semites.

         Frank succeeds in holding his readers’ interest as he
utilizes the fruits of his research, manifesting the skills that have
enabled him to be a successful travel writer. He rounds out those
skills by telling the story of intrepid Klara who confronted risks and
hazards that were perilous and precarious. Frank has fully
demonstrated the capacity to make the transition from travel writer to
novelist.

Dr. Morton I. Teicher is the Founding Dean, Wurzweiler School of
Social Work, Yeshiva University and Dean Emeritus, School of Social
Work, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Nice comment in the Jewish Press

Nice comment in The Jewish Press, (NY) on Klara’s Journey.” “The telling of the story, the secrets of the Rasputnis family, the deadly struggles of a young girl to find her father and the characters who seek fulfillment in overcoming jealousy and sibling rivalry, all combine to make “Klara’s Journey,” a read about human destiny.”

Just back from Israel, Maccabiah, Klara;s Journey on tv

Hi, Just back from Israel…which is thriving and very dynamic.

 Exciting to watch the Maccabiah Games and proud of our son, Monte, who won 2 silver and a bronze in cycling for Maccabi USA.

 Spoke to news-people and groups about “Klara’s Journey, A Novel,” (Marion Street Press). 
 
Meanwhile, I have been on radio, here in the U.S. I was interviewed by Sandy Tankoos (TOS50 Book Club) on internet TV.. Here is link: http://tos50.com/video/claras-journey-ben-frank
 
 
“Klara’s Journey,” a story of “betrayal, high drama and love,” is NOW available wherever books are sold, including Amazon.com and Marion Street Press. http://bit.ly/WyVSWq
 
Check out my blog at www.bengfrank.blogspot.com “I Travel the World.” Follow me on twitter @bengfrank :   
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Comment from a reader of Klara's Journey, A Novel, " a story of betrayal, high drama and love!


“This book is more meaningful to me because my husband's family lived

through this revolution.  He was in Siberia during this time.  Many of

his stories relate to this period.  Klara is a special young lady and

you listen to her with always a smile.  Forget the past and tomorrow

will be better.  What a beautiful attitude and that brings her to

America after many miserable days.

 

Thank you for letting me get a look at Russia during those days.

 

This is a beautiful story and everyone should read this book.

 

Mildred (Millie) Berg

 

Order today wherever books are sold and from Marion Street Press: http://bit.ly/WyVSWq