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Published by Wicked Son
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Table of Contents
About The Book
A son’s journey from grief to growth. His father’s path from Auschwitz to America. A ritual with ancient roots that changed everything.
Mark Isakowitz’s father had survived Auschwitz, outlived his tormentors, and built a life in America. Then he was gone. On a cold morning just before dawn, Mark hesitantly walked into a Washington synagogue to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and recite the Mourner’s Kaddish. He was rusty in the ways of Jewish ritual, but a kind stranger helped him find the page so he could speak the words of his ancestors in the ancient tongue: “Yitgadal v’yitkadash shmey raba.” In that moment, his life changed.
Wisdom in the House of Mourning tells the story of the deep bonds and mysteries between father and son, and offers lessons on how Jews can summon their tradition to navigate these difficult times.
Mark Isakowitz’s father had survived Auschwitz, outlived his tormentors, and built a life in America. Then he was gone. On a cold morning just before dawn, Mark hesitantly walked into a Washington synagogue to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and recite the Mourner’s Kaddish. He was rusty in the ways of Jewish ritual, but a kind stranger helped him find the page so he could speak the words of his ancestors in the ancient tongue: “Yitgadal v’yitkadash shmey raba.” In that moment, his life changed.
Wisdom in the House of Mourning tells the story of the deep bonds and mysteries between father and son, and offers lessons on how Jews can summon their tradition to navigate these difficult times.
Product Details
- Publisher: Wicked Son (January 19, 2027)
- Length: 256 pages
- ISBN13: 9798895653883
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Raves and Reviews
“Mark Isakowitz turns one survivor’s journey from Auschwitz to America into a roadmap for our time. As antisemitism rises and October 7 reshapes Jewish life, this book shows what resilience looks like in practice.”
– William C. Daroff, Chief Executive Officer, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
“Through his deep exploration of his father’s remarkable life—and his own mourning of his father’s death—Mark inspires each of us to reflect on who we are, what we value, and to cherish our many blessings.”
– The Honorable Dave McCormick, United States Senator
“This book speaks to the powerful transmission of values across generations and the understanding that to be Jewish is not only to inherit a history, but to carry it forward.”
– The Honorable Ted Deutch, President, the American Jewish Committee
“Mark Isakowitz's exploration of family history and personal faith is both absorbing and moving. These pages are filled with learning, emotion, honesty, and, above all, gratitude. Everyone who reads them will benefit.”
– Matthew Continetti, columnist, The Wall Street Journal
“Mark has impacted the lives of so many people…. This beautiful and personal book shows what fuels him—a deep respect for family and faith and the gratitude that comes from growing up in an immigrant household.”
– Dina Powell McCormick, President and Vice Chairman, Meta
“Mark Isakowitz's exploration of family history and personal faith is both absorbing and moving. These pages are filled with learning, emotion, honesty, and, above all, gratitude. Everyone who reads them will benefit.”
– Matthew Continetti, columnist, The Wall Street Journal
“In a beautifully written love letter to his father…I learned things about Mark that deepened my already immense respect for him, challenged me to explore my own faith, and helped me recognize the lessons from my own father.”
– The Honorable Rob Portman, United States Senator (2010-2022)
“Part memoir, part spiritual confession, and part mystery, Wisdom in the House of Mourning… shows how the very tragedies and obligations of Jewish life…can be mined for redemption, meaning, and surprising joy. A book for everyone who has ever felt their tradition to be old or distant.”
– Rabbi Hyim Shafner, Kesher Israel, The Georgetown Synagogue
“More than the story of a son honoring his father, it’s a journey of reflection, inspiration, and awakening. It’s a tale of ancient Judaism, and it’s a lesson in how it intersects with the modern world…. This is one of the most profound and important Jewish works of our time.”
– Matthew Brooks, CEO, Republican Jewish Coalition and the Jewish Policy Center
“A remarkable meditation on one of the foundational obligations of Jewish life, Mark Isakowitz’s journey of mourning and discovery affirms the greatest teachings of the Jewish sages and the unparalleled bounty of America.”
– Kenneth R. Weinstein, PhD, former president, The Hudson Institute
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