After long silence

Helen Fremont, raised Roman Catholic in America, uncovers a profound family secret in adulthood: her parents were Jews who survived the Holocaust. With heartbreaking clarity, she shares her family's extraordinary story, marked by silence for over forty years. As a child, Helen learned the sign of the cross in six languages from her mother, a tender bond that masked a painful truth. This preparation was a shield against persecution, a reality Helen only grasped later when she and her sister unveiled their parents' hidden legacy. Her father endured six years in a Siberian Gulag, while her mother’s sister married an Italian Fascist, leveraging connections for survival during the war. Their Jewish identity remained concealed for decades, leading to a poignant exploration of identity, self, and history. The narrative examines the heavy toll of hiding the truth and the lengths we go to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Fremont's story resonates deeply, revealing the seductive and damaging nature of secrets, leaving readers profoundly affected and reflective on the complexities of heritage and belonging.