Personal Reflections on Herman Wouk
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JEWILinking Bergen, Essex,S Middlesex,H Passaic LI & UnionN CountiesJK Issue #283 May 30, 2019 | 25 Iyar, 5779 Personal Reflections on Herman Wouk My late mother, Shirley as he scrupulously examined at the time in Youngblood Friedberg Neustein, z”l, was every fellow camper in the Hawke, secluding himself in a childhood friend of Her- room. They all wore white the Virgin Islands so as to de- man Wouk, z”l, who attend- shirts for Shabbat, as was re- vote full concentration to his ed the boys division of a quired by the camp direc- novel. Unable to appear at Zionist camp (Keeyuma/Car- tor. Yet behind the banality the reunion, Herman made a melia) in the 1920s and ‘30s, of clothing, Herman saw the poignant audiotape recount- which was picturesquely sit- richness of color in each fel- ing his camp memories. My uated on Lake Champlain in low camper. mother brought scissors Milton Vermont. They kept He soon became friends with her, and out of respect up until my mother died with my mother, and when for Herman’s sensitivity she in 2001. I gathered bits and he invented the character cut the cassette tape immedi- pieces of Herman’s person- “Shirley” in Marjorie Morn- ately after it was played. The al side, his banter, humor, ingstar he called my moth- room stood still, as the for- zest for living in spite of per- er to apologize profusely, mer campers listened close- sonal tragedy, from the an- swearing she was nothing ly to Herman’s reflections on ecdotes my mother shared at all like the protagonist his camp days: stories, com- with me. Beginning with the in his book! Though he did mentaries and humor about camp days, where the boys concede that he consciously life within an oasis; trees for and girls who were separat- used her name because of his a Jewish boy growing up in ed during the week would friendship with my moth- the Bronx. Many will say Her- come together for Friday er, another “Shirley.” In May man, an extraordinarily gift- night Shabbat services, my 1962, my mother put togeth- ed Pulitzer Prize-winning mother was very much in- er a monumental camp reun- novelist, was “larger than trigued with Herman, a cou- ion, bringing together the Zi- life.” My late mother would ple of years her senior. She onist youth who had become say, if she were here today, vividly described how during household names in literary, that Herman was someone short breaks in the service political and business circles: who clearly showed signs he would suddenly lift his Arthur Miller, Norman Lear, of “greatness” as a young head from the siddur, can- Moss Hart, Paul Goodman, lad even before he ever took vassing the room with pen- Bob Treuhaft, Andrew Good- pen in hand to write his first etrating eyes. She would of- man (founder of Bergdorf novel. ten tell me she could see “the Goodman), just to name a Amy Neustein, PhD wheels of his mind” turning few. Herman was immersed Fort Lee.