Dreamers of the Ghetto

'Dreamers of the Ghetto' by Israel Zangwill is a moving tale of a child's life in the ancient Ghetto of Venice. Born in a seventh-story apartment, the child sees the world through a window, observing the gondolas and boats floating in the canals. The Ghetto was his world, and everything he knew was contained within its walls. The child felt no constraints, but as he grew older, he realized the Jews were trapped inside this world, labeled with badges of shame, and isolated from the outside world. This poignant historical fiction captures the innocence of childhood and the loss of innocence as the child comes to grips with the harsh realities of the world.