A Book of Linocuts from the Vladek Home

Featured Artifact from the Jewish Labor and Political Archives

A house in the mountains. A shabes table. A ship. A shtetl. A forest. The Wandering Jew.

These are some of the subjects of a book of linocuts made in 1949 by children living in the Vladek Home in Brunoy, France. The book was given as a gift to Menukha and Gershon Zaltzman, Bundists and Jewish educators who organized and managed the Vladek Home orphanage as part of their work for the Jewish Labor Committee.

Founded just after the war and named in honor of labor leader and organizer of the Jewish Labor Committee, Baruch Charney Vladek, the Vladek Home supported Jewish children ages six to twelve. In addition to the psychological and physical rehabilitation of these children, the Vladek Home tried to restore a sense of normalcy to their daily lives. The children adhered to a schedule that included ample time for lessons, reading, play, and art activities. To create a sense of home and of family, special events were held for each holiday, and a celebration took place in honor of the birthdays of each child. A weekly talent show, held every shabes, allowed the children the opportunity to showcase their hidden abilities. Through the encouragement of the Zaltzmans, who tried to foster an environment where every child felt they had a place within the Vladek Home community, even the most timid children were able to express their creativity.