Providing a gripping, firsthand account of the Chmielnicki massacres in 1648-49, in which tens of thousands Jews perished in Poland and the Ukraine, Rabbi Nathan Hanover describes the events themselves and their effect on European Jewry. Hanover's description of the atrocities committed by Chmielnicki and his hordes makes it clear that they set the precedent for Hitler's torture chambers. This account shows how humans can transcend tragedy and rebuild their lives, and develop new ways to express their heritage and culture.