REVIEWS
DOCUMENTARY FILM
"A truly exciting, uplifting and moving testament to hope, faith and humanity. See this film!" —What’s the Buzz NY
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"Extraordinary Life, Remarkable Film. Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter is a special documentary indeed. Complete review can be obtained here." — Betty Jo Tucker, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
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"Keren Perlmutter’s documentary "Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter” is a remarkable achievement; chronicling the extraordinary and compelling story of her father’s survival during the Holocaust. Against all odds and many obstacles endured along the way, Avraham Perlmutter survived, aided by a family of righteous gentiles who risked their own lives to save him. Keren brilliantly and with pathos, engages us intimately in her father’s story in a manner that is filled with heartfelt emotion, sadness, and ultimately great success for what Avraham ultimately achieved in his life. This film, along with others of this genre, help to build and reinforce the case that the Holocaust can never be denied. The filmmaker made the documentary to be used as a teaching tool for future generations in order for them to understand and appreciate lessons learned from this tragic period of human history. I believe she has more than achieved that goal."— William S. Bernstein, (Former) Western Region Director, American Society for Yad Vashem
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"DETERMINED is a newly released Holocaust documentary featuring the compelling primary testimony of Dr. Avraham Perlmutter and his courageous story of survival as a hidden youth during the Nazi era, with well-researched archival footage, and a haunting original musical score. Dr. Keren Perlmutter, Director and Producer, is the daughter of Dr. Perlmutter, who is a regular Holocaust Speaker at the Museum of Tolerance. She was determined to honor and preserve her father’s legacy, and The Museum of Tolerance will be proud to screen DETERMINED and to include it as an educational resource for future generations. An incredible and powerful film!" — Elana Samuels, Director for Museum Volunteer Services, Museum of Tolerance
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"Determined is the powerful and poignant story of Avraham Perlmutter’s struggle to survive in the Netherlands and the forces determined to murder him, of the family and community determined to protect him, as well as of his own determination to survive. The film is moving and memorable, understated yet compelling. And Perlmutter is articulate and compassionate, a brilliant narrator with a most captivating story." — Professor Michael Berenbaum, Prominent Holocaust scholar and Director, Zigi Seigler Institute, American Jewish University
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DETERMINED is a must see for all who believe in a world where human beings care for and look out for the well being of all other human beings. It was riveting and I highly recommend that it be required viewing in our Social Science classes across the Country. — Nat Trives, Former Mayor of Santa Monica and Professor/Former Administrator, Santa Monica College
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"Keren Perlmutter’s powerful documentary "Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter” tells a remarkable story of her father’s survival through historical footage, pictures, maps, various interviews, and his compelling testimony. Avraham Perlmutter’s main concern is the future of humanity, and thus his hope prevails that humanity has learned not to hate, but rather to love regardless of race or religion. His vision is communicated through the concrete example, as he and the new generations of his family have kept in touch and become very close friends with the Beijers, a Catholic family in the Netherlands who had saved his life. The documentary is an excellent educational resource for students since it not only refers to the past with its plea to never forget, but it also appeals to a sense of belonging to a broader community of humanity by emphasizing our interconnectedness." — Professor Renata Fuchs, University of California, Los Angeles
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"This film highlights a very important firsthand account of a lesser known side to the Holocaust. In the midst of evil, there were those who stood up. They risked their lives to do the right thing, at a time where doing the right thing was punishable by death. In this film, Dr. Perlmutter shares a crucial lesson for humanity, and his testimony shows the positive impact that an individual can have on the world." — Michael Morgenstern, Special Projects Coordinator, Holocaust Museum LA
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"Avraham Perlmutter's detailed recounting of how he survived in German occupied Holland during World War Two is inspiring and riveting. Though he repeatedly relied on the kindness of strangers, he also actively rescued himself several times by daring to escape from captors. His personal determination and good fortune of approaching sympathetic Dutch Gentiles for shelter subsequently enabled him to fight in the Israeli War of Independence and raise a family and prosper as an engineer in the United States." - Dr. Lawrence Baron, Professor Emeritus, San Diego State University
BOOK
“An extraordinary and inspirational story. The reader cannot fail to be inspired by Avraham Perlmutter’s resolute belief in the goodness of his neighbors and the possibility of peaceful coexistence between people of different faiths–even as he lay in hiding from Nazis, concealed in a grave-like hole. Determined is radiant with the understanding that each human life is crucially important, and that, with perseverence and a little luck, it is possible to rebuild life even in the direst circumstances.” — Samara Hutman, Former Executive Director, Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust
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“Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter is true to its name. As a teenage boy Abraham escapes deportation and moves from place to place in German-occupied Netherlands determined not to be captured, not to be caught. When arrested, he is determined to escape and his determination to survive guides him throughout his ordeal. Avraham takes into the homes and parishes of non-Jews who are repulsed by Nazism and determined to do their part to save some Jews. He is the beneficiary of their generosity of spirit and simplicity of values – honoring the importance of a single life. His determination guides him to Israel where he is a soldier in the War of Independence before determining that it is time to resume his interrupted education. His accomplishment as a scientist and businessman, innovator and inventor are presented without self indulgence as the natural result of a life lived with determination and drive.
His story is unique both in content and in tone. It brought me to tears but also to laughter. Avraham Perlmutter’s story is moving. He is a force to be reckoned with.” — Professor Michael Berenbaum, Prominent Holocaust scholar and Director, Zigi Seigler Institute, American Jewish University
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“Fast-paced and engrossing, Avraham’s story…is a story of human capacity and the astounding ability of a man to inspire and connect even in the face of a world going wrong.” — Santa Monica Star
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"Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter delivers everything you would expect from its title, and so much more. Doctor A. Avraham Perlmutter has crafted a no-holds-barred account of his life during World War II as an Austrian Jew who witnessed and survived many of the horrors that post-war children, such as myself, have grown up learning about in school. Though he was sent away for his own (albeit relative) safety to live in the Netherlands at the start of the war, Perlmutter recounts the horrific fate that befell almost all of his extended family in the Nazi concentration camps, and his own struggle to evade arrest by the Germans simply for being who he was.
This beautifully crafted tale makes for compelling and exciting reading, even in the protagonist’s post-war struggle, which demonstrates the amazing things he was able to achieve after such a difficult childhood. With incredible visual additions such as genuine photographs and documentation from the wartime and beyond, Determined is a rich and fascinating read for anyone with a passionate interest in history. More than that, though, it’s a story about humanity and, as its title suggests, the basic human determination to survive whatever the odds. Those who are already avid fans of true wartime stories will revel in the meticulous detail that A. Avraham Perlmutter brings to his life story. However, I also think that anyone who wishes to be inspired by the sheer fortitude of the human spirit will come out of this book deeply saddened, but also satisfied that, sometimes at least, hope can prevail over the most unspeakable evils." 5 ***** — K.C. Finn, reviewer for Readers’ Favorite
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"Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter is an autobiographical account. As a boy, Perlmutter and his family lived in Vienna, Austria, until that country was united with Germany under Hitler. His parents were alarmed by the increasingly hostile environment and soon after Kristallnacht they arranged to have Avraham and his sister Thea sent to the Netherlands under the Kindertransport refugee operation. When the Netherlands was no longer safe for Jews, concerned Dutch families and resistance groups helped him evade the Nazis until liberation by the British Army in 1944. Perlmutter eventually was reunited with the survivors of his family in Israel, where he joined the army and later prepared for admission to college.
Avraham Perlmutter’s autobiography, Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter, is fascinating reading. The first part of the text is interwoven with numerous pictures of the author’s family members, many of whom died in concentration camps. That was the hardest part of reading Determined for me — seeing those photographs and reading the dates and places of death. But Determined goes much farther than reciting numbers and showing the losses so many suffered during the Holocaust. It’s a triumphant story of a teen who had to put his education on hold after the sixth grade and survive on his wits and with the help of strangers. Perlmutter’s tale is remarkable, inspirational and very moving. In the second and third parts of the book, there are marvelous photographs of Avraham, his college friends and family, accompanied by his accounts of his studies, professional life and family. This autobiography is also very well-written, and it reads with the fluidity and dramatic tension of an action, against-all-odds adventure novel. Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter is most highly recommended." 5 ***** — Jack Magnus, reviewer for Readers’ Favorite
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"Determined: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Avraham Perlmutter by A. Avraham Perlmutter Ph.D. is the compelling story of the experiences of a Holocaust victim that takes readers on a heart-rending journey of danger, risks and perseverance. This book will inspire and motivate them to survive the adversities that they face and make a success of their lives. Avraham Perlmutter was separated from his family when he was sent to Holland, and he shares his adventurous yet horrifying story of survival, and also speaks about the families who helped him hide from the Nazis. The author’s story of survival is gripping and worth reading.
The author pulls readers into his personal journey with detailed descriptions of his childhood, the move to the Netherlands, his time in the refugee camps, life in Amsterdam and escaping from there, serving in the Israeli defense forces, and finally moving to Atlanta for education. The glimpses of the author’s life are adventurous, filled with danger and risks, but his miraculous endurance and perseverance is proof of the author’s indomitable and indestructible spirit. The story evokes feelings of compassion and is written with restraint and simplicity of expression.
The book is vivid and the author’s clear narrative voice along with the pictures help readers connect well with his personal moments of tragedy and triumph. It is a well written autobiography that exposes the ordeal suffered by the Jewish people during the time of Holocaust, their insecure lives, hardships and tragedies." 5 ***** — Manta Madhavan, reviewer for Readers’ Favorite
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“Avraham Perlmutter’s detailed recounting of surviving the Holocaust as a teenager spans key Jewish experiences in the twentieth century. This personal account of a driven young man who refused to succumb to pessimism also reflects the panoply of socio-cultural forces that shaped the present Jewish landscape, from the demolished culture of Western European Jewry, to the dizzying dislocations engendered by the Second World War, through to the establishment of the State of Israel and the creation of a confident American Jewish community.” — Dr. Tamar Marvin, Director of Education Programs and Research, Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust
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