The Blue Card

Mr. and Mrs. Dreifus prepare to cut their cake: Jan. 19, 1941.

All of the stories in Quiet Americans are in some way influenced by the experiences of my paternal grandparents, German Jews who immigrated to the United States in the late 1930s, and/or by my own identity and preoccupations as a member of the “Third Generation.” (I’ve written fairly extensively about “3G” literary expression, including an essay that opens this book.)

George Wolf, Director of Marketing for The Blue Card, describes the organization’s history, mission, and current projects at a party for QUIET AMERICANS: January 19, 2011.

Given this background, I decided a long time ago that if this book ever saw publication, I would give over some of the profits to The Blue Card, an organization my family has supported for years. The Blue Card’s purpose is to assist survivors of Nazi persecution in the United States. Our family has been blessed in this country in so many ways, and one of the greatest blessings is that my grandparents were able to live their final years in comfort and dignity. Sadly, not everyone who survived Nazi persecution is so fortunate. That is why The Blue Card is so important, and why I am so grateful to have this opportunity to support it.