The Jewish Standard has a thoughtful review of the recent Amazon series “The Man in the High Castle,” based on Philip K Dick’s story with the premise that the Axis powers won the war. One quote cited in the article that stood out to me is “Jews don’t get to decide who is Jewish.” This is something that resonates with my godmother’s memories from before WWII, when she was categorized as a “Mischling” with no consideration to how she personally identified.

Read the full article here: http://jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com/what-if-the-nazis-had-won/

From the article:

…It is a Holocaust story that doesn’t downplay the Holocaust.

Frank, Juliana’s boyfriend, had a Jewish grandfather. Brought in for questioning by Japanese cops about his girlfriend’s disappearance, he’s accused of being a Jew. When Frank complains that he isn’t, his Japanese interrogator tells him that “Jews don’t get to decide who is Jewish.”

Just how many Jews are left in this new world is unclear, but there seems to be a Jewish underground. Following the Zyklon B gassing of his sister and her family, Frink is contacted by one of her friends, who whispers “to life” in his ear. It kindles a memory of his grandfather. Eventually, the friend recites Kaddish for Frank’s family.