N E W S
J U N E 8
L E H A V R E
Author!
Author!
BY JILL DAVIS
Le Havre’s own Helene Oelerich
already has an impressive list of
achievements in her life to recount:
teacher, photographer, restaurant
reviewer and animal activist, to name
a few. She now adds “author” to the
list with her recently published book,
“Memories of a Jewish Girl from
Brooklyn,” her heartwarming and
charming new memoir.
The Le Havre Courier sat down with
Helene to get the story behind the story,
beginning with asking what inspired her
to write this chronicle of her life. “I was
an English major”, she explained, “and
I’ve been writing my whole life.” The
essence of the book is, in fact, a compilation
compila-
of Helene’s personal journal, which she’s been
writing for years.
But there were a couple of topical issues that
made the timing of the book feel especially
appropriate. First, the #MeToo Movement has
resonated with Helene. She said, “When I was
a young girl I wanted to be an actress, and I can
tell you there really is a ‘casting couch,’ and I
wouldn’t do that.”
Helene instead turned her sights toward teaching,
and so it’s no surprise that another inspiration was
Helene’s love for education. She is also deeply
concerned about prejudice. “I’ve seen so many kids
and a lot of prejudice. I was brought up with no
prejudice,” she said. Helene recalled her days as a
fourth grade teacher where she would hold a showand
tell party every year with children of different
nationalities sharing something of their heritage. “It
was great,” she said. “The grandparents would come.
Everyone got along.” She shook her head, “You have
to be taught to be prejudiced.”
Helene gives big credit to her friend, Dr. Gloria
Phil and Helene with friends Les and Annette
Faretra, for encouraging her to take the leap to get
her memoir published. Helene recalled, “I shared
my journal with her, and she said, ‘You must get it
published!’”
With that vote of confidence, Helene sent the memoir
to Page Publishing, who snapped it up immediately.
Ben’s Deli in Bay Terrace hosted a book signing
last month, which was attended by Helene’s friends
and neighbors, as well as her book club companions
and friends from the Queens Zoo where she volunteers.
“Memories of a Jewish Girl from Brooklyn” is
available at all bookstores and online wherever books
are sold. Enjoy Helene’s memories, and congratulations
to the author on this exciting new “chapter” in
her life!
8 LEHAVRE COURIER | JUNE 2018 | WWW.QNS.COM
Helene and her husband, Phil, with friends Cheryl and Brad
Helene and friends Louis and Dianne
Helene and Phil at the book
signing
Helene with Ariel, Michael and Susan from Helene’s Book Club companions
the Queens Zoo