Kiddush Hashem: An Epic of 1648 by Sholom Ash - Vintage Hardcover Book

Kiddush HaShem: An Epic of 1648, by Sholem Asch, is a historical novel that tells a magnificent, gripping tale of one Jewish family's fate during the infamous Cossack pogroms in the Ukraine in 1648. One of the earliest historical novels in modern Yiddish literature, the book describes the suffering of Ukrainian Jews during the Chmelnitsky uprising in the mid-17th century. The title, "Kiddush Hashem," literally means the "Sanctification of the Name," and commonly signifies martyrdom for the sake of the Jewish religion. The narrative culminates in the Jews facing a martyr's death for their faith. The story focuses on the experiences of an innkeeper and his family, serving as a cautionary historical tale about the consequences of leaving one's fate in the hands of an elite class, which Asch suggests contributed to the pogroms.