A Glimpse Inside The Book
Seeking to swipe a few bucks from his mother’s wallet, Arthur Myron Horwitz discovers the iconic Holocaust image of a terrified boy. “Who’s this?” he demands to know. She insists it’s her little brother Meier, murdered by the Germans. But Arthur knows it isn’t, and challenges her. As punishment for his adolescent insolence, Arthur is saddled with the responsibility of living two lives – his and the one Meier never had. It’s a burden that shapes Arthur’s life, family and media career.
With warmth and candor, Dual Identities: Living in Meier’s Shadow boldly fills a void in Holocaust literature while removing filters previously inhibiting children of survivors from sharing their own, unvarnished growing-up-in-America stories. It also provides new insights on the impact of intergenerational trauma and timeless lessons for combating an alarming rise in national and global antisemitism.
“Once I started reading Dual Identities, I could not put it down. Moving, memorable and so very interesting.”
– Michael Berenbaum, Founding Project Director, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; former CEO, Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation
Arthur M. Horwitz is a nationally respected journalist, publisher and civic leader whose career is recognized by enshrinement in the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame, establishment of the Arthur M. Horwitz Collection at the University of Michigan and awarding of publisher emeritus status for the Detroit Jewish News, where he served as publisher and executive editor for more than 30 years. The child of a survivor mother and American-born father, Arthur has sensitively and effectively shared his “dual identities” story with thousands of students during their visits to the Zekelman Holocaust Center.
Arthur’s writing has appeared in secular and ethnic publications and academic journals. A persuasive and sought-after speaker, he is a frequent panelist on affiliate news programs of ABC, NBC, PBS and NPR. A convener and bridge builder, Arthur chaired the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and the board of Detroit/PBS. He co- founded New Michigan Media, a consortium of more than 100 minority media outlets. A former paperboy and copyboy for New Haven’s daily newspapers, Arthur is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and the Yale School of Management.
Advance Praise
Michael Berenbaum, Former project director, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; former CEO, Survivor of the Shoah Visual History Foundation; Academy Award-winning producer; author and editor of 18 books.
Mark Oppenheimer, former Beliefs Columnist, The New York Times; creator and founding host, “Unorthodox” podcast; author, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood.
Paul Bass, founding editor, The New Haven Independent; co-author with Douglas Rae, Murder in the Model City: The Black Panthers, Yale and the Redemption of a Killer.
Aviva Kempner, award-winning filmmaker and documentarian, including The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg and Rosenwald.
Aaron Hamburger, author of Hotel Cuba.
Dan Porat, author of The Boy: A Holocaust Story.
Stay Tuned for 2026 Events
Book Launch
Save The Date – May 7th, 2026
Dual Identities: Living in Meier’s Shadow
The Zekelman Holocaust Center, Farmington Hills, MI
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