Hero by martha attema Page A

thought about his room and wondered if he and his family would ever go back there to live.
    Since the war started four years ago, things had gone from bad to worse for Izaak’s family. Not just for Izaak’s family, but for all the Jewish people in the country.
    First, the German soldiers had closed his father’s jewelry store. Izaak remembered how angry Papa had been and how Mama had cried. Then they’d moved from their bright house to a small apartment above a warehouse. Living in the apartment became too dangerous when the Germans had ordered them to live in the ghetto. The Jews were forced to live together, so it was easier for the Nazis to hunt them down. From the ghetto, Jewish people were sent to camps in Germany and Poland. Papa said the people were herded onto trains like cattle.
    â€œWe are disobeying this order.” Papahad ripped up the paper and thrown the pieces in the stove. “We are not going to live in the ghetto. We are not going to be sent on trains to the camps. We will go into hiding until this war is over. I have contacts.”
    Izaak trembled. Friends from school had left on those trains to camps in Germany. He was glad his father had suggested they go into hiding.
    â€œMama,” Izaak whispered now, “tell me again about the yellow star.”
    â€œOh, Izaak.” Mama dropped a kiss on his head. “A man named Hitler, the leader of Germany, wants to rule the whole world.”
    Izaak nodded. He knew, but didn’t understand how Hitler could fight all the countries in the world. He had seen the soldiers though. He’d watched them march in the streets. Every day, he saw military trucks loaded with soldiers. And here, Papa had told him, in the city of Amsterdam, were thousands and thousands of soldiers.
    â€œHitler doesn’t like Jews. He wants to lock them up.” Mama paused. “Or send them away.”
    â€œWhy Jews?”
    â€œBecause Hitler blames the Jews for all the bad things that happen in Germany.” Mama sighed; her eyes filled with tears.
    Izaak found it hard to believe that the Jews could cause so much trouble that Hitler wanted to get rid of the Jewish population in all of Europe.
    â€œHe also wants to make sure everybody will recognize the Jews. That’s why we all have to wear the Star of David on our coats.”
    Izaak nodded. Papa had told him he should be proud to be Jewish. But he was scared to be recognized.
    â€œCan we leave now?” Izaak whispered.
    â€œNot yet. We have to wait till Mrs. Waterman comes upstairs. She’ll tell us when it’s safe.”
    Izaak wriggled in his mother’s arms. He closed his eyes and tried to thinkof Papa and Sarah. He remembered his father’s strong arms. When Izaak was little, Papa had carried him up the stairs every night. At first, when he closed his eyes tight, he could see his father’s face: those dark eyes that sparkled when he laughed, the bushy eyebrows that frowned and made a straight line when he was cross. Lately, Izaak found it harder to remember what Papa looked like. He hadn’t seen his father for over a year. Not since the night they had to flee the apartment.
    The night the soldiers had come to their street in their big, military trucks, Papa had lifted Izaak from the bed in his strong arms. Together with Mama and Sarah, they had left the building by the fire escape. They’d run through dark alleys, climbed fences and run flat out until they came to Mrs. Waterman’s house on the Linden Canal.
    Mama and Izaak had gone into hiding in the attic in Mrs. Waterman’shouse. The hiding place was too small for four people. Mrs. Waterman gave Papa and Sarah the address of another safe home in the city. Izaak wished he knew where they were. He wanted to visit them, but Mama said it was too dangerous.
    Izaak listened. Footsteps sounded on the stairs. With a deep breath of relief, he recognized Mrs. Waterman’s tread.
    The door to the