FANWOOD — Jean Hoffman Lewanda, an author and editor, will be hosted by the College Club of Fanwood-Scotch Plains on Monday, November 13. The program will take place in the Fanwood Presbyterian Church meeting hall, located at 74 S. Martine Avenue, Fanwood (McDermott Street entrance). It will begin at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Ms. Lewanda’s presentation will be based on the book “Witness to History,” the memoir of her father, Paul Hoffman, who witnessed and experienced the Nazi revolution in Europe, the Japanese invasion of China and the Communist victory in China in 1949. His story is one of escape, survival and resilience.
Paul Hoffman’s life encompassed some of the most dramatic events in history. His original manuscript was intended just for family. Ms. Lewanda wanted to share his experiences with a broader audience and published his story in the book “Witness to History” in 2021.
Jean Hoffman Lewanda was born in 1954 in New York City, one year after her parents arrived in America. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Albany, a Masters Degree from New York University and a Sixth Year Certificate from the University of Connecticut. She was a special educator across all levels in Connecticut for 40 years. Now retired, Ms. Lewanda lives in Pennsylvania near family members. She is a Holocaust educator and shares her family story in classrooms and to audiences across all age groups.
