When three-year-old Joshua Gortler and his family were forced from their hometown in Poland during World War II, they scrambled for safety across border after border, finding refuge at last in Europe’s Displaced Persons Camps.
Undocumented and unschooled, Gortler spent his adolescence learning to survive. When his family eventually relocated to the United States, he found himself starting over as teenager in a foreign land with only his spunk and sharp wits to rely on.
After teaching himself English, Gortler managed to complete high school in three years, earn a master’s degree in social work, and begin what would become a distinguished career in the field of eldercare. Acknowledged as a leading pioneer in his field, Gortler dedicated his professional life to helping others stitch their torn lives back together.
As a sought-after speaker, he has made it his personal mission to bring the lessons of his unique personal experiences—the value of perseverance, humor, ambition, faith, and the paramount importance education—to audiences as diverse as Rotary clubs, at-risk high schoolers, prisoners, and university students.
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“From DP camp scamp to a community builder, pillar, and mentor. Josh’s description of becoming a mentsh as a Displaced Person was especially rare and very moving. Engagingly written with humor, insight and erudition.”
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Elliott Palevsky, CEO Emeritus, River Garden Senior Services, Jacksonville FL; Scholar of Yiddish language and literature