Publication Date: December 16, 2022
Love, faith, family and loyalty – The year is 1937. Henry Rebbenoff has all his dreams fulfilled in his adopted city- Charleston, South Carolina. He has found the perfect position as Cantor of Temple Beth Elohim, and the perfect woman, a beautiful Jewish southern belle named Ada Tobias.
Henry answers the call to all Americans valiantly as war comes to the nation’s shores on December 7, 1941. His love, faith and loyalty are tested by the unusual circumstances of Henry’s experiences during the war. You as the reader must decide; has Henry made the right choices for himself, for his family, for his religion, for his country?
A young Jewish couple falls madly in love and has big dreams for the future. Those dreams are put to the test by a war that will soon impact the United States.
Author Alice Reiter Laby introduces Ada and Henry in The Secret War of Henry Rebbenoff. As the new Cantor of Temple Beth Elohim, Henry celebrates his good fortune in landing his dream job, especially in South Carolina. He shares a mutual attraction with the beautiful blond woman in the congregation.
The story unfolds through a series of Ada’s journals and diaries left to her daughter. With a mixture of laughter and tears, readers get to walk alongside the couple as they experience triumphs and tragedies.
The author’s smooth writing style makes for compelling prose. By showing their beginning and the zest for life, we see the impact of later events. The story manages to come full circle after the war interrupts Henry’s idyllic life.
The Secret War of Henry Rebbenoff illustrates the ripple effect one decision can have and questions whether Henry made the right choices.
 
Alice Reiter Laby was born and bred on Long Island, New York, venturing off the Island to attend graduate school at Fordham University.
She is the author of a romantic novel set in Amsterdam and is working on a memoir about her family’s Eastern European history.
In her book, THE SECRET WAR OF HENRY REBBENOFF, a World War 2 novel, the main character, Cantor Henry, carves his own path through the conflict. His story is as unusual as his amazing singing voice.
The author has secrets of her own – which can be revealed at an Author Talk. Contact her at alicelaby@gmail.com to arrange for a presentation!
Alice still resides on Long Island, with her partner and his parrot, close to her sons,
