Disengagement
Disengagement is a work of literary fiction that weaves together perspectives spanning the entire political and religious spectrum to tell the story of the evacuation of a fictional Jewish settlement in Gaza. The book offers an in-depth, nuanced, and comprehensive view of a major Israeli political crisis that has gone largely under-explored, but the lessons regarding the importance of empathy and listening to the Other’s stories resonate deeply with the political climate we see in the world today. It is thought-provoking and challenges the reader to face his or her own biases. Click here to read more about the book.
Disengagement Book Club Discussion Guide
A list of discussion questions can be found at the back of the book. Here you can download an expanded discussion guide that includes excerpts, discussion questions, and an author interview (and no spoilers!):
The guide stands alone and can be used with groups that include individuals who have not read the book.
By Light of Hidden Candles
By Light of Hidden Candles is a historical novel that explores themes relating to Sephardic Jewish and Spanish culture, interfaith relationships, and religious and moral dilemmas of the 15th and 21st century. It can serve as an entertaining and valuable educational resource for middle school, high school, and college students as part of a curriculum in history, religious education, cultural education/social studies, or literature. Click here to read more about the book.
By Light of Hidden Candles Discussion Guide
The By Light of Hidden Candles Discussion Guide for book clubs and classrooms was developed to stand alone, so participants don’t need to have read the book to take part in the discussion. Click here to view and download the printable PDF. It includes excerpts, discussion questions, and an author interview (and no spoilers!).
Additional Resources
I’ve published a series of blog posts on this website with additional background information on the process of writing and researching By Light of Hidden Candles, including a song playlist, deleted scenes, and fascinating resources about 15th-century Lorca. Click here to browse the relevant posts.
Letters to Josep: An Introduction to Judaism
Letters to Josep: An Introduction to Judaism is a collection of letters from an Orthodox American-Israeli Jew (a.k.a. yours truly) to a Catholic friend from Barcelona, describing the basic concepts of Judaism and Orthodox Jewish life. Its relaxed, humorous style and the warmth it draws from the real friendship that inspired it make it a perfect resource for beginners, especially teens and young adults. It can be used as part of a religious studies curriculum focusing on the Jewish faith and culture. Click here to read more about Letters to Josep: An Introduction to Judaism.
The book was compiled from the individual posts on the Letters to Josep blog. You can use the search function to explore the posts on a wide variety of topics relating to Judaism.
A discussion guide is forthcoming. In the meantime, feel free to be in touch with me about using Letters to Josep as an educational resource or discussing it with your book club.
Meet the Author
I’d be delighted to speak or video chat with your class, community, or book club. Be in touch to discuss this possibility.