Category: Authors

Q & A with author of Cain V. Abel: A Jewish Courtroom Drama, Dan Ornstein

1.       Why did you write this book? I wrote this book because I firmly believe that the Cain and Abel story has indispensable moral messages for our violence and hatred plagued planet.  It is a foundational story of the human experience, and I wanted to convey its power to a modern audience.     2.       How […]

Prepare My Prayer a Finalist for National Jewish Book Award

I’m delighted that Prepare My Prayer by Rabbi Dov Singer is a finalist for a National Jewish Book Award. I was privileged to be the publicist for this important book which is the English translation of the Hebrew bestseller “Tikon Tefilati“. Both books are published by Koren Publishers. An invitation to fundamentally reconsider prayer and […]

Interview with Rabbi Michael Broyde author of A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts

  I am pleased to have interviewed Rabbi Michael Broyde, author of A Concise Code of Jewish Law for Converts  (Urim Publications, 2017) about his new book. Conversion is constantly in the Jewish news cycle. Does your book address the various controversies surrounding conversion to Judaism? The current controversies are always about how people convert. My book is […]

From Seattle to Hebron: The Story of an Amazing Life

Telling the life story of Rabbi Dov Cohen, To Rise Above begins in Seattle, WA in the early 1900’s and via train and ship takes readers to pre-state Palestine. As a young boy Dov lived in the idyllic (and rare) circumstances of a wealthy Orthodox Jewish family in Seattle. Fully dedicated to observance of Jewish […]

Instead of Banning a Book, Here’s What Naftali Bennett Should Have Done

As you may know by now, the Israeli Education ministry has “disqualified” the book “Gader Haya” (in English  “Borderlife”) by Dorit Rabinyan because it describes a romantic relationship between a Jewish woman and a Palestinian man. I am sure the book’s publicist is ecstatic as every media outlet is talking about the book and reportedly Israeli bookstores […]

The Kosher Baking Revolution Brought to You by Paula Shoyer

I discovered Paula Shoyer through her Chocolate Chip Mandelbread. Rosh Hashana was approaching and mandelbread seemed, to me, to be the only dessert option on the horizon. Nothing would be complete without it. I asked around and someone shared Paula’s recipe with me. I recall having a few questions and Gil Marks z”l was kind enough to […]

Chanukah Inspired by the Land of Israel: Food & Spirituality

Chana Bracha Siegelbaum has just published a new book called The Seven Fruits of the Land of Israel (Menorah-Books). The Torah singles out seven fruits (olives, dates and much more!) which grow in Israel for special mention. These foods thus have a special status in Jewish law and tradition. and Chana Bracha has created a guide […]

Celebrating Chanukah with Levana: Foodie Innovator of NYC

A recent article claimed that Jews who keep kosher have all become “foodies”. If there is one person to credit for kicking off this phenomenon, it is probably Levana. She brought upscale kosher dining to NY when the stereotype and expectation of kosher food was that it was deli food. And while there is nothing […]

Orly Ziv – Israeli Culinary Tourism Pioneer & Author: Chanukah (Day 3 of 8 for 8!)

We are celebrating day 3 of our effort to meet a cookbook author for each day of Chanukah with Orly Ziv of Israel. Orly offers a wonderful insight into Israel through her culinary tours and through her writing. And I really appreciate that she has agreed to join the 8 for 8 project: Eight cookbook […]