People of the Book

Meryl chats with Jacqueline Friedland about her new novel, Counting Backwards (March 2025), a dual-timeline novel which explores fertility, inequality, reproductive rights, and bodily autonomy. It’s told from the perspectives of Jessa Gidney, a modern-day lawyer fighting for her immigrant client, and also Carrie Buck who is the plaintiff in the actual 1927 Supreme Court Case, Buck v. Bell. In the 1927 case, the Court upheld the right of the state to sterilize women deemed feebleminded
Jacqueline, the author of five novels, is a USA Today and Amazon best-selling author. Her brand new novel is Counting Backwards. She holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, a JD from NYU Law School, and an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. She lives in Westchester, New York with her husband and four children.
Website: www.jacquelinefriedland.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/JacquelineFriedlandAuthor

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jackiefriedland/

Host Website: merylain.com/
People of the Book: www.facebook.com/PeopleOfTheBookWithMerylAin
Jews Love To Read! www.facebook.com/groups/455865462463744
facebook.com/MerylAinAuthor/

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Meryl chats with Kim Salzman about her historical fiction novel, Straddling Black and White, the story of fourteen-year-old Azmera, who takes part in the mass immigration of Ethiopian Jewry to Israel in the 1980s. Theyalso talk about the current war in Israel and its impact on Kim, her family,and friends.

Kim was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. After receiving a degree in psychology from Columbia University, she lived and worked on a kibbutz in Israel, which inspired her to make Aliyah. After receiving her law degree from the University of Michigan, she immigrated to Israel where she became fascinated by the stories of Jewish immigrants to Israel from all over the world. She served in the international law department of the Israel Defense Forces, and also advocated for the legal rights of Ethiopian-Israelis. Kim lives in Northern Israel with her husband, three children and a dog. Currently, she works as the Israel and Overseas Director at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

Website: www.kimsalzman.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091317043993/

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Meryl chats with Alex Kor about his 2024 memoir, A Blessing, Not a Burden, which chronicles his incredible journey as the child of two Holocaust survivors to his present day mission of keeping alive his parents’ legacy. They also discuss his mother’s controversial decision, as a Mengele twin, to forgive the Nazis.
Originally from Terre Haute, Indiana, Alex Kor is the son of two Holocaust survivors, Eva Mozes Kor and her husband, Michael. Alex holds a BS in Chemistry, an MS in Exercise Physiology, and a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. A full-time podiatrist, he is a member of the CANDLES HOLOCAUST MUSEUM BOARD OF DIRECTORS. His memoir, A Blessing, Not a Burden, was published in May 2024.

Guest’s Website and Social Media links:
Amazon: a.co/d/fuNHN7T
Author Website: www.myholocaustlegacy.com/
Pediment Publishing: www.pediment.com/

People of the Book is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network
Website: merylain.com/

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Meryl chats with her bibliophile cousin, 99-year-old Arthur Fischman, about his love of reading. During the past three years, he’s read 235 books on audio due to diminished eyesight. They also talk about family, and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude as we age.

Arthur Fischman was born in Newark, New Jersey, and graduated from N.Y.U. with a degree in business and finance. He was president and CEO of Newark Auto Products. At the same time, he was Director and member of the executive committee of a Commercial Bank. He is a veteran of World War II. He has three daughters and lives in Pennsylvania. He recently turned 99 and is an avid reader.

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Meryl chats with Michelle about her new novel, Napoleon’s Mirage (November 12, 2024). They discuss how Michelle came to write this sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates and the themes she wanted to raise for readers. They also talk about the role of women in history, Napoleon and his relationship to the Jews, and antisemitism then and now.

Michelle Cameron is the author of Jewish historical fiction, with her most recent being Napoleon’s Mirage, the sequel to Beyond the Ghetto Gates. Previous work includes Babylon: A Novel of Jewish Captivity, a finalist in religious fiction in the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the award-winning Beyond the Ghetto Gates and The Fruit of Her Hands: the story of Shira of Ashkenaz.
Michelle is a director of The Writers Circle, a NJ-based creative writing program serving children, teens, and adults. She lives in Chatham, NJ, with her husband and has two grown sons of whom she is inordinately proud.

Author’s website: michelle-cameron.com/
Instagram: @michellecameronwriter
Facebook: www.facebook.com/michellecameronauthor

Host Website: merylain.com/

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Meryl chats with Judy Gruen about her 2024 memoir, Bylines and Blessings, which chronicles her journey to pursue a career in journalism with an Orthodox lifestyle. They talk about balancing motherhood with both a career and a commitment to Jewish values. They also discuss the current wave of antisemitism and its impact on writers.

Judy is an award-winning columnist for the Jewish Journal and the author of five books, including the memoirs, Bylines and Blessings, and The Skeptic and the Rabbi. In 2024 she won First Place in Commentary in the American Jewish Press Association's Rockower Awards, and Second Place for book reviews in the Los Angeles Press Club's Southern California Journalism Awards.

Her work has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Christian Science Monitor, Aish.com, Jewish Action, and other media outlets. Known for her insightful and personal writing about life as a proudly observant Jewish woman in a secular society, Judy is also a book editor and writing coach. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from UC Berkeley and her master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff.

Author’s website: judygruen.com/

Substack: judygruen.substack.com/

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Meryl chats with Meryl Frank about her new memoir, Unearthed: A Lost Actress, a Forbidden Book, and a Search for Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust. They discuss the author’s multi-year, multi-country research journey to unravel the story of what happened to her cousin, Franya Winter, a celebrated actress in the Yiddish Theater who perished during The Holocaust. They talk about the resurgence of antisemitism today and the importance of keeping alive the memory and lessons of The Holocaust.
Ambassador Meryl Frank (ret) is an international champion of women’s leadership, human rights and political participation. She is the former mayor of Highland Park, NJ and was named one of “The Fifty Most Influential Jews in the World” by The Jerusalem Post. Frank serves as President of Makeda Global Network and sits on the US Holocaust Memorial Council and the Board of YIVO, the Institute for Jewish Research. Her memoir, Unearthed: A Lost Actress, a Forbidden Book, and a Search for Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust is available from Hachette Books.
Author’s website: ⁠www.merylfrank.com/⁠
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Meryl chats with Esther Goldenberg about her new novel, The Scrolls of Deborah, Book One in the Desert Songs Trilogy. They discuss how Esther came to write about this Biblical narrative, and how she melded Bible stories with a feminist perspective. They also talk about historical fiction, Esther’s writing and research process, and the scope of her three-book series.

Esther Goldenberg is an author, educator, and the mother of two. She is the author of two non-fiction books: A Story Every Week: Torah Wisdom for Today’s World, and The Out of the Box Bat Mitzvah. The Scrolls of Deborah, her debut Biblical fiction novel, Book One in the Desert Songs Trilogy, was published in February 2024. After living in Israel for a few years, she now resides in the United States.

Author’s website: www.esthergoldenberg.com/

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Meryl chats with Rabbi Menachem Creditor and Dr. Ora Horn Prouser about their new collection of High Holiday supplemental readings that were written in response to last October 7’s Massacre in Israel when 1,200 were killed and 251 were kidnapped and held hostage. Contributors to the book include rabbis, academics, poets, Americans, Israelis, and scholars and students of the Academy for Jewish Religion.

Rabbi Menachem Creditor serves as the Pearl and Ira Meyer Scholar in Residence at UJA-Federation New York and was the founder of Rabbis Against Gun Violence. An acclaimed author, scholar, and speaker with over 3 million views of his online videos and essays, he was named by Newsweek as one of the fifty most influential rabbis in America.

Dr. Ora Horn Prouser is the CEO and Academic Dean at the Academy for Jewish Religion. Her book, Esau’s Blessing: How The Bible Embraces Those With Special Needs, was recognized as a National Jewish Book Council Finalist.

These Holy Days: A High Holidays Supplement After October 7: a.co/d/jajfFT3
Menachem Creditor: menachemcreditor.net/
Ora Horn Prouser: ajr.edu/admin_and_staff/ora-horn-prouser/

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Meryl chats with Gila Green about her new novel, With A Good Eye. The book tells the story of 19-year-old Luna Levi and her struggles with her dysfunctional family, including a father who has PTSD from Israeli military service and a mother who suffers from narcissistic personality disorder. They also discuss the writing process, the importance of location, and the impact of the war in Israel.

Gila Green is an Israel-based Canadian author from Ottawa. Her father is a Yemenite-Israeli immigrant to Canada and her mother is a third generation Canadian. She has lived in Winnipeg, Vancouver, Johannesburg, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tel Aviv. She works as a freelance writer, editor and online creative writing instructor, as well as a college lecturer teaching English As a Foreign Language. Gila’s latest novel is With A Good Eye. She is also the author of Passport Control, White Zion, No Entry, and King of the Class. Her stories have been nominated for seven international awards and have been published in two dozen magazines and anthologies. Gila writes often about racism, alienation, dislocation, war, family relationships, pre-State Israel, and modern Israel. She is the proud mother of five children.

Website: gilagreenwrites.com/

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