People of the Book

Meryl chats with Sharon Gloger Friedman about historical fiction, and her recently released novel, The Other Emma. Set in the Gilded Age, a young girl assumes the identity of her wealthy adopted sister when she perishes in the Blizzard of 1888. The novel chronicles Rose’s journey from the despair of the tenements to the mansions of Fifth Avenue complicated by the weight of deception.Sharon was born and raised in South Florida and now lives in Georgia with her husband. A former English teacher who left the classroom to raise her daughter and son, she found a new career as a freelance writer and copy editor. This is Sharon’s third novel. Her first novel, Ashes, is the 2019 winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Award for Historical Fiction. Her second novel, In Freedom’s Light, takes place in eighteenth and nineteenth century Charleston and PhiladelphiaFacebook: www.facebook.com/SharonglogerfriedmanauthorTwitter: mobile.twitter.com/friedman_sharonLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-gloger…iedman-a1046714/Website: www.sharonglogerfriedman.comPeople of the Book is a copyrighted work of Meryl Ain and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.Website: merylain.com/Jews Love To Read! www.facebook.com/groups/455865462463744#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #SharonGlogerFriedman #HistoricalFiction #WritingProcess #TheOtherEmma #Rose #TheGildedAge #TheBlizzardOf1888 #FifthAvenue #Prostitution #Ashes #InFreedomsLight #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #RememberToEat #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead

Meryl chats with Kitty Zeldis about her new novel, One of Them, a story about two young women at Vassar in the years after World War II. It is a tale of secrets and lies, the knotty question of Jewish identity, and the complicated relationship of mothers and daughters.Born in Israel, Kitty Zeldis is the pen name of a Brooklyn-based author of nine novels and more than 35 books for children. Her new historical novel, One of Them, was just published. Her fiction, essays and articles have appeared in numerous national and literary publications including the New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Family Circle and O, the Oprah Magazine. She is the Fiction Editor of Lilith Magazine and lives in Brooklyn.Facebook: www.facebook.com/kittyzeldisInstagram: www.instagram.com/kittyzeldisOn People of the Book, award-winning author Meryl Ain chats with notable authors, and brings you the best in books with Jewish content. From novels to memoirs to short stories to scholarly tomes, we cover a wide range of reads. Our freewheeling conversations are thought provoking and intimate. They span historical themes, contemporary issues, the writing process, and the influences that inspire and empower writers to tell their stories and share them with the world. Meryl is the award-winning author of The Takeaway Men, a post-Holocaust novel, and the sequel, Shadows We Carry. Her new collection of short stories, Remember to Eat, will be published in January 2026. She is also the founder of the Facebook group, Jews Love To Read!People of the Book is a copyrighted work © of Meryl Ain and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.Website: merylain.com/www.facebook.com/PeopleOfTheBookWithMerylAinfacebook.com/MerylAinAuthor/www.facebook.com/groups/455865462463744Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #KittyZeldis #OneOfThem #PostWorldWarII #Vassar #Poughkeepsie #Antisemitism #WASPCulture #Manhattan #Paris #Palestine #Kibbutz #SecretsAndLies #MotherDaughterRelationship #JewishIdentity #WritingProcess #LilithMagazine #HistoricalFiction #ReligiousPersecution #Prejudice #TheDressmakersOfProspectHeights #NotOurKind #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #RememberToEat #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead

Meryl chats with A.J. Sidransky about his new memoir, Plums, Paprika & Ghosts. It’s a chronicle of the trip he took with his 27-year-old-son Jake to Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, to discover their family roots. This “life changing” journey provided answers, as well as new questions, about their ancestors’ experience there for 300 years, and their fate during The Holocaust.AJ Sidransky is the author of numerous mystery, thriller, and historical fiction books, including Forgiving Maximo Rothman, The Interpreter, and Incident at San Miguel. His newest work, Plums, Paprika & Ghosts, is a memoir about his pilgrimage with his son, Jake, to his grandfather’s homeland in Hungary and Slovakia. He lives in Washington Heights, NY with his wife.Website: ajsidransky.com/Facebook: www.facebook.com/ajsidranskybooks/People of the Book is a copyrighted work of Meryl Ain and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.Website: merylain.com/www.facebook.com/PeopleOfTheBookWithMerylAinfacebook.com/MerylAinAuthor/www.facebook.com/groups/455865462463744Twitter: @DrMerylAinInstagram: meryl_ain#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #AJSidransky #Plums,Paprika&Ghosts #Hungary #Slovakia #AustroHungarianEmpire #Jake #CzechRepublic #TheHolocaust #Memoir #Grandfather #JewishIdentity #HungarianFood #ChickenPaprikash #PersonalResponsibility #Epiphany #FamilyResponsibility #FamilyTies #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #RemembeToEat #ShortStories #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead

Meryl Ain chats with Julie Brill, the author of Hidden in Plain Sight: A Family Memoir and the Untold Story of the Holocaust in Serbia. They discuss how Julie’s research and travel gave her a deep understanding of her family history in Serbia, especially her father’s childhood during The Holocaust. Julie Brill is the author of Hidden in Plain Sight: A Family Memoir and the Untold Story of the Holocaust in Serbia. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous publications and she sharesher family’s experiences in the Holocaust in middle and high school classrooms through Living Links. A lactation consultant, doula and childbirth educator, she is also the author of the anthology Round the Circle: Doulas Share Their Experiences. A graduate of Tufts University, she is the mother of two adult daughters. Author’s website: www.juliebrill.com/Twitter: @JulieBrill8  Instagram: @JulieSBrillPeople of the Book is a copyrighted work of Meryl Ain and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network. Website: merylain.com/ https://www.facebook.com/PeopleOfTheBookWithMerylAin https://www.facebook.com/groups/455865462463744 #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #JulieBrill#HowFatherSurvived  #HiddenInPlainSight #Belgrade #TheHolocaust #GermanOccupiedBelgrade #JewishCommunityInBelgrade #AuschwitzParadox #HolocaustSurvivors#ChildHolocaustSurvivors #Memoir #FamilyHistory #Serbia #Research #MemorialCandle#KeeperOfFamilyHistory #UntoldStory #UnravelingFamilyHistory #WritingProcess #YahrzeitCandle#LessonsOfTheHolocaust #ChildMemoriesOfHolocaust #HolocaustDocuments #PeopleoftheBook#MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #RememberToEat #LetsTalkJewishBooks#JewsLoveToRead!

Meryl chats with Marilyn Simon Rothstein about her new novel, Who Loves You Best. It’s the story of three very different grandmothers competing for the attention of their mutual granddaughter. In addition, Marilyn discusses her approach to combining humor with serious issues in her books, and shares insights into her character-naming process.Marilyn is the author of four novels: Crazy to Leave You, Husbands and Other Sharp Objects and Lift and Separate. Her latest book is Who Loves You Best. She grew up in New York City, earned a degree in journalism from New York University, and began her writing career at Seventeen magazine. She married a man she met in an elevator, and owned an advertising agency for twenty-five years. She has two daughters and three grandchildren.Website: www.marilynsimonrothstein.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=552642036Instagram: www.instagram.com/marilynsimonrothstein/Amazon: a.co/d/ejDlSXgWebsite: merylain.com/Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #MarilynSimonRothstein #WhoLovesYouBest #GrandmothersPerspective #CompetingGrandmothers #ThreeDifferentGrandmothers #Babysitting #LongDistanceGrandparenting #DilemmaforBusyModernGrandparents #Podiatrist #NamingCharacters #Jealousy #BocaRaton #TheBerkshires #Humor #CombiningTheHumorousAndSerious #Amazon #WomensFiction #CrazyToLeaveYou #HusbandsAndOtherSharpObjects #LiftAndSeparate #MerylAin #PeopleoftheBook #JewsLoveToRead #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #RememberToEat

Meryl chats with Julie Metz about her memoir, Eva and Eve, which chronicles her research journey to discover her mother’s hidden past in Nazi-occupied Austria. They also discuss how researching and writing about her mother’s experience has impacted her own life and the life of her family.Julie Metz is the author of PERFECTION, a New York Times bestseller. Her latest release is EVA AND EVE: A SEARCH FOR MY MOTHER'S LOST CHILDHOOD AND WHAT A WAR LEFT BEHIND. Julie has written for publications including The New York Times, Dame, and Salon and her essays have appeared in THE MOMENT and THE HOUSE THAT MADE ME. She lives with her family in the Hudson Valley.Author Website: www.juliemetz.com/Julie’s Substack: considerthespider.substack.com/Instagram: www.instagram.com/juliemetzwriter/Bookshop.org bookshop.org/p/books/eva-and-ev…K3u0gaAgHqEALw_wcBPeople of the Book is a copyrighted work of Meryl Ain and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network.Website: merylain.com/#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #PeopleOfTheBookPodcastWithMerylAin #PeopleOfTheBook #JulieMetz #Memoir #EvaAndEve #KeepsakeBook #Holocaust #LeoBaeckInstitute #Vienna #Austria #ResearchJourney #USHolocaustMuseum #YadVaShem #Archive #ImmigrantStory #ThreeGenerationsOfWomen #GenerationalNarrative #Antisemitism #RiseOfHitler #Nazis #VienneseJews #Resilience #SurvivalOfFamily #Mother’sLegacy #LostChildhood #MothersHiddenPast #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead #PeopleOfTheBookPodcast

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 feeblemindedJacqueline, 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/JacquelineFriedlandAuthorInstagram: www.instagram.com/jackiefriedland/Host Website: merylain.com/People of the Book: www.facebook.com/PeopleOfTheBookWithMerylAinJews Love To Read! www.facebook.com/groups/455865462463744facebook.com/MerylAinAuthor/Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #Jacqueline Friedland #CountingBackwards #HeGetsThatFromMe #BodilyAutonomy #Eugenics #BuckvBell #ReproductiveRights #CarrieBuck #JessaGidney #Vance #JewishCharacter #Feeblemindedness #RightToHaveAChild #PeopleoftheBook #Sterilization #IncarceratedInmates #OriginsofTheHolocaust #WomensRights #Immigration #GenreHopper #WomensFiction #MerylAin #JewsLoveToRead #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #RememberToEat

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/fuNHN7TAuthor Website: www.myholocaustlegacy.com/Pediment Publishing: www.pediment.com/ People of the Book is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio NetworkWebsite: merylain.com/ #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #PeopleOfTheBookPodcastWithMerylAin #PeopleOfTheBook #AlexKor #Memoir #ABlessingNotABurden #EvaKor #Auschwitz #JosefMengele #AngelOfDeath #Mengele #MengeleTwin #Miriam #Twins #MichaelKor #MickeyKor #TerreHaute #Israel #TheHolocaust #Holocaust #CANDLES #Indiana #Forgiveness #Nazis #Nazi #Atrocities #MedicalExperiments #TwinsReunionAtAuschwitz #ParentsLegacy #KeepingHolocaustLegacyAlive #ButlerUniversity #CocaCola #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead #PeopleOfTheBookPodcast

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. Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #ArthurFischman #99thBirthday #235Books #PhilipRoth #ThePlotAgainstAmerica #JewishCommunityInNewark #Newark #MetropolitanLife #Weequahic #WorldWarII #WAC #FortBelvoir #DigitalCartridgeAudioBooks #AudioBooks #LAMP #LibraryServices #LibraryOfAccessibilityForMedia #Optimist #Optimism ##DorisKearnsGoodwin #RichardGoodwin #AnUnfinishedLove #RichardLederer #Grammar #Commas #Prononuns #MurderMystery #HistoricalFiction #Biography #Autobiography #BeConcise #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead

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: @michellecameronwriterFacebook: www.facebook.com/michellecameronauthor Host Website: merylain.com/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #MichelleCameron #NapoleonsMirage #Sequel #BeyondTheGhettoGates #HistoricalFiction #AntiWarNovel #RoleOfWomenInHistory #KetubahWorkshop #NapoleonicEra #ProclamationToJews #Research #Jews #JewishHistory #Christians #Muslims #ThreeMajorReligions #Egypt #RealityofWar #RuinedWoman #LongDistanceRelationship #MilitaryMistakes #Babylon #ShiraOfAshkinaze #HistoricalFiction #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!

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/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #JudyGruen #Memoir #BylinesAndBlessings #OvercomingObstacles #StrivingForSuccess #TheSkepticAndTheRabbi #PeopleoftheBook #OrthodoxJudaism #Journalism #JewishJournalism #JewishJournal #BalancingMotherhoodAndCareer #OrthodoxLifestyle #Boundaries #RedefiningSuccess #Substack #Carpool #WorkingMoms #JewishValues #JewsLoveToRead #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks

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/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #Esther Goldenberg #BibleStories #TheScrollsOfDeborah #Deborah #JacobAndEsau #Abraham #Sarah #Rebecca #Midrash #Trilogy #SiblingRivalry #HistoricalFiction #TheBible #Feminist #TheRedTent #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!

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/jajfFT3Menachem Creditor: menachemcreditor.net/Ora Horn Prouser: ajr.edu/admin_and_staff/ora-horn-prouser/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #Israel #Pluralism #TheLandOfIsrael #AttackOnIsrael #IsraelAtWar #AfterOctober7 #October7Attack #Grief #antisemitism #TheseHolyDays #AHighHolidaysSupplementAfterOctober7 #RoshHashanah #YomKippur #SimchatTorah #RabbiMenachemCreditor #DrOraHornProuser #AJR #AcademyForJewishReligion #APrayerForTheStateOfIsrael #BethDwoskin #MeGodAndTheTerrorist #RabbiDavidEhrenkranz #EssaysPoemsPrayers #Hostages #Machzor #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!

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/ People of the Book is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #Gila Green #WithAGoodEye #Israel #Israeli #NarcissisticPersonalityDisorder #NarcissisticBehavior #DysfunctionalFamily #LunaLevi #ColorfulCharacters #CanYouEscapeYourFamilyHistory? #RecordingAnAudiobook #UnparentedChild #PTSD #Canada #Ottawa #PassportControl #WhiteZion #TheInheritance #October7 #Audiobook #ImpactOfWar #WritingProcess #ShortStories #LivingInIsrael #UnitedStates #WarAgainstHamas #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!

Meryl chats with Robert Yaffe about his 2024 memoir, Relinquished, which chronicles his 30-year search to discover his closed adoption roots. He shares his emotional and circuitous journey, its impact on his Jewish adoptive parents, and the new family he ultimately discovered.Robert is a native of Omaha, Nebraska. He holds a BA from the University of Nebraska and graduated from Creighton Law School. After working as an attorney for several years, he served as an executive director of both Jewish Community Centers and synagogues. Relinquished: A mother’s choice and my 30-year journey to find my birth family is his first book. Robert lives in Omaha with his wife. Rita. They have a blended family of four children and 10 grandchildren. Book available at Amazon in print and eBook:a.co/d/ghluTjf People of the Book is a copyrighted work of Meryl Ain and Authors on The Air Global Radio Network. #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #PeopleOfTheBookPodcastWithMerylAin #PeopleOfTheBook #RobertYaffe #Relinquished #Adoption #30YearSearch #30YearJourney #ClosedAdoption #DNA #Judaism #JewishRoots #BirthMother #BirthFather #BirthFamily #AdoptiveParents #Siblings #AdoptionSearch #WhatIsAFamily #FamilySecrets #Family #Memoir #1950s #BabyBoomers #Omaha #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead #PeopleOfTheBookPodcast

Meryl talks with Deborah Kalb about her new novel, Off to Join the Circus, which is about an overly enmeshed, neurotic Jewish family in the Washington, D.C. area, and what happens when a relative returns after 64 years. They also chat about Deborah’s other writing, and her daily blog, Q & A with Deborah Kalb. In addition, Deborah shares what it was like growing up in a family of legendary journalists. She is the daughter of Marvin Kalb and niece of the late Bernard Kalb. Deborah is a freelance writer and editor. She spent about two decades working as a journalist in Washington, D.C., for various news organizations. Her book blog, Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, which she started in 2012, features hundreds of interviews she has conducted with a wide variety of authors. She is also the co-host of the podcast Rereading Our Childhood, Deborah is the author of the new novel Off to Join the Circus as well as three novels for kids. She’s the co-author with her father, Marvin Kalb, of Haunting Legacy: Vietnam and the American Presidency from Ford to Obama and has also co-authored several books on politics and government.Author’s website: deborahkalb.com/ People of the Book is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #DeborahKalb #Fiction #Novel #OffToJoinTheCircus #Estrangement #DysfunctionalFamily #FamilyDynamics #Humor #MultigenerationalFamily #EstrangedFamilyMember #EnmeshedFamily #BarMitzvah #NewBaby #WritingFiction #Journalism #TVJournalism #KalbFamily #MarvinKalb #BernardKalb #ClaudiaKalb #RereadingOurChildhoodPodcast #NonFiction #HauntingLegacy #TheWritingProcess #MerylAin #ShadowsWeCarry #TheTakeawayMen #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead #PeopleOfTheBookPodcastWithMerylAin

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. They also 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/ People of the Book is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network #AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #KimSalzman #StraddlingBlackAndWhite #HistoricalFiction #EthiopianIsraelis #EthiopianJews #Aliyah #MakingAliyah #Israel #EthiopianAliyah #Sudan #OperationSolomon #OperationMoses #Racism #Identity #FamilySecrets #Assimilation #Acculturation #ClashOfCultures #October7 #IsraelAtWar #Hostages #WarAgainstHamas #IsraeliArmy #IsraeliArmyService #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!

Meryl chats with Jennifer Lang about her unique memoir, Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature, which is an examination of her marriage, family, faith, and life in Israel. They discuss how Jennifer came to invent the form of her new memoir and how the October 7 Hamas Massacre and the war in Israel have impacted her and her book. The interview is briefly interrupted by the sound of sirens. Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jennifer Lang lives in Tel Aviv, where she runs israelwriterstudio. Her prize-winning essays appear in Baltimore Review, Under the Sun, Midway Journal, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is an Assistant Editor at Brevity Journal, and a longtime yoga practitioner and instructor. Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature (9/5/23) and Landed: A yogi's memoir in pieces & poses (10/15/24) are both with Vine Leaves Press. Website: israelwriterstudio.com/Facebook: www.facebook.com/jenlangwritesInstagram: @jenlangwrites People of the Book is copyrighted by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #JenniferLang #PlacesWeLeftBehind #MemoirInMiniature #IsraelWriterStudio #Aliyah #MakingAliyah #Marriage #ReligiousObservance #JewishObservance #ModernOrthodox #ReformJudaism #TelAviv #October7 #Paris #UnitedStates #Hostages #WarAgainstHamas #ExperimentalMemoir #IsraeliArmy #IsraeliArmyService #VineLeavesPress #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!

Meryl chats with Rabbi Menachem Creditor about his insights as part of the recent UJA-Federation mission to Israel, the impact of October 7 on Jews throughout the world, and the global increase in antisemitism. They also discuss his new book, Am Yisrael Chai: Essays, Poems, and Prayers for Israel, which was published on October 17. 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. His numerous books and 6 albums of original music include the global anthem "Olam Chesed Yibaneh" and the COVID-era 2-volume anthology "When We Turned Within." His latest volume is Am Yisrael Chai: Essays, Poems, and Prayers for Israel which was published on October 17.Rabbi Creditor and his wife Neshama Carlebach live in New York, where they are raising their five children. Am Yisrael Chai Book: www.amazon.com/Am-Yisrael-Chai-E…rs/dp/B0CLS6W5FP/Website: menachemcreditor.net/UJA-Federation of NY: ujafedny.org/ Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #Israel #TheLandOfIsrael #AttackOnIsrael #IsraelAtWar #October7 #October7Attack #antisemitism #HamasAttack #UJAFederationOfNY #UJAFederationIsraelEmergencyFund #NeshamaCarlebach #AmYisraelChai #EssaysPoemsPrayersForIsrael #JoanneFink #SholomoCarlebach #NewSurvivors #Hostages #Torah #NeverAgain #NeverAgainIsNow #Kristallnacht #TheHolocaust #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!

Meryl chats with Evonne Marzouk about her novel, The Prophetess. They discuss how Evonne came to write and publish the book over the course of 20 years and what inspired her. They also talk about the current situation in Israel, the increase in antisemitism around the world, and what it means “to grow into your gifts.” Evonne grew up in Philadelphia and received her B.A. from the Johns Hopkins University. As founder and Executive Director of the Jewish environmental organization Canfei Nesharim, she worked with rabbis, scientists, educators, and community leaders to create and distribute Torah teachings on the environment, including a comprehensive set of core teachings later gathered into a book, Uplifting People and Planet: Eighteen Essential Jewish Lessons on the Environment. Evonne has spoken to schools, Bat Mitzvah programs, synagogues and women’s book clubs about themes and Jewish lessons from The Prophetess. On her website www.growintoyourgifts.com, Evonne offers programs, guides for Jewish educators, and the free printable Heroine’s Journal: A Jewish Mystical Journey of Growing into Your Gifts to empower all women to live their greatest dreams. Instagram: @heroinewhispererFacebook: @ProphetessBookWebsite: www.GrowIntoYourGifts.com Copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network#AuthorsOnTheAir #AuthorsOnTheAirGlobalRadioNetwork #AOTA #EvonneMarzouk #TheProphetess #GrowIntoYourGifts # Prophesy #Prophets #Israel #TheLandOfIsrael #IsraelAtWar #antisemitism #TheBible #Mysticism #JewishSpirituality #ComingOfAge #Novel #PeopleoftheBook #MerylAin #TheTakeawayMen #Sequel #ShadowsWeCarry #LetsTalkJewishBooks #JewsLoveToRead!