LAUREN FOX, who earned her M.F.A. from the University of Minnesota, is the author of the novels Days of Awe, Still Life with Husband, and Friends Like Us. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Parenting, Psychology Today, The Rumpus, and Salon. She lives in Milwaukee with her husband and two daughters. In this episode, we talk about Lauren's book Send for Me. Annelise is a dreamer: imagining her future while working at her parents' popular bakery in Feldenheim, Germany, anticipating all the delicious possibilities yet to come. There are rumors that anti-Jewish sentiment is on the rise, but Annelise and her parents can't quite believe that it will affect them; they're hardly religious at all. But as Annelise falls in love, marries, and gives birth to her daughter, the dangers grow closer: a brick thrown through her window; a childhood friend who cuts ties with her; customers refusing to patronize the bakery. Luckily Annelise and her husband are given the chance to leave for America, but they must go without her parents, whose future and safety are uncertain. Two generations later, in a small Midwestern city, Annelise's granddaughter, Clare, is a young woman newly in love. But when she stumbles upon a trove of her grandmother's letters from Germany, she sees the history of her family's sacrifices in a new light, and suddenly she's faced with an impossible choice: the past, or her future. A novel of dazzling emotional richness that is based on letters from Lauren Fox's own family, Send for Meis a major departure for this acclaimed author, an epic and intimate exploration of mothers and daughters, duty and obligation, hope and forgiveness. Send for me is a New York Times Best Seller and A Today Show #ReadWithJenna book club pick. Books discussed in this episode: Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell Northern Spy by Flynn Berry The Island Child by Molly Aitken

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Book Club Edition: Lauren Fox

Michal Oshman is Head of Company Culture, Diversity and Inclusion at TikTok Europe and formerly responsible for international leadership and team development at Facebook. Throughout her career, Michal has trained and coached hundreds of tech leaders. She has three university degrees in psychodynamic and systemic thinking, sociology and anthropology. Michal lives with her husband and their four children in London, UK. As a mentor for leaders in top global companies, Michal created a unique personal growth methodology based on the life-changing principles of Jewish wisdom. It is easy to think that the daily challenges we experience in the 21st century are new and unlike any that people faced in the past. Michal draws on her own heritage and a wide range of Jewish teachings to offer practical advice for common concerns, such as a broken heart, parenting, overcoming setbacks and getting the most out of your career. You can purchase Michal's book here.    

Michal Oshman

Elyssa Friedland is the author of four novels and a forthcoming picture book. She attended Yale University, where she served as managing editor of the Yale Daily News, and is a graduate of Columbia Law School. She worked as an associate at a major firm before turning to writing full-time. Elyssa currently teaches creative writing at Yale. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, McSweeney’s, LitHub, POPSUGAR, RealSimple.com, Bustle, Modern Bride, New York magazine, Columbia Journalism Review, CBS MarketWatch.com, Yale Alumni Magazine and more. Elyssa resides in New York City with her husband and three young children.   In this episode, we chat about Elyssa's latest book: Last Summer At The Golden Hotel. In its heyday, The Golden Hotel was the crown jewel of the hotter-than-hot Catskills vacation scene. For more than sixty years, the Goldman and Weingold families – best friends and business partners – have presided over this glamorous resort which served as a second home for well-heeled guests and celebrities. But the Catskills are not what they used to be – and neither is the relationship between the Goldmans and the Weingolds. As the facilities and management begin to fall apart, a tempting offer to sell forces the two families together again to make a heart-wrenching decision. Can they save their beloved Golden or is it too late? You can follow Elyssa here. You can purchase Elyssa's book here. Click here to purchase tickets to my Zoom event with author Nadia Hashimi in conjunction with the Jewish Public Library.

Book Club edition: Elyssa Friedland

In this episode, I chat with Esty Perman who is a Chabad shlucha ( emissary) in Kansas. In addition to her numerous responsibilities as a preschool teacher, running various learning and community programs etc. Esty is a busy mom trying to juggle it all. She shares her experiences and thoughts on motherhood, spirituality, her journey with secondary infertility etc. on her Instagram account. The quote I share in the beginning of the episode is from Wisdom to Heal the Earth: Meditations & Teachings of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson by Tzvi Freeman. "Each journey the soul travels takes her higher. Some Journeys are painful, but with purpose. The purpose overwhelms the pain and transforms it into joy. Some journeys are painful, but with no purpose in sight.There is no medicine to wash away the pain. There is no medicine, other than faith that ever journey the soul travels takes her higher. Some so much higher, she cannot even imagine their meaning. Until she arrives." Books that were mentioned: How To Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePERA 60 Days: A Spiritual Guide to the High Holidays by Rabbi Simon Jacobson What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid? by Michal Oshman When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Beata Heuman: Every Room Should Sing        

Esty Perman

Ruth Druart has been working in international schools in Paris since 1993. Four years ago, she completed a masters in international education, exploring the topic of third culture children and their sense of belonging- a theme that runs through her novel. She has been writing for the last nineteen years  in her spare time and  runs a writing group in Paris. She has three sons with her French husband.   In this episode, we talk about Ruth's book While Paris Slept. Told from alternating perspectives and set in a dual timeline (during and post World War II), While Paris Slept tells the story of a young woman who is forced to make the hardest decision of her life during one of the darkest times in history. While Paris Slept is a tribute to the kindness, compassion and love that humans can achieve even under the direst of circumstances. You can follow Ruth here. You can connect with Ruth on Instagram here. Purchase While Paris Slept here. Ruth's recent favorite reads are: American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins This Must Be The Place by Maggie O'Farrell

Book Club Edition: Ruth Druart

As soon as she learned of the discovery of the first-century tombstone that inspired Rebel Daughter, Lori Banov Kaufmann wanted to know more. She was so intrigued by the unlikely but true love story the stone revealed that she embarked on a more than ten-year quest with some of the world's leading scholars and archaeologists to bring the real characters to life as accurately as possible. Before becoming a full-time writer, Lori was a strategy consultant for high-tech companies. She has an undergraduate degree from Princeton and a masters from Harvard. She lives in Israel with her husband and four adult children. You can find Lori here. You can follow Lori here .  

Lori Kaufmann

Alyssa Goldwater is a CEO, wife, mom and the Digital Influencer behind the lifestyle brand, A Glass of Goldwater (@alyssagoldwater). Merging motherhood with humor, A Glass of Goldwater has become a community and support network of over 50,000 women across the world. Alyssa has created a world where creativity is queen and a glass ceiling does not exist. In this episode, we chat about how Alyssa grew her brand and how it has evolved over time. We also talk about Alyssa's experience being a Type 1 diabetes mom. We both get candid about our experience with anxiety and Alyssa shares what has helped her manage it. Of course, we also talk about books and we have some great recommendations for you!   You can follow Alyssa here.   Check out this important post about Type 1 diabetes.   Alyssa's reading recommendations are:   Beach Read by Emily Henry   The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah   The Rose Code by Kate Quinn   Dear Emmy Blue by Lia Louis   Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens   You can find all these books here. 

Alyssa Goldwater

Asha Lemmie is the New York Times Bestselling Author of Fifty Words For Rain. After graduating from Boston College with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, she relocated to New York City where she worked in book publishing. Asha writes historical fiction that focuses on bringing unique perspectives to life. In normal times, she divides her time between New York, London, and Kyoto.  Fifty Words for Rain is Asha’s first novel. You can purchase it here.   In this episode, we talk about the inspiration and story being Asha's best selling book Fifty Words for Rain. Asha started writing this book at the young age of sixteen years old! We chat about what drew her to write about Japan post WWII, how she has dealt with the huge success of the book ( Asha had a fear of public speaking) and why it's important to NOT choose a book by its Good Reads rating! 

Book Club Edition: Asha Lemmie

This is a special episode, where I partner with Ruchy from Blue Door Books  to talk about some great summer reads. If there was a theme or subtitle for this episode it would be getting out of your comfort zone. This episode is sure to zhoosh up your reading life! We recommend some well know books as well as some hidden gems and we offer selections in numerous categories: mystery/thriller, historical fiction, self help etc. All books mentioned in this episode can be purchased through Blue Door Books. Make sure to follow Blue Door Books on Instagram, you are not going to want to  miss their new selections every Tuesday on Insta stories. Happy reading everyone! Books mentioned in this episode: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny A Question Mark is Half a Heart by Sofia Lundberg Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo Bonus picks: Haven Point by Virginia Hume How To Do The Work by Dr. Nicole LePera  

Summer reading with Blue Door Books

Jenna Maio Esq. is a wife, mother, and freelance writer. She studied English and creative writing at Emory University and then completed a joint degree in law and environmental studies from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Over the years, she learned at Neve Yerushalayim and Midreshet Rachel V’Chaya in Jerusalem, where she deepened her Jewish learning. She recently published her first book, Princess Without A Crown: Returning to My Jewish Roots, which was a serial column in AmiLiving magazine and can now be bought on Amazon and in select Jewish bookstores. She also hosts the Modern Jewish Girl podcast, available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. She can be contacted through her website, www.modernjewishgirl.com. In this episode, we talk about Jenna's remarkable story of  reconnecting  to her Jewish roots. Jenna also shares how she discovered her passion for writing using the Feldenkrais Method. In addition to her writing, Jenna shares various thoughts  and ideas about living a Jewish life on her podcast Modern Jewish Girl. Jenna's favorites: Book: A Well Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler Easy Dinner: Anything in the Dinner Done cookbook by Between Carpools City: Jerusalem You can follow Jenna here.

Jenna Maio

JENNY ASHCROFT is a British author of historical fiction books including Beneath a Burning Sky and Island in the East. Having spent many years living, working and exploring in Australia and Asia, she is now based in Brighton where she lives with her family by the sea. She has a degree from Oxford University in history, and has always been fascinated by the past—in particular the way that extraordinary events can transform the lives of normal people.   In this episode, we chat about Jenny's new book (and the #bmbookclub pick for May) Meet Me in Bombay. We talk about Jenny's love of historical fiction and how her travels have inspired her writing. We also get a sneak peek into what Jenny is currently working on! You can find Jenny here. Jenny's summer reading list: The Last Daughter by Nicola Cornick The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous The Hidden Child by Louise Fein The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough  

Book Club Edition: Author Jenny Ashcroft

Yaffy Newman is a born South Floridian currently residing in Jerusalem with her Israeli husband. She is a proud Jew of color who shares about her lived experience in order to break down stigmas and build bridges of understanding. Yaffy is currently studying computer science, loves to read in her free time and is passionate about fashion. In this episode, we talk about Yaffy's important work educating people (particularly the Orthodox Jewish community) on racism. One really important quote that we discuss is "nice does not equal not racist". It is imperative that we educate ourselves and step out of our comfort zones to really create internal change.  You can follow Yaffy here. Yaffy's favorites: Book: The History of Love by Nicole Krauss City: NYC Easy meal: Pasta

Yaffy Newman

Sarri Singer, born in Lakewood, New Jersey, is the daughter of New Jersey State Senator, Robert Singer. Until 9/11, Sarri worked a few blocks away from the World Trade Center. Deeply moved by the tragedy of 9/11, Sarri decided to resign from her position in December 2001 and move to Israel to help victims of terror. While there, Sarri volunteered with various organizations working with victims of terror. On June 11, 2003, Sarri was on Bus 14 in Jerusalem when an 18-year-old Palestinian terrorist dressed as a religious Jew boarded and blew himself up. 17 people were killed, including all those seated and standing around her, and over 100 people were injured. Sarri was hospitalized for two weeks and then returned to New Jersey to be with family. Her story became high profile. She appeared on television stations such as CBS, Fox News, CNN and radio interviews. She spoke before Congressmen and Senators in Washington, D.C. and politicians in New York and New Jersey. In September 2003 she returned to work and volunteering in Israel. In June 2004, she returned to the United States to take care of ongoing medical issues associated with her attack. Sarri is the Founder and Director of Strength to Strength (www.stosglobal.org), which focuses on bringing together victims of terrorism together from around the world and assisting with long term psychological needs. Sarri has addressed audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Israel and continues to share her unique insight into the ongoing struggle for victims of terror in Israel and around the world. You can follow Sarri here.

Sarri Singer

Rachel Beanland writes essays and fiction and is the author of the debut novel, Florence Adler Swims Forever, which was released by Simon & Schuster (July 2020). The book was selected as the Barnes & Noble Book Club pick for July, and was named a Featured Debut by Amazon and an Indie Next pick by the American Booksellers Association. It was also named a New York Times Editors’ Choice and one of the best books of 2020 by USA Today. Rachel’s essays have appeared in Lit Hub, Business Insider, Creative Nonfiction, and Broad Street, among other places. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and earned her MFA in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University. Rachel lives in Richmond, Virginia with her family. In this episode, we chat about the story behind Florence Adler Swims Forever. Rachel decided to write the story as it was based on real life evens that happened in  her family. We also talk about Atlantic City in the 1930's and the extraordinary achievements of Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel. You can purchase Florence Adler Swims Forever here. You can follow Rachel here. Learn more about Martin Couney and his boardwalk incubators. Rachel's current favorite reads are: Libertie by Kaitlyn Greenidge Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks Half A Life by Darin Strauss

Book Club Edition: Rachel Beanland

Frumee Taubenfeld is an influencer, fashion blogger and social media personality who thrives on connecting with her followers by showcasing fashion styling and inspiration while doing carpool in between. She's built her following by showing her authentic self, letting people know that what you see is what you get. She lives in Lawrence, NY  with her husband and three beautiful daughters.    In this episode, we talk about the delicate balance of showing up authentically on social media while maintaining privacy and boundaries. Frumee shares how her style has evolved and how the ever changing landscape of social media has influenced how she shows up and cultivates her tribe. We  also talk about her favorite books as Frumee is an avid reader. Some of them include: Untamed by Glennan Doyle The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Good Morning Monster by Catherine Gildiner Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie The Storyteller's Secret by Sejal Badani  The Push by Ashley Audrain You can find Frumee here.

Frumee Taubenfeld

Boss Maidel is a weekly podcast featuring authentic conversations with Jewish women. As women, we all face similar challenges. In this podcast we explore all dimensions of life relevant to the modern woman; motherhood, work, health, family, social interactions, etc. The goal is to create a sounding board that can facilitate growth, positivity and a greater sense of community.

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