Poetry
In her sixth volume of poetry, Rabbi Suzanne Brody embarks on a journey of transformation and self-actualization. Drawing from her experience as Jewish educator, time spent in Jerusalem, and her love for text study Brody has crafted a delicate poetic cycle narrating of resilience in stillness, perseverance in patience as well as of the beautiful sense of liberation that new chapters can bring.
I found myself captivated by one person in particular. Each of his teachings was preceded by the tantalizing introduction “when Rav Dimi came.” I wondered who this Rav Dimi was that his arrival was such an event that it needed to be announced each time before his wisdom was shared.
The Rabbis said that the Torah is black fire written on white fire. Dancing in the White Spaces is a collection of poetry that plays in the space between the letters. Designed to celebrate the beauty of Shabbat and Torah, the heart of this collection is a series of poems highlighting facets of the weekly Torah readings. Come join the journey and let your heart pour forth prayer.
Fiction / Midrash
In the Medieval time period, multiple Sages recorded tales with Serah as the protagonist. I have done my best to be faithful to as many of these stories as possible while weaving my own narrative, even in cases where contradictory understandings were presented.
Around the time of the Enlightenment, in the 1800s, when rationalist thought was revered above supernatural and mystical explanations of the world, the stories of Serah sank into obscurity. While recent feminist scholarship has revived some interest in this fascinating woman, she is still unknown to the vast majority of people.
The same might also be said of Osnat (whose name also appears as Asnath). 500 years ago, Osnat was a wise scholar at a time when few females received much education. She has been called the world’s first female rabbi, though few today know of her and the stories of the miracles she is said to have performed.
I was a prolific writer in my teen years, jotting down poems on napkins, scrap paper, or even the back of my dad’s old business cards. At some point, I acquired mini notebooks that I carried everywhere (as evidenced by their current very beaten-up state) and eventually even began keeping a regular hard-cover, bound journal. All of these as well as my school notebooks and assignments were carefully tucked away in my childhood bedroom after college when I moved out of my parents’ house and across the country. On recent trips to visit my parents, I rediscovered this treasure trove that captures my teenage thoughts and feelings. With only some minor editing, I found that this collection resonates both with my adult self and with my own teenage children.
Mermaid Tears is a soulful book of poetry about parenthood, personal identity, and finding one’s own place in this complicated world.
The poems in this collection draw inspiration from both the modern world (the news, places, and events the author experiences) and from the depths of Jewish tradition.
The poems in this book take the reader along on a powerful, emotional, contemplative spiritual journey. Opening this book is an invitation to explore a variety of ways in which to engage with the words and meanings of rich Jewish sacred texts. Come grab hold of the living tree with me and find yourself in its branches!
