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Meryll

Meryll

  http://morejewishluck.com
Meryll Levine Page is a retired high school history teacher with a special interest in women’s history. She taught extensively about the Soviet Union and its break-up. Currently she co-facilitates the Minneapolis Jewish Artists’ Lab.
Meryll

A Visit from Baubie While Shelling Peas

Meryll
Friday, 24 June 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
On a sultry Minnesota summer morning, I sit on my front porch with a container full of fresh peas purchased at the Farmers' Market, a colander, and a trash bag.It will take me an entire hour to shell the peas netting just twocups worth of little green gems for almost an hour of work.I had hoped to find shelled peas at one of the stalls th...
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Baubie family memories Jewish in Mississippi Yiddish speakers shelling peas
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Meryll

The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming

Meryll
Sunday, 05 June 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming
The Star-Tribune‘s business section featured an article on anticipated Russian investment in Minnesota on June 3rd. Wisely, the Minnesota director of foreign investment acknowledges there is a cultural gap between the two countries that might make business relations tricky. Groundwork is being laid by the American-Russian Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota. (ARCCoM) The reporter, Anastasia Samoilova, included reflections from Marina Liberman who moved to the US in 1992 and spoke candidly about the system of bribes and connections that made the Russian business world work in 1992. A Russian venture is by definition risky business. My sister Leslie Adler and I found that our as we interviewed Vera and her Minnesota contacts for our nonfiction book, Jewish Luck:  A True Story of Friendship, Deception, and Risky Business,an account of the Minnesota-Russia business connection beginning in 1989. Russian businesswoman Vera arrived in Minneapolis during the height of glasnost.  She had already figured...
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Minnesota and Russia business ventures Anastasia Samoilova Russian mafia Russian business practices ARCCoM
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Meryll

Author of the Month for June and July 2016: Nancy Hartevelt Kobrin, Ph.D.

Meryll
Thursday, 02 June 2016
Highlighted Books
Author of the Month for June and July 2016:  Nancy Hartevelt Kobrin, Ph.D.
The Jihadi Dictionary:  The Essential INTEL Tool for the Military, Law Enforcement, Government, and the Concerned Public.  Multieducator, Inc. 2016. Dr. Nancy Hartevelt Kobrin’s books have nothing to do with our book,Jewish Luck.  Many nonfiction books cue a reader through the title or subtitle if the book is meant for them.  I feel I am one of the “concerned public” when it comes to the topic of terrorism.  I’m also tired of hearing pundits talk about terrorism in terms of airport security or border control. I don’t want to rely on instant replays and reactive reporting. Maybe it’s my background as a historian that makes me want to know more about the root causes, the culture, the language of jihadis.  For me it’s more than an academic exercise.  Understanding the “whys” allows us to address the question, “how could this be different?”  When I saw the title, The Jihadi Dictionary, I assumed...
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Nancy Hartevelt Kobrin Jihadis Muslim terrorists The Jihadi Dictionary
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Meryll

Leslie and Meryll Buy a New Car But Who's Driving the Decision Making?

Meryll
Monday, 23 May 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
Leslie and Meryll Buy a New Car But Who's Driving the Decision Making?
For weeks Leslie and I have known that driving our Subarus was risky business.  Last week, Leslie’s car sputtered its last on a busy freeway.  Fortunately, her trusty Corgi, Steve, accompanied her so no panic. She learned the value of paying attention to the oil light much too late.  Don’t drive like my sister.  My situation was less dramatic, but I knew my poor, battered Subaru would soon be ready for a complete internal makeover.  Our mechanic had already sounded the warning note accompanied by a hefty estimate for all the work to keep the car in working order. I decided to act before I, too, was stuck on the side of a Twin Cities freeway. The purchase process was far different than my worst car buying experience in the 1980s when I entered the Toyota dealership, and the salesman asked, “where’s your husband?”  Then, I walked and drove to the Honda dealership...
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new car buying
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Meryll

Risky versus Reckless

Meryll
Friday, 13 May 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
bear_mt.jpg    What am I doing climbing up Bear Mountain alone at 7:30 am?  In Sedona, Arizona’s Red Rock country I usually hike into the canyons or up slight inclines and I can’t remember why I thought it was a good idea to scale a mountain.  The first 30 minutes were easy—a gentle up and down across the open land punctuated with cactus and wildflowers.  At the beginning of the climb, the trail was well-marked and, although steep, the dirt path was wide.  Once I hit the mesa, the trail disappeared and I had to find my own way amidst the rock.  Missteps meant rocks tumbled downwards.  Fortunately, I remained upright, but the sound of small rocks cascading downwards sounded internal alarms.  After a few dead ends, I found a way to continue up the mountain.  At the second mesa, I thought I had reached the top.  I looked up and...
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Sedona Risk taking Public speaking Bear Mountain
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Meryll

Authors of the Month: Russian Memoirists

Meryll
Sunday, 08 May 2016
Highlighted Books
Before we published Jewish Luck, a memoir about two Soviet born Jewish women and their struggle to break free of the Soviet system, we read as many memoirs as we could find written by Soviet Jews.  We arrived at two conclusions.  #1. There was no memoir we could find that was similar to the one we were writing about Vera and Alla. #2 Memoirs by Soviet Jews and others from the USSR are compelling.  For your May perusal, we’re listing six of the memoirs we read during our research along with a brief summary of our impressions. Each of these memoirists writes with honesty and in his or her unique style.  For each of these writers, English is not their first language but you will forget that fact as you read their works. Azbel, Mark Ya. Refusenik: Trapped in the Soviet Union. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1981. For readers who want...
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Masha Gessen Elena Gorokhova Russian memoirists USSR memories Mikhail Iossel
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Meryll

Little Things

Meryll
Tuesday, 03 May 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
1604 birdLittle things (and I'm not writing about One Direction's song) strike me when I'm least expecting it. On my recent trip to Israel I journaled the "little things" and discovered that each little thing generated an entire world of memories. Little thing #1—The Hoopoes Have Landed.March 8, 2016 Hoopoe birds (dukhifat in Hebrew) look like they walked into a haberdashery and left with the fanciest hat but forgot to check the mirror.Their long hooked beaks remind me of cigarette holders and their black and white wings are reminiscent of a zebra rug. Their birdsong is more like a rap. And they are the national bird of Israel. Last time I stayed in Modi'in with my cousins, I frequently saw hoopoe birds on my morning walks.They seemed to hang out in the adjacent neighborhood along Emek haHula.My first morning in Israel, I purposefully set out for the grocery focused on my list, absorbed...
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Meryll

Storytelling

Meryll
Tuesday, 19 April 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
Spring is the storytelling season for us Jews as we recount the master narrative of Judaism—the exodus from Egypt. Each year I wonder if I can think of another way to guide the conversation and the questions so that we have a chance to share our own exodus stories with family and friends at our table.On my trip to Israel in March my ...
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storytelling Beta Yisrael Ethiopian Jews exodus Megemeria
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Meryll

Invite Jewish Luck to Your Seder

Meryll
Friday, 08 April 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
Every year, I make the exact same foods for our seder but try and create a new experience when we retell the story of the Exodus. Since my return from Israel and the gift of the Schechter Haggadah, I have been considering new themes and approaches.There's still time to read Jewish Luck before April 22. I I...
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seder ideas food symbolism at seder Elijah's cup Bread of affliction contemporary exodus story
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Meryll

The Bucket List

Meryll
Monday, 04 April 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
In general I'm appalled by bucket lists.They are reminiscent of "to-do" lists:get dry cleaning, go to Target, climb Mt. Everest.Still, I admit to one life goal before I kick the bucket.I want to watch my son try a case in court and quietly kvell inside.Traveling in Israel presented me with the chance to partially fulfill my great desir...
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Hashalom Court Air France small claims court bucket list delayed flights in EU
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Meryll

"Stayin' Alive"

Meryll
Thursday, 17 March 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
"Stayin' alive, uh, uh, uh, stayin' alive…" Hearing those words push people of a certain age to bounce around, punch their arms in the air and sing along with the Bee Gees. March 10th at Judy's 65th birthday party with disco lights casting their multi-colored hues on the dance floor, I found myself together with 35 other women singing our hearts o...
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Jerusalem Mercaz Rachel knife attacks safety in Israel
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Meryll

Discarded Dreams in my Recipe Files

Meryll
Saturday, 20 February 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
As I file through my anachronistic box of recipes searching for inspiration for this week's Shabbat dinner, each index card reminds me of a past meal. I have begun to use the computer for recipes but, clicking on a file doesn't seem to arouse nostalgia like my index cards. Some of the food-stained cards conjure the aroma of the dish. O...
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recipe file youthful dreams index cards could have been
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Meryll

The Questioning Blog

Meryll
Friday, 12 February 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
Ten years since he last asked a question?  Who can do that?   Who can go a decade without asking a question?  The response is Clarence Thomas.  when I saw that statistic, it made me ask myself why so many of my blogs begin with a rhetorical question? Whether I'm writing a blog, teaching a class, or connecting with friends, ...
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Rhetorical questions Line of inquiry Questioning Conversation techniques Clarence Thomas
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Meryll

No Escape from the Patchke* Factor

Meryll
Friday, 05 February 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
Mississippi Roast gone viral.That food article drew me right into the New York Times last week.    (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/27/dining/mississippi-roast.html?_r=0) I am fascinated with the trajectory a recipe can take. Here in Minneapolis (at the other end of the Mississippi River), we have also experienced recipes gone viral.T...
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New York Times recipes Mississippi Roast Patchke Kosher cookbook Kassel Abelson
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Meryll

Beginnings

Meryll
Friday, 22 January 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
Beginnings are tough. I've been thinking about how difficult it was for Vera and Alla to begin new lives as they left Russia. While visiting our mom in San Diego, I've heard new residents sigh in weariness about leaving their old lives behind to live in a new way in an independent living residence. Leslie and I have talked about how much ...
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memoir memories beginning to write Seacrest chapter one
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Meryll

Detective Novel:Puzzle::Real Life Story: ______

Meryll
Friday, 15 January 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
On New Year's Eve Leslie and Harry were working furiously on an impossibly difficult jigsaw puzzle featuring dogs. All of us tried our hand at inserting a piece or two.I approached it in a desultory way knowing if I became overly involved, I'd want to complete the puzzle.We left with the puzzle undone.Harry stayed up that night until he comple...
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jiigsaw puzzles mysteries detective novels Tel Aviv Law and Order
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Meryll

Oy Vey

Meryll
Friday, 08 January 2016
Jewish Luck Blog
Sixteen members of our Levine clan gathered for a Shabbat dinner in the dining room of our mom's San Diego residence. We have been getting together in warm places during winter vacation for more than 25 years.Brother-in-law Harry believes in a central focus and hence we played a game reading prompts like "what was our dad's (z"l) favorite Yidd...
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Yiddish Yiddishims Oy vey Oy vey iz mir
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Meryll

Are you in Manila yet?

Meryll
Friday, 18 December 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
A croaky voice mirroring my croaky voice from Thanksgiving week scratched out a "hi, it's me."Immediately, I knew it was my sister phoning. Flattered that Leslie was expending her minimal vocal ability on me, I asked her, "what's up?"Les assured me she was making the most of her illness by huddling into bed dressed in her new nightgown and rob...
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John Irving Avenue of Mysteries Sisters
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Meryll

Eight Miracles for Hanukkah

Meryll
Saturday, 12 December 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
On Hanukkah we remember the miracles that God wrought in those days at that time.This Hanukkah I think about the miracles I witnessed in the past weeks whichculminated in a newly formed family returning home to Israel to light the sixth candle.Before Thanksgiving my fourth cousin many times removed called with a strange request.Could I serve a...
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Hanukkah miracles surrogacy gay dads
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Meryll

Straining Belief

Meryll
Friday, 27 November 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
"I can't believe this book is true." A Knoxville Hadassah member declared as she strode into the room for a pre-book talk discussion."I know it seems unbelievable but we couldn't make this stuff up. And that, is one of the reasons my sister and I knew this as a story worth telling." I could have assured her that Leslie and I researched, i...
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book talk Knoxville Hadassah Marlon James
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Meryll

Abby the Spoon Lady and the Shifty Drifters

Meryll
Friday, 20 November 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
Abby the Spoon Lady and the Shifty Drifters were not on my radar when I headed south to Knoxville to speak about Jewish Luck on Tuesday Nov. 17th at the Arnstein JCC.This trip overflowed with delightful surprises and Abby the Spoon Lady was one of those serendipitous discoveries. Watch: YouTube: Asheville Abby The Spoon Lady &...
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Abby the Spoon Lady Book Tour Arnstein JCC Knoxville TN
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Leslie and Meryll

Thanks for the link! Thanks fo...

David, thanks so much for the link to the program. I unsuccessfully searched for it before posting the blog. I am completely smi... Read More
Tuesday, 24 November 2015 08:50
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Meryll

Do We Really Need Another Putin Biography?

Meryll
Friday, 06 November 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
Why did I buy Halloween trick or treat candy? We have not seen trick or treaters for years in our neighborhood.Saturday night I faced a small mound of Twix and then the mound became smaller.Sunday morning, November 1,  I awoke with a sugar-guilt hangover and in a time warp from the switch back to standard time.My addled brain was further ...
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Masha Gessen Putin-biography Putin-biopic Steven Myers
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Meryll

Author of the Month: Dan A. Oren

Meryll
Sunday, 01 November 2015
Highlighted Books
Oren, Dan. A.  Joining the Club:A History of Jews and Yale.  New Haven:  Yale University Press, 1985.  Revised, 2001.Dan A. Oren's book, Joining the Club:A History of Jews and Yale has nothing whatsoever to do with the Soviet Union. Leslie and I are bringing our readers along on one of the tangents we pursued while ...
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Meryll

Baubie Shoes

Meryll
Saturday, 31 October 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
Our Yiddish speaking great-grandma, affectionately called Baubie, had two pairs of shoes which I thought of as "Baubie shoes." No one else except her sisters, known as "the Tantas," had shoes like hers.They were black, lace-up oxfords, with a short heel. Baubie shoes were worn with elastic stockings that folded over at the an...
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Baubie Orthopedic shoes
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Meryll

Off Track

Meryll
Friday, 16 October 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
Young trains and retirees share some common traits.
Leslie is not only my one and only forever sister, she has become my very astute editor.Last week I dashed off a blog that as Leslie said, was a mish mash of topics vaguely connected because they all flowed from my train of thought.These days my train doesn't run on evenly laid tracks across a prairie, but rocks from side to sid...
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retirement
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Meryll

How Do We Know What We Know? (TOK)

Meryll
Friday, 02 October 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
All of us who have taught International Baccalaureate courses know the question: How do we know what we know is the focal point of the centerpiece course in the IB program—theory of knowledge (TOK).Coincidentally, the most common questions I hear when I participate in book groups discussing Jewish Luck all hark back to the question of how does...
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Meryll

Author of the Month: Ben Mezrich

Meryll
Thursday, 01 October 2015
Highlighted Books
Once Upon a Time in яussia.The Rise of the Oligarchs-- A True Story of Ambition, Wealth, Betrayal, and Murder by Ben Mezrich.New York: Atria Books, 2015.When I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it.Mezrich's title is even longer than our own and you can see the parallels to our title, Jewish Luck: A True Story of Fri...
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Meryll

Noodle Kugel for the Break Fast with a Storied Past

Meryll
Friday, 18 September 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
All of us can remember the taste and smell of certain foods that connect us to our families.Lemon meringue pie immediately transports me to my maternal grandmother's kitchen while blintzes move me across town to my paternal grandmother's. I was privileged to hear from a woman forced to flee her Berlin home for Mexico talk about how the smell o...
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Noodle kugel Lori Rosen Break fast recipes
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Leslie

Meryll, this is exactly what P...

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Sunday, 20 September 2015 14:23
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Meryll

One Versus Multitudes

Meryll
Friday, 11 September 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
One Versus Multitudes
Do you know Nilüfer Demir? Her name may be unfamiliar to you, but Demir's heartbreaking photo of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi's limp body carried from the sea to the sands of Lesbos touched millions around the world.Reporting on the migration crisis was non-stop all summer as boats washed ashore from Sicily to Greece and refugees were herded in ...
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Rosh Hashanah Nilufir Demir Syrian refugee crisi Aylan Kurdi strangers in the land of Egypt
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Meryll

Daydreaming

Meryll
Friday, 04 September 2015
Jewish Luck Blog
My high school French teacher would frequently admonish me: don't build "des chauteaux en Espagne."  How irksome that my daydreaming was so clearly visible to Mlle. Her warning only made me reflect on what an interesting expression that was—"to build castles in Spain." It usually made me revert to daydreaming although now the topic w...
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Daydreams
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Recent Blogs

Leslie
Leslie
28 June 2020
Earthquake
Wearily, I don my mask, my gloves for the weekly drive from my Minneapolis home to my suburban office to collect my mail. My footsteps echo in the empty hall. The calendar is still turned to March 2020 which means I have spent less than three months in this space that does not yet feel like my own. The March calendar photo of Little Paradise, New Zealand reminds me of my visit to an exquisite plac...
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Leslie
Leslie
07 April 2019
Mirror, Mirror
The date- April 15, 2018.The place- Minneapolis. The weather-15 inches of snow due to fall by the end of this day. The dilemma—Do I move the gilded mirror measuring 39" by 54" and weighing over 40 pounds from my sister's house to ours?I had delayed responding to the question—do I want this family heirloom—for a year and now Meryll was moving the next day.This forty pound heirloom seemed so much we...
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Leslie
Leslie
26 May 2018
The Regina Monologue or Feh! on Calling Me A Black Widow
When my mother was 8 years old, she had a "grandmother" for just over a year, the only grandmother she remembers.How did this happen? Grandfather Emil, a widower, lived with her family until 1937 when he was introduced to a "nice widow." Thirteen months after his wedding, Emil died at the age of 59.Cause of death? "Overfeeding by Regina," my mother said.Mom was sure that Regina was a " black ...
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Invite Us To Speak

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We were featured speakers at Hadassah Brandeis Institute and Levy Summer Series. Our speaking engagements include JCCs, synagogues, libraries, book groups, retirement communities, schools, and organizations (e.g. ORT, Hadassah, and Women's League). References are available. 

Invite Us To Speak
 

Upcoming Events

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Talk Review

"I was very fortunate to be able to hear Meryll and Leslie speak at a Hadassah event in Israel. Each of the ~50 participants really enjoyed the event because Meryll and Leslie were so engaging. While they had a natural rapport with the audience, you could also tell they had prepared well so they could connect with our particular group's interests. I learned a lot from listening to them, and I found their sisterly interaction unique and fun. If you want an enlightening and uplifting experience, attend one of their book talks."
Lisa Shimoni, Modiin Israel

Book Review

"Truly, you have written a story that makes accessible the reality of existence in Russia, through the eyes of individuals who lived through the various regimes and dictates.  It is fascinating and very well told.  As I read Vera and Alla's story, I learned more Russian history than I had known from a textbook.  That's a big deal, women!  You tell the tale with vivid detail and hook us on the two women and their stories, then weave in the history to illuminate their journeys. It is such a necessary book.  I am thrilled that the two of you collaborated, as I can see the uniqueness of your personalities come through in the stories, and that, too, makes the book a gem."
Margaret Leibfried, Danielson Group consultant

Buy the Book

Online:

Click here to order your copy of Jewish Luck: A True Story of Friendship, Deception, and Risky Business on Amazon.com.

The Kindle version is available here

In Stores:
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Make a donation to Sholom Home and enjoy Jewish Luck at the same time. Jewish Luck is now available at the Sholom Home West gift store. Meryll and Leslie will donate 50% of the proceeds back to Sholom Home. Enjoy!

Tasting Torah

Nourish mind, body, and soul with Meryll's Tasting Torah, which will bring oneg (joy) and limmud (learning) to your Shabbat, broaden your culinary horizons, and draw your Shabbat guests closer together.

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Highlighted Books

Meryll
Meryll
02 July 2017
July Book of the Month:  Bloodlines by Neville Frankel
July Book of the Month: Bloodlines by Neville Frankel
Leslie and I began writing Jewish Luck with an underlying question in our minds—what would life have...
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