by Debby Flancbaum
Hardcover, 135 pages
ISBN 13: 978-965-7108-95-6
ISBN 10: 965-7108-95-0
publication: 2007
The Jewish Woman Next Door: Repairing the World One Step at a Time is a collection of absorbing essays about contemporary Jewish women – some known throughout the world, others known only in their own communities – who engage in extraordinary acts of kindness.
Although the women featured in this book come from all walks of Jewish life – religious, secular and everything in between – they are all linked together by a common thread: each of them contributes something meaningful to the world to make it a better place. Moreover, their commitment to Judaism provides them with the motivation to do the wonderful things that they do.
Women such as Ruth Gruber, who helped hundreds of Jewish refugees to escape from war-torn Europe, or Wendy Kay, who invites a constant stream of teenagers to her home for Shabbat, can inspire young Jewish women to reach greater heights. The Jewish Woman Next Door provides contemporary role models to admire and to emulate.
The Jewish Woman Next Door was written by a Jewish woman, a wife and mother, who wanted to show the beauty and courage that she saw all around her. She did not need to go far to find Jewish women engaged in selfless acts of kindness; very often, all she had to do was to look right next door. The author, Debby Flancbaum, brings modern Jewish history to a more personal level in The Jewish Woman Next Door.
For example, the story of Alice Sardell, who was instrumental in the rescue of Syrian Jews during the 1980s, will share information about important events that many have not heard about before.
About the Author:
Debby Flancbaum’s writings have been featured in Olam Magazine, Modern Bride, the Jewish Press, the Jewish Week and the Forward. She has an MA degree in communication disorders and worked for many years as a speech therapist providing services to developmentally disabled adults. Together with her husband, Louis Flancbaum, MD, Debby is the co-author of The Doctor’s Guide to Weight Loss Surgery: How to Make the Decision that Could Save Your Life (Bantam). She has been an active volunteer for her Jewish community school and synagogue throughout her adult life. The mother of two daughters and the stepmother of three, Debby resides with her husband in Teaneck, New Jersey.