REBECCA OF SALERNO

. . .a novel for our time:  while acknowledging the worst tendencies of our shared humanity, it also affirms our capacity for resilience and renewal. Erman’s masterful achievement left me feeling moved and inspired.  – Professor Juliet Shields, Dept. of Humanities, Northumbria University, author of Nation and Migration

. . meticulously researched and populated with a cast of engaging characters . . . Rebecca must pit her intelligence and resourcefulness against the forces of anti-Semitism and misogyny to solve a murder. . . witty dialogue, a fast pace, and an ingenious plot.  – Roberta Rich, Author – The Midwife of Venice, The Harem Midwife, and A Trial in Venice

Rebecca of Salerno: A Novel of Rogue Crusaders, a Jewish Female Physician, and a Murder is an homage to Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe. Esther Erman discovered Ivanhoe—and the character Rebecca—as a doctoral student at the tender age of 46. Rebecca was perhaps the first positive Jewish character in classical European literature; until this discovery, Esther had always felt the need to compartmentalize when she studied this literature she loved. The few Jews who did show up were villains. Rebecca changed that. She captured Esther’s imagination and held it for three decades. Esther felt this fascinating character deserves her own story.

Rebecca’s path is, as so often for Jews through the centuries, one of persecution, the need to find a hospitable place to live, and then the need to leave when that place turns inhospitable. Rebecca struggles to balance community expectations and traditions with her desire for fulfillment—one of the great challenges facing women throughout the ages.

You may order Rebecca of Salerno: A Novel of Rogue Crusaders, a Jewish Female Physician, and a Murder by Esther Erman from:

• Flashlight Books in Walnut Creek: https://flashlightbooks.handseller.com/home/bookdetailsin/1647422477
• Rakestraw Books in Danville: https://www.rakestrawbooks.com/book/9781647422479
• Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore in Berkeley: https://www.mrsdalloways.com/book/9781647422479
• Your preferred local bookstore or online retailer 

Admission is free. Upon registration, you will first receive a confirmation email. An hour before the program begins, we will email the Zoom link you need to join the event. If you don't see these emails, please check your spam/junk folder to retrieve them. We suggest you add"notifications@wixevents.com" to your contacts list as well.

Sponsored by Contra Costa JCC, Cong. B'nai Shalom and Jewish Book Council. Co-sponsor: Diablo Valley Hadassah.