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Jerusalem is the spiritual heart of three great religions as well as a place of enduring discord. It's also the inspiration for new novels by two San Diego authors: Here There Is No Why by Phil Graubart, former senior rabbi at Congregation Beth El in La Jolla, and A Rooftop in Jerusalem by Michael Kinnamon, former general secretary of the national council of churches. Their unique presentation will touch on the power of fiction to bridge social divisions, the importance of interfaith understanding at a time when politics seem so fractured, and the city of Jerusalem as a symbol of religious longing and conflict.
Rabbi Philip Graubart is the author of eight books, including the award-winning novels Planet of the Jews and Silwan. He has published essays, short stories, and op-eds for numerous publications, including Forward, The Jerusalem Report, Tikkun, JewishFiction.net, The Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel. He has served pulpits in Manhattan, Massachusetts, and California – including 15 years at Beth El in La Jolla – and worked in leadership positions at the Shalom Hartman Institute and the National Yiddish Book Center. He currently teaches at the Academy for Jewish Religion in California. His latest novel is Here There Is No Why.
Dr. Michael Kinnamon is the author of two previously published novels: Summer of Love and Evil and The Nominee. Prior to his career as a novelist, he was a widely respected professor of theology, author of numerous books on ecumenical and interfaith relations, and general secretary of the National Council of Churches in the USA. A Rooftop in Jerusalem draws on his extensive experience in the Middle East.