Dear Safranim,
Today is the Fast of Esther. Although it's considered to be a minor fast day on our Jewish calendar, for the Crypto-Jews of Spain and Portugal it was one of the most important days of the year. In fact, it was so important that they had a tradition to fast for 3 days, and not just one. If you'd like to find out why the Fast of Esther was so important to them (and how they managed to fast for 3 days!), an article I wrote on the topic can be found at Aish.com. And if you think your library's patrons would be interested in knowing more about the Crypto-Jews, I'd like to tell you about a special sale I'm having for my novel Terra Incognita, which is about modern-day descendants of Spain's Crypto-Jews and the decisions they must make when they accidentally discover the truth about their village's tragic past. After Targum Press went out of business, I received about 100 copies of the original case laminate edition published by them. Since I've just put out my own trade paperback and email editions of the novel, I'm offering the Targum edition for the special sale price of $9.99, which includes shipping anywhere within the continental United States. Gloria Mound, Executive Director of Casa Shalom: The Institute for Marrano-Anusim Studies, had this to say about the novel: "Ms. Astaire's research concerning this area is top notch. ... Although marketed as fiction, Terra Incognita is important in the way it portrays the attitudes of these people even in modern times, and should encourage all Jews to be more aware of the subject and do all possible to aid the Marranos-Anusim." Terra Incognita revolves around the Bonet family, residents of a tiny Catalan village called Sant Joan Januz. Vidal Bonet is a young businessman determined to revive his dying village by building a luxury resort. His grandfather, Miquel, is just as determined to keep the village locked away from strangers and their prying eyes. Their battle for the future of Sant Joan Januz is further complicated by the arrival of a Jewish-American graduate student from Kansas, Chaim Green, who is sure the villagers are his long-lost relatives. And, finally, there is Clara Bonet, who has reluctantly taken on the role of the family's matriarch just when the village's long buried secret is accidentally uncovered. Both poignant and funny, Terra Incognita is a journey of personal discovery that will resonate with anyone who has ever gone on a quest to discover their past - or who has ever lain awake at night wondering where in the world they are going. · Title: Terra Incognita · Author: Libi Astaire · Hardcover: 351 pages · Publisher: Targum Press (February 2010) · ISBN-10: 1568715374 · ISBN-13: 978-1568715377 This special offer for the Case Laminate edition is available only through me and my website (scroll down to the bottom of the page for the sale information). Payment is through PayPal. I will be in the States in June and will do fulfillment then. For further information, please contact me either through the website or at [email protected]. Thanks and early best wishes for a freilechen Purim, Libi Astaire Jerusalem, Israel http://libiastaire.weebly.com
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