My Poppa was a son of the shtetl. Lithuanian trained, an old-world Rabbi, he came to America and embraced it. Baseball. Watermelon. Fibber McGee and Molly. At home, at the table, he spoke Talmud and riddles. He gave answers and expected us to supply the questions. Years ago I listened but did not grasp the value of Poppa's gifts. Today, I claim his quiet teachings as a priceless legacy. His words echo in my stories. So, too, does the comforting voice of my mother and the whispered lullaby of my Bubbbie. In my stories I try to honor their memory and sustain our tradition. From magical marbles and gifts from the Czar, to snow angels and the Angel of death, my short fiction, poetry, personal essays and memoir offer simple truths that speak of perserverance, disappointment, hope and joy. Ordinary stuff, common to all of us -- no matter what our background.

My book of personal stories, Joseph’s Bones, was the First Place winner in the 2005 Writer’s Digest Press International Self-Published Book Awards. In 2003, my story, Blue Plate Special, appeared in MARGIN: Exploring Modern Magic Realism, and was later nominated for a Pushcart Prize and the E-2ink Award. My very short work, Escape From Crete, is represented in the 100 Stories for Haiti Anthology.