Who was the New World's first Jewish author? Why did some medieval moneychangers cover their hair? Which Jewish woman became queen of a North African people? And what's the truth about the story that claims Hebrew almost became the official language of the United States? Join journalist and historical novelist Libi Astaire for a fascinating journey down some of the less-traveled roads of the past in her latest book, "Day Trips to Jewish History."

Terra Incognita. For the medieval Catalan navigators the term meant an uncharted territory that inspired either fear or the thrill of adventure. But for the characters of this new novel by award-winning author Libi Astaire, "terra incognita" is a place inside the soul. It is a place drifting in the dreamy waters of an almost forgotten past; a place that is about to collide with an anxious, uncertain future. The story revolves around the Bonet family, who live in a tiny Catalan village called Sant Joan Januz. Vidal Bonet is a young businessman determined to revive his dying village by building...

For anyone who has ever been touched and inspired by a Chassidic tale, this box set needs no introduction. For anyone who has not yet experienced the warmth and wisdom of Chassidic masters such as the Baal Shem Tov and Rabbi Zusha of Hanipoli-welcome In these volumes you'll find stories that will give you a new appreciation for the Jewish holidays, as well as the Jewish people's ability to remain joyous and optimistic even during the darkest times. By journey's end, hopefully you too will have discovered the secret for how to Choose Light Included is the full text of the following ebooks:...

A young Jewish orphan goes missing in London during the great Frost Fair of 1814. Is he merely lost? Has he been kidnapped? Or killed? An ancient coin from the Land of Israel disappears during a dinner party. An honest mistake on the part of someone, or is someone trying to swindle one of the guests? A sukkah is destroyed in London's East End. A priceless diamond and pearl bracelet is lost in fashionable Mayfair. A coincidence? Or is there some hidden connection lying deep beneath the surface? Once again there's trouble afoot in Regency London's Jewish community, and in these three mystery...

Why did Shakespeare write The Merchant of Venice? What went on in the rehearsal room as Shakespeare, James and Richard Burbage, and the company's clown, Will Kempe, raced to get their play about a Jew on stage - before the trial of the Jew Rodrigo Lopez, who was being accused of attempting to poison Elizabeth I, came to its tragic conclusion? For Paul Hoffmann, a Jewish student at the University of Berlin in 1933, finding the answers to these questions isn't just academic - it could mean the difference between life and death.

Oy vey When elderly mystery writer Agatha Krinsky falls for the fifth time, her nephew Sheldon insists she move into an assisted living facility. True to form, on her first day in her new home Agatha discovers a body in the library. But the staff won't take her seriously, and even her elderly luncheon companions - Herschel Perlow, Miss Eppel, and Ronny and Rubles Bernfeld - are more interested in talking about bodies they encountered in their earlier careers than helping Agatha solve her mystery. Included in this humorous Chanukah-themed homage to Dame Agatha Christie are these four short...