Petals

by Yael Mermelstein

Stories as varied as the flowers that adorn the earth… In the Rose section you will read about a daughter desperately seeking her parents’ approval of her husband, an overweight man seeking his match, and more. In the Anemone stories a woman struggles to live with guilt, and a recent returnee to Judaism battles to prevent her family from "pulling the plug" on her dear aunt who is in a coma. The Daisy section, where childhood and innocence abound, includes, among others, the story of a Rabbi Akiva-like janitor learning Torah with the children in the school he cleans. And if Sunflowers make you smile, the octogenarian planning his own funeral where he intends to be very much alive might just make you laugh out loud. Once you have had your fill of fiction, the Aster and Kalanit sections, symbolizing patience and perseverance, offer personal essays and select poems about the author’s experiences raising her children and living in Eretz Yisrael. Finally, enjoy Free Fall, a novelette length story where you can read about the unbreakable bond between sisters, a broken marriage, a runaway teen and an inconceivable secret.

Hardcover

Published January 1, 2016

About the author

Yael Mermelstein holds an MA in Jewish Education, and teaches at a post high school institution in Israel. A winner of the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award, Yael writes regularly for publication and is the author of two childrens' books; The Stupendous Adventures of Shragi and Shia published by Artscroll and The Car that Goes Far published by Hachai. She lives in the pastoral Judean Hills with her husband, their delicious children and her pet computer.

Yael Mermelstein is excited to announce the release of her new book; Moonlight, a collection of emotionally stirring and thought provoking short fiction stories, published by Targum Press.