I wanted to share a bit about the amazing reception at The Jerusalem Biennale on June 11, 2025. To think that it's been less than week and so much has happened in Israel. I've included the writeup which I posted on FB. I'm hoping to post some of the video that Koppel Shvueli was kind enough to take that evening, and I especially wanted to thank Leya Shvueli who put her designing touches on setting up the food and the room! Thanks to Shai Stern for shlepping me the day before with a boatload of wine and water - I couldn't ask for better friends!
Last week, (Wednesday, June 11), I was privileged to have an official book launch for my novel, Strange Fire. Thank you to everyone who braved Jerusalem's traffic to attend, and The Jerusalem Biennale for hosting this first-of-its-kind author talk program. Thank you to Rami Ozeri, The Biennale's Founding Director, for helping to make this a very special evening - I waited to find just the right place, and thank G-d I did.
T/R Ellison Strange Fire Presentation, June 11, 2025
Strange Fire is a contemporary historical fiction novel - actual facts with significant editorializing on my part. No composite characters, only the people, places, and events that have shaped our national and Jewish identity since October 7th. While still a novel, it challenges the reader to dig deeper by seamlessly blending fiction with non-fiction exposition.
I hope to have a reading group follow-up, which will not only answer the question, Who is Joshua E. Katz? but also the role each of us plays in the Geula (Redemption) canvas. Stay tuned.
The evening was truly humbling. The evening began with a bit of Gematria unique to the day: 611 - Torah (תורה); 612 - The Covenant - Brit (ברית); 613- The Precepts; and 614 - Freedom - Herut (חרות), courtesy of Rabbi Lord Sacks and Efi Palvanov. It was the 614th day since the start of this miserable war, and 614 days in captivity for our hostages who are still imprisoned in Gaza. The Day 614 icon featured Tamir Nimrodi - whose status is unknown.
Yehuda Bacher - Elokai HaNeshama
I spoke a few words of words from the Torah portion, specifically about the Menorah - the 7-branched sculptural piece crafted from a single block of gold - a symbol of unity and oneness. A replica of the Temple Menorah can be found in the square in front of the Hurva Synagogue; and, an ironworks piece in the garden next to the Knesset (Parliament) - a symbol of the State of Israel. While we are at times divided on political, religious, and cultural matters, we nonetheless stand united. Audience members read the names of the hostages still believed to be alive.
Naturally, I explained that the novel's title is taken from the Torah portion of Shemini (translated to 8th) and the story of Aaron's sons, Nadav and Abihu who brought strange fire to G-d.
There was much discussed during the following engaging hour, but I'll skip to the end. I was honored that Mary & Yonah Fuld attended the program and acknowledged the impact their son, Ari (HY"D) had on my life. As befitting the strange confluence of people, places, and ideas that occurred in writing Strange Fire Ari's Bar Mitzvah Torah portion was Shemini. He inspired HaMikdash3.0's avatar mascot, appropriately named Ari of Judah.
In closing, I noted how writing Strange Fire in the wake of October 7th was a tikkun for myself that mirrored the character arc of Joshua E. Katz - the story's protagonist.
** https://www.amazon.com/Strange-Fire-Occams.../dp/9659323417 **
