Jewish Diaspora Book Review

Book cover The Dao of Being Jewish and Other Stories

We came across a recent review of Irene Shaland’s book “The Dao of Being Jewish and Other Stories: Tales of Jewish Diaspora, Persecution, the Holocaust and Rebirth in Europe, Africa and Asia” and want to share it with our readers.
Reviewed by  Beverly Friend, Ph. D., Professor of English at Oakton Community College, Executive Director of the China Judaic Studies Association.

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The Dao of Being Jewish and Other Stories Released

cover of Irene Shaland book the Dao of Being Jewish and Other Stories

New book of stories from Irene Shaland is now available in paperback. In The Dao of Being Jewish and Other Stories Irene Shaland presents a collective Jewish narrative from various parts of the globe. She takes the reader on a fascinating journey, both familiar and unknown, from Europe to Asia and Africa, from Vienna to Delhi and Nairobi. The fate of the brilliant Jewish community of Vienna annihilated during the Holocaust shines a disturbing light on the stories of the current rise of Antisemitism in Scandinavia and throughout Europe.

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Oslo Fjord Cruise

Join us on a short Oslo Fjords cruise starting at the Oslo City Hall, leisurely floating by the Akershus Fortress and Castle, and enjoying the best view of the marvel of modern Norwegian architecture, the Opera House. Watch Navy ships, submarines, cruise liners, commercial vessels, and pleasure boats of all kinds and sizes moored along the shores. After leaving Oslo city limits, admire pastel colors of Norwegian fjords, neat summer cottages with matching bathhouses, sailboats, motor boats, and rowboats of all sizes and style. All aboard!

Sharing first impressions from Scandinavia

Boat and Building in Nyhavn Copenhagen Denmark

We returned only a week ago from our trip to Scandinavia and have not yet started on either an article or picture gallery, but here is what we wanted to share. It was cold and often rainy (we are in the North of Europe!), but we had a terrific time every minute of our trip, rain or shine (well, it never did shine). We fell in love with this under-appreciated part of Europe. Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Sweden, and Norway – constitute arguably: the most cultural and sophisticated, most educated and prosperous (with the least income disparities), most highly taxed and socialistic (oh well…), least churchgoing and most unmarried – part of the West. People are the happiest we ever encountered, reserved, but very polite and helpful and after few minutes of conversation.

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