Her novel alternates between late medieval Spain and Portugal during the traumatic time of the Inquisition, and a very small town in New Mexico in 1992. The modern New Mexican characters are Catholics with peculiar habits. Nobody in town eats pork but they don’t know why. It is likely they are the descendants of conversos, Jews who converted during the Spanish Inquisition. The story weaves a connecting thread from the Iberian Peninsula to Mexico City and then on to the original settlers who moved into what is now the American Southwest. Five hundred years later, a young amateur astronomer wonders about the secret of the town he grew up in: Entrada de la Luna, or Gateway to the Moon.
Morris’ previous work, The Jazz Palace, won the Anisfeld-Wolf Book Award for important contributions to the understanding of racism in 2016. She also writes short stories and travel memoirs. Her many novels and story collections have been translated into six languages. She lives in Brooklyn, New York and teaches writing at Sarah Lawrence College.
Doors open at 4:00 PM to meet and greet the author. A one-hour author reading and discussion will follow beginning at 4:30 PM. Light refreshments will be served. Admission is free.
Co-sponsored by the Beit Am Jewish Community and the MJCC. Grassroots Bookstore will be there with copies of the paperback edition of Gateway to the Moon for sale and author signing.
Women’s Philanthropy Three part Financial Empowerment Series
Sept. 5, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Adulting All of those questions you’re afraid to ask! (i.e., How do I make a budget? How do I manage my debt from student loans to credit? Can I save for the future now? Create a personalized financial action plan.
Nov. 3, 9:30 am -11:30 am, Transitions Planning for life! How do you financially prepare for death, divorce, losing a job, having a baby, needs of your children from throwing a bar/bat mitzvah to college, to paying for a wedding? What do you need to know about insurance? Create a personalized action plan.
Dec. 8, 9:30 am -11:30 am Retirement How do I take care of myself and those that follow me? Who should you talk to help you with estate planning? How do you prepare to avoid widow worry? 401k/IRA, insurance 101 and asset management. Create a personalized action plan.
All three locations to be determined (tbd).
Sign up for one or all. Registration details available starting March 18.
Questions contact: Wendy Kahn, Associate Director of Financial Resource Development, wendy@jewishportland.org