I am a poet, essayist, and children’s book author, passionate about researching and writing about my Iraqi Jewish roots. Words are what I love to conjure over a pot, mixed with garlic, onion and ginger, to feed my husband, four boys (and dog).
just like her Nana Aziza. When Shoham
and her family must leave Iraq, they are allowed
to take only one suitcase each.
in Sydney Australia which Amira enters with her
nana, cooking up something different with
“strange spices that smell like other lands”.
But everyone says, “This is not a cholent!”,
and Amira begins to doubt whether entering
“different” was such a good idea.
does look back—and we readers are grateful that
we get to be part of her Judeo-Arabic speaking
Iraqi Jewish family.
News
06Apr
Telling the Middle Eastern Jewish Story at North Hollywood Library, Los Angeles
March 23, 2025, Sunday 3 p.m. – In Person, North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Regional Branch Library Kids, Adults Join us for this special.. Read More →
09Mar
26 March 2025, Reclaiming Your Jewish Identity Through Personal Story
Write and explore personal stories through Jewish heritage and family narratives. Sarah Sassoon, an Iraqi Jewish writer and poet all the way from.. Read More →
09Mar
11 March 2025, Children of the Tigris: An Iraqi Night of Memory and Dialogue
For centuries, the Tigris have carried the voices of Iraq’s many peoples, echoing stories of coexistence, loss, and resilience. This night is an.. Read More →
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