"You may have heard of the wise men of Chelm?" Izzy says, "This is a book about the women."

A secret society, magical chicken soup, and a young girl who is wise beyond her years. THE COUNCIL OF WISE WOMEN is Izzy Abrahmson's latest "Village Life" novel.

When Rachel Cohen is born, her parents’ marriage begins to crack. As she grows, and her village teeters on the brink, it is up to her and The Council of Wise Women to cook up a plan and step in.

Family breakdowns, a village on the edge of famine, and the challenges of a beloved community…
How much meddling is too much?

In a time when anti-semitism seems to be on the rise, and the rights of women are in play, it's wonderful to have a Jewish book that's both light and empowering around the transition from patriarchy to something more equitable.

This session blends an author reading, storytelling and book discussion with a bit of klezmer harmonica. No, you don't need to have read the book to enjoy the class!

But… copies of the book will be available at Lehrhaus, some stores and Amazon. bit.ly/council-book

Izzy Abrahmson is an award-winning author and storyteller (and the pen name for Mark Binder, an award-winning author and storyteller ;-). A finalist for a National Jewish Book Award, his "Village Life Stories" have been published and performed around the world.

Mark Binder began writing the Village Life stories as the editor of the Rhode Island Jewish Herald newspaper. He's a graduate of Columbia University, where he studied storytelling with Spalding Gray. He holds a degree from the Trinity Rep Theater Conservatory. And he's made his living for the past few decades traveling the world and telling stories for diverse audiences of all ages. Learn more!