Two Jews = Three Shuls

by Sandra Tankoos, Josh Weinberg (Contributor)

The year is 1992. A very respected Rabbi is found murdered in his synagogue located in a wealthy suburb on Long Island. Deborah Katzman is the first woman to become president of the synagogue. She is a child survivor of the Holocaust and a successful bankruptcy attorney. The synagogue’s lay leaders had hoped that a woman with her background would be able to reduce the growing friction within their walls. The Rabbi had been growing more and more traditional at the same time as his congregants were becoming more liberal. Younger women were clamoring for equal participation in religious services; older congregants were opposed to the Rabbi’s newly heightened religious practices. Emotions were exploding . . . but is all of this enough to cause someone to murder a man of God? The Temple leaders, each an interesting character in their own right, are trying to achieve some modicum of harmony within this once peaceful house of worship. The search for the killer is the plot that is carried forward until the murderer is uncovered in a surprise ending.

186 pages, Paperback

Published June 5, 2020

Reviews

[BookTrib.com]

Being the rabbi for a highbrow, highly opinionated congregation can be murder. Literally.

Ask Rabbi Saul Levinson, religious leader and guiding light of Beth Torah Synagogue on the north shore of Long Island, NY. Ask him figuratively, that is. After all, he’s dead.

Read our full review here:
https://booktrib.com/2020/06/a-dead-r...

[Judypf1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read ... congregational controversy has existed in every Temple I have attended. Sandra Tankos handles it with some humor, some intensity and I really wanted to keep reading to see how it would end!

[rebecca O. webber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightful beach read! I did dog ear a page about God.

[Jay Cohodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written enjoyable book. Fun & easy to read.