Count to a Thousand: Negotiating life as an Expat in Israel by Caroline Goldberg.

All are welcome to join us on Thursday, November 15 at 7:30 PM at Temple Emanu-El of Westfield, NJ as we welcome Caroline Goldberg Igra, art historian, author, and tri-athlete. She was born, bred and educated in the United States and has spent the last thirty years living in Israel. Her novel, Count to a Thousand tells the story of an American expatriate who constructs a purposefully insular life in Israel similar to the one she'd expected to live back in the United States until it's time to send her eldest child to the army. His induction into the Israeli Defense Forces and a succession of unexpected events ultimately collapse the fragile equilibrium she's managed to attain, forcing her to reassess her attitude toward her adopted country.

Although not autobiographic, Igra's novel is informed by her own life as well as that of many others. She will join us to speak about the real-life story behind its inception.