Synopsis
: Rachel Walsh, our central character, is struggling to fill a "hole" within herself and seeks meaning in her religious faith, but something is holding her back. Illumination, a novel of historical fiction, shines a bright light on the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of American Jews. Set against the backdrop of historical events over the last one hundred and thirty years, we learn through the lives of four generations of a Jewish family that immigrated from Kiev, Russia to South Haven, Michigan, about the connection between the cultural traditions of the Jewish faith and the spiritual tenets of the religion. Rachel Walsh is our engaging guide who is wrestling with the challenges faced by many American Jews: the lure of assimilation and secular success, the pain of antisemitism and the Holocaust, the struggles of Israel, and the search for a spiritual grounding and a meaningful life in the modern world. After a chance meeting with the rabbi who co-officiated her wedding together, Rachel and the rabbi explore these issues. Ultimately, after facing personal tragedy, Rachel is ready and concludes that faith is a choice.
Autobiography
: RICHARD LAZAROFF is a retired pediatrician and author of Some Assembly Required, a parenting guide, and Illumination, a work of historical fiction. Richard spends his spare time playing golf, duplicate bridge, and doting on his four grandchildren.