Kaleidoscope

description of book Sixteen-year-old Devorah Walkin, together with a group of friends, attends the funeral of a classmate’s father. Why does she find herself envying her bereaved classmate, while everyone else is in tears? When Michal, a cousin of Devorah’s father, comes to visit from Israel, why does she make Devorah promise not to reveal a word of what was said between them late one night? For years, Devorah has dreamed of being a madrichah in a girls’ youth group. At the last moment, she is given the job. Yet, five months later she decides to quit, and, even more mysteriously, she changes her mind a week later. Going back a few decades to World War II, a newcomer buys a large estate on the outskirts of a tiny Polish village. Why would this wealthy land owner take an interest in a foundling boy, neglected by everyone else in the village? And why, after winning the boy’s heart, does he suddenly disappear without saying goodbye? Under what surprising circumstances do they meet again, and how does the poor boy save the rich man’s life? Why are the students of Bais Yaakov school hearing cries for help that seem to come from the school basement, yet a police investigation uncovers nothing? Mordechai Davidson, CEO of a textile firm, finds himself in a power struggle with a vice-president who is undermining his authority.  He fires the man only to find himself facing bigger troubles when a rival firm opens in town – with the fired executive on staff.  When he takes his competitor to beis din for encroaching on his territory, how does the session at the Rabbinical Court turn into an emotional reunion? Like a kaleidoscope, this story contains  a multitude of colorful, shifting scenes.  Bit by bit, they all fall into place to form a unified picture, a bright harmonious whole, despite their origins in a dark past. Kaleidoscope brings together human drama, danger, suspense, and surprise, and shows how Jewish values and good character traits can powerfully influence how events turn out in the end. Powerful! Exciting! A must read!