Suddenly Jewish
The Life and Times of My Jewish Mother
From the bustling streets of Odesa
About The Book
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Suddenly Jewish
From the bustling streets of Odesa to the vibrant cities of London, Montreal, New York, and San Francisco’s Jewish Fillmore District, Joan Moran’s captivating historical memoir of her mother weaves a vivid portrait of one woman’s quest for identity and freedom against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. This story blends history and religion as it takes the reader through an engaging saga about what it means to deny one’s Jewish identity.
Suddenly Jewish is not just one woman’s story — it’s also the story of a family torn between tradition and rebellion, and the secrets that shape their lives: Rose, the matriarch, Esther, her rebellious daughter, and Joan, Esther’s daughter who learns the secrets of her family on the eve of her wedding.
Meet Esther, a young Jewish woman struggling to find her place in the world. From her humble beginnings in 1911, she embarks on a journey in pursuit of reinvention. While living in the Fillmore, the Jewish district in San Francisco, Estelle embraces her new identity, changes her name to Estelle, and explores the dynamic landscapes of San Francisco in the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40. She ventures beyond the confines of her neighborhood, exploring the high-powered corridors of the Financial District, the secretive back alleys of the Tenderloin with its clandestine abortionists, the bohemian jazz clubs and speakeasies of North Beach. She falls madly in love and marries an Irish Catholic young man from the Mission District and begins a life that develops her skills and imagination. In the corners of her life, Estelle dodges the obvious antisemitism that lurks beneath San Francisco’s sophisticated landscape and vows never blend into society.
Estelle’s daughter, Joan, comes of age. Even though raised a Catholic, through association, she feels an affinity for the Jewish people and their religion. When her mother finally reveals the true magnitude of her struggle, Joan must negotiate her emotional response to her mother’s secret and her new identity as she marries a young man who is Jewish fresh out of law school. Joan’s new husband tells her they are moving to Las Vegas. Upset that this newly married couple will leave Berkeley for a town mired in the fringes of mafia influence, Joan confronts her husband for the real reason he is not willing to practice law in San Francisco. “Jews don’t make partner,” he tells his new wife. “I’ll never be able to get to the top. In Las Vegas, I know people, worked in the DA’s office, and can be a big fish in a small pond.”
The Las Vegas Jewish community was thriving. Joan and her husband also caught the wave of success. They made the most of their new life. They had two boys, and with both sets of parents moving to Las Vegas, the family embraced their Jewish identity. In time, with persistence and honesty, Estelle made her peace with being Jewish.
🧐What readers say about the book
Those born after WWII may not be aware of the role of antisemitism in the first half of the 20th century. The story of the author's family is a powerful look at antisemitism even in a very "liberal" US city during that period. The title of the book gives away the unique character of this book. Whether you are Jew or Gentile you will find this book to be very informative and a great read.
Denis Kohl
About The Author
Joan Moran
Joan holds two master’s degrees: Theater and Education. It was her desire to teach in the theater department at UNLV that provided her a position as an acting and theater history professor. Five years later, Joan founded and was the artistic director of the Meadows Playhouse, Las Vegas’s first year-round theater. Her interest in film brought her entrance to the American Film Institute in Los Angeles as a producing fellow. Before she graduated, Joan wrote her first screenplay and continued to write for film during the next 15 years in Hollywood, alongside producing several films.
During this time, Joan also pursued a career as a motivational speaker and blogger. As a keynote speaker, Joan commanded the stage with her delight humor, raw energy and wealth of life experiences. She spread her knowledge and energy as she combined 15 years of theater experience as well as over 13 years of experience as a yoga and meditation instructor at UCLA.
Joan began her writing journey with her memoir, 60, Sex & Tango, Confessions of a Beatnik Boomer. Other books followed: I’m the Boss of Me: Stay Sexy, Smart & Strone at Any Age, a compilation of her most popular blogs, An Accidental Cuban, a thriller that takes place in modern day Havana. The novel is currently in development for a streaming series. Her recently published book, Once A Homecoming Queen, is a darkly humorous take on senior alcoholism. Joan also adapted Once A Homecoming Queen into an award winning screenplay. Her latest book is a memoir of her mother: Suddenly, I Was Jewish, The Life and Times of My Jewish Mother.