Annette Gendler

Annette Gendler is the author of Jumping Over Shadows, the true story of a German-Jewish love that overcame the burden of the Holocaust.

A Friend in Prison
A holiday celebrating freedom is a good time to remember those who aren’t free
byAnnette Gendler
Becoming a ‘Proper Jew’ in the Kitchen
After I converted to Judaism, I learned how to make gefilte fish—two different ways, from two different women
byAnnette Gendler
The Day of Broken Glass
My Chicago synagogue was vandalized on Shabbat. Hours later I went there to find solace.
byAnnette Gendler
Dropping My Daughter Off at College Was More Difficult Than Sending Her to the IDF
Lessons in parenting, and the value of educational experiences
byAnnette Gendler
A Flourless Hazelnut Torte for Passover
How my German grandmother’s recipe became my go-to holiday dessert
byAnnette Gendler
Fatal West Bank Stabbing Hits Close to Home
In Chicago, news of the murder of a 25-year-old Israeli woman reverberates
byAnnette Gendler
An American Mother Visits Israel on a Mission
Sirens blare as we fill out paperwork for my daughter to volunteer with the IDF
byAnnette Gendler
Can a Jew Love Christmas Music?
For one convert to Judaism, that’s the question of the season
byAnnette Gendler
Kol Nidre Showed Me What It Means To Truly Belong in the Jewish Community
The Yom Kippur prayer unites everyone who hears it. Twenty-five years after I converted, it still gives me goose bumps.
byAnnette Gendler
Giving Up Christmas as a Convert to Judaism
I don’t feel nostalgic about Christmas—I’ve discovered the magic of Hanukkah
byAnnette Gendler