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Arts, Ideas & Jewish Life
Virtual Jewish Book Series: Stranger in the Desert by Jordan Salama
Inspired by family lore, a young writer embarks on an epic quest through the Argentine Andes in search of a heritage spanning hemispheres and centuries, from the Jewish Levant to turn-of-the-century trade routes in South America. Author Jordan Salama will join us for a conversation, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month.
One Thanksgiving afternoon at his grandparents’ house, Jordan Salama discovers a large binder stuffed with yellowing papers and old photographs—a five-hundred-year wandering history of his Arab-Jewish family, from Moorish Spain to Ottoman Syria to Argentina and beyond.
One story in particular captures his attention: that of his great-grandfather, a Syrian-born, Arabic-speaking Jewish immigrant to Argentina who in the 1920s worked as a traveling salesman in the Andes—and may have left behind forgotten descendants along the way. Encouraged by his grandfather, Jordan goes in search of these “Lost Salamas,” traveling more than a thousand miles up the spine of South America’s greatest mountain range.
Combining travelog, history, memoir, and reportage, Stranger in the Desert transports readers from the lonely plains of Patagonia to the breathtaking altiplano of the high Andes; from the old Jewish quarter of Damascus to today’s vibrant neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. It is also a fervent journey of self-discovery as Salama grapples with his own Jewish, Arab, and Latin American identities, interrogating the stories families tell themselves, and to what end.
Jordan Salama is a writer covering culture and the environment in the Americas. His essays and stories have appeared in National Geographic, New York Magazine, The New York Times and other publications. An American writer of Argentine, Syrian, and Iraqi Jewish descent, he is the author of Every Day the River Changes, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2021 and the 2022 Princeton "Pre-Read," and Stranger in the Desert: A Family Story (2024). He graduated from Princeton University in 2019.
Mature content, reader discretion advised.
Purchase your copy of the featured books HERE.
In partnership with the Jewish Book Council.
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Join the express version of our most popular small group challenge to lose weight, get toned, and compete for fantastic prizes.
Pilates Reformer
Pilates classes are a total-body workout designed to strengthen your core, improve posture, lengthen and strengthen your muscles. Utilizing low-impact, joint-friendly moves, Pilates classes are great for any age.
All Pilates training participants must hav
Member $182.00
Pilates Reformer
Pilates classes are a total-body workout designed to strengthen your core, improve posture, lengthen and strengthen your muscles. Utilizing low-impact, joint-friendly moves, Pilates classes are great for any age.
All Pilates training participants must hav
Member $182.00
Pilates Reformer
Pilates classes are a total-body workout designed to strengthen your core, improve posture, lengthen and strengthen your muscles. Utilizing low-impact, joint-friendly moves, Pilates classes are great for any age.
All Pilates training participants must hav
Member $182.00
Pilates Circuit Training
Get ready to step up your pilates game with this high energy circuit using the reformer, chair, tower, and plyometrics. *This is an advanced class and requires one 8-12-week session of pilates reformer.
Pilates Reformer
Pilates classes are a total-body workout designed to strengthen your core, improve posture, lengthen and strengthen your muscles. Utilizing low-impact, joint-friendly moves, Pilates classes are great for any age.
All Pilates training participants must hav
Member $182.00
Copy of - Pilates Reformer
Pilates classes are a total-body workout designed to strengthen your core, improve posture, lengthen and strengthen your muscles. Utilizing low-impact, joint-friendly moves, Pilates classes are great for any age.
All Pilates training participants must hav
Member $182.00
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Multimedia Open Art
Bring your own art supplies to create art together with J friends each week. All levels are welcome to create!
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Creative Dance 1
An introductory dance class taught by Cincinnati Ballet's Otto M. Budig Academy where students learn the basics to dance and movement. Dancers will enjoy exploring movement through music and games, while building social skills, flexibility, and strength.
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Creative Dance 2
A ballet and creative movement class taught by Cincinnati Ballet's Otto M. Budig Academy that builds upon the skills learned in Creative Dance 1 including advancing dance vocabulary and technique.
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Stretch and Mobility
This Pilates group training will restore and renew muscles through a combination of targeted stretches. The workout will connect body-mind-spirit, focusing on breathing to engage a full body workout. This group welcomes beginner � intermediate levels.
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