For the Hearten Book Awards–I was on the short list, then the long list, then a semi-finalist and then a finalist and now a 1st place category winner! What an honor to be considered for my memoir, Brave-ish!
I want to send a special thanks to my awesome literary agent, Chip MacGregor and my phenomenal Post Hill Press editor, Debra Englander! This team has believed in my book from the very beginning. I am deeply grateful!
And here is a new review from Midwest Book Review:
Kupershtein endured extreme hunger, inhumane conditions and constant psychological torment. Yet even in those depths, he fought daily to preserve his humanity.
Kudrow’s connection to comedy runs deeper than her Hollywood career. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she grew up in a family where humor wasn’t just entertainment — it was a way to cope.
While the documentary succeeds in showing the band’s power and chemistry, and is full of energy, one is left wondering what would have happened if Slovak lived.
The war against two stubborn enemies, such as Iran and Hezbollah, has an interesting lesson to teach on obstacles created by regimes that are polar opposites.
There is something deeply cyclical about Judaism and our holidays. We return to the same story—the same words, the same questions—but we are not the same people telling it. And that changes everything.
Emma’s diary represents testimony of an America, and an American Jewish community, torn asunder during America’s strenuous effort to manifest its founding ideal of the equality of all people who were created in the image of God.
On Yom HaShoah, we speak of six million who were murdered. But I also remember the nine million who lived. Nine million Jews who got up every morning, took their children to school, and strove every day to survive, because they believed in life.
Gratitude is greatly emphasized in much of Jewish observance, from blessings before and after meals, the celebration of holidays such as Passover, a festival that celebrates liberation from slavery, and in the psalms.
The seder table itself is a model of radical welcome: we are told explicitly to invite the stranger, to make room for those who ask questions and for those who do not yet know how to ask.
The playground in Jerusalem didn’t stop antisemitism, and renovating playgrounds in New York City is not likely to stop it there, either — because antisemitism in America today is not rooted in a lack of slides or swings.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.
BRAVE-ish wins Hearten Book Awards First Place for Uplifting and Inspiring Non-Fiction
Lisa Ellen Niver
Thank you Chanticleer Book Reviews!
My memoir, Brave-ish, is a 2023 HEARTEN Book Awards First Place Winner for Uplifting & Inspiring Non-Fiction and Memoir!
THANK YOU to Chanticleer Book Reviews and Hearten Awards and to each person who has read my memoir! See more BOOK AWARDS for Brave-ish below:
BRAVE-ish is a Nonfiction Gold Book Awards Winner
BRAVE-ish is a winner: 2024 Literary Titan Gold Book Award
Goody Business Book Awards: Memoir/Self-Help
Zibby Awards: Best Book for The Strong Woman
For the Hearten Book Awards–I was on the short list, then the long list, then a semi-finalist and then a finalist and now a 1st place category winner! What an honor to be considered for my memoir, Brave-ish!
My Podcast, Make Your Own Map, won 2nd place for Diversity in TV/Streaming at the NAEJ Awards
My website is #10 on the top 100 Travel Lifestyle Blogs and Websites
I am also the #3 Top Travel Influencer for 2024 for Afluencer as well as #10 of Female Influencers Brands Can’t Get Enough of for 2024!
I want to send a special thanks to my awesome literary agent, Chip MacGregor and my phenomenal Post Hill Press editor, Debra Englander! This team has believed in my book from the very beginning. I am deeply grateful!
And here is a new review from Midwest Book Review:
THANK YOU for all of your support.
My AUDIO BOOK of Brave-ish narrated by ME is now available!
Brave-ish was also a Hearten book awards finalist, Long List, Short List and now WINNER!! YAHOOO–celebrating all the steps to success!!
Did you enjoy this article?
You'll love our roundtable.
Editor's Picks
Israel and the Internet Wars – A Professional Social Media Review
The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC
What Ever Happened to the LA Times?
Who Are the Jews On Joe Biden’s Cabinet?
You’re Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House
No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center
Latest Articles
Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Guzik’s Healthy Choice
L.A. Jewish Symphony Concert, Open Temple Seder Crawl
Rationales of the Passover
A Moment in Time: “Chol HaMoed – When the Ordinary Reveals Holiness”
A Bisl Torah — Reconsideration
Print Issue: How Do We Regain Our Mojo? | April 10, 2026
‘Unbroken’: Bar Kupershtein Recounts 738 Days in Hamas’ Hands
Kupershtein endured extreme hunger, inhumane conditions and constant psychological torment. Yet even in those depths, he fought daily to preserve his humanity.
‘The Comeback’: Lisa Kudrow Returns to Stage 24, Where It All Began
Kudrow’s connection to comedy runs deeper than her Hollywood career. As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, she grew up in a family where humor wasn’t just entertainment — it was a way to cope.
Israeli Guitarist Nili Brosh Releases Signature Ibanez Guitar
Brosh, 37, was born in Rishon LeZion, Israel, a city that also produced the late singer Shoshana Damari, “the Queen of Hebrew Music.”
Netflix Doc Shows Hillel Slovak Sparking the Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
While the documentary succeeds in showing the band’s power and chemistry, and is full of energy, one is left wondering what would have happened if Slovak lived.
A Semester to Remember: de Toledo High School Students Study in Israel Under Fire
Shortly after arriving for the exchange program, the war with Iran began on Feb. 28.
NASA’s Jewish Administrator and Jewish Astronauts Reflect on Artemis II’s Historic Moon Flyby
By some measures, 16 Jews have been to space.
Noa Tishby Brings Clarity, Courage and a Call to Action to Beth Jacob
“The Jewish people are patient zero in a worldwide war on truth.”
Golden Memories – a Great Challah Recipe
This challah has a soft, fluffy, airy texture, with a wonderful chewy crumb, a hint of sweetness and an enticing golden crust.
Post-Passover Pasta and Pizza
What carbs do you miss the most during Passover? Do you go for the sweet stuff, like cookies and cakes, or heartier items like breads and pasta?
Table for Five: Shemini
Kosher Fish
Rosner’s Domain | The Too Strong and Too Weak Challenge
The war against two stubborn enemies, such as Iran and Hezbollah, has an interesting lesson to teach on obstacles created by regimes that are polar opposites.
Fake Until Proven Real: As AI Images Spread, Skepticism May Be the Best Safeguard
When it comes to images and video online, the safest starting point is the presumption that what we see is not authentic until it is verified.
Freedom, This Year
There is something deeply cyclical about Judaism and our holidays. We return to the same story—the same words, the same questions—but we are not the same people telling it. And that changes everything.
A Diary Amidst Division and the Fight for Freedom
Emma’s diary represents testimony of an America, and an American Jewish community, torn asunder during America’s strenuous effort to manifest its founding ideal of the equality of all people who were created in the image of God.
When Criticism of Israel Becomes a Test for Jews Everywhere
Judge Israel as you would judge any state: rigorously, truthfully and proportionately.
More than Names
On Yom HaShoah, we speak of six million who were murdered. But I also remember the nine million who lived. Nine million Jews who got up every morning, took their children to school, and strove every day to survive, because they believed in life.
Gratitude
Gratitude is greatly emphasized in much of Jewish observance, from blessings before and after meals, the celebration of holidays such as Passover, a festival that celebrates liberation from slavery, and in the psalms.
Freedom’s Unfinished Journey
The seder table itself is a model of radical welcome: we are told explicitly to invite the stranger, to make room for those who ask questions and for those who do not yet know how to ask.
Thoughts on Security
For students at Jewish schools, armed guards, security gates, and ID checks are now woven into the rhythm of daily life.
Can Playgrounds Defeat Antisemitism?
The playground in Jerusalem didn’t stop antisemitism, and renovating playgrounds in New York City is not likely to stop it there, either — because antisemitism in America today is not rooted in a lack of slides or swings.
More news and opinions than at a Shabbat dinner, right in your inbox.