Sara Shai’s “As My Soul Speaks” is an epic novel that traces the arc of Jewish history, from the destruction of the First Temple in 586 B.C.E., through centuries of diaspora, all the way to the devastating events of Oct. 7, 2023.
At the heart of the novel is the Lahmi family — in particular Gabriella — a young woman with a rare spiritual sensitivity who is guided by a mysterious divine presence known as The Witness.
Told through the inner voices of Gabriella and The Witness, the novel explores themes of faith, identity, resilience, and the deep spiritual connection between the Jewish people and God. Gabriella’s journey raises profound questions: what are the roots of antisemitism throughout history? What sacred bond has sustained the Jewish people through exile and persecution?
Blending historical narrative with mysticism, “As My Soul Speaks” offers a powerful reflection on survival, devotion, and hope—deeply relevant both to current events and eternal truths.
Shai, an Iraqi-born artist who emigrated to Israel with her family at age three and has lived in Los Angeles for the past 50 years, began writing the book in 2022, but when the Oct. 7 attacks occurred, she found herself unable to continue. “I said to God, ‘I’m not writing another word until you explain to me why this happened,’” she said, her voice trembling. “I remember working in my garden, meditating, and doing deep introspection. After two months, I felt I had received an answer — and then I was able to continue writing.”
I met Shai at her beautiful home in Woodland Hills, surrounded by her artwork. Paintings and impressive stone and marble sculptures adorn every corner of the house and garden. This is her kingdom. If she’s not sculpting in her studio, she’s outside carving a sculpture under the open sky. “I’ve been passionate about art since I was young, but I didn’t pursue it seriously until I was 30,” she said.
That delay goes back to her childhood in Israel. In eighth grade, a teacher asked the class what they wanted to be when they grew up. Shy and soft-spoken, Shai raised her hand and said she wanted to be an artist. The class burst out laughing—and the teacher laughed with them. Shai buried her dream for years.
Many years later, while traveling in Spain, she had a moment that rekindled her passion. “There was a street artist painting on the sidewalk. He painted for hours, people came and went, but I just stood there watching. Eventually, he asked me if I wanted to try. I said yes and began to draw. He looked at it and said, ‘Primitive art.’ I was so happy. Someone had called it art.”
That encounter changed everything. When she returned to Los Angeles, Shai began painting again, but she soon realized her true passion was sculpture.
“In one of my painting classes, someone told me about a sculpture class taught by Manuel Mani in Sepulveda. I signed up and started carving stone. People see a rock on the street and think it’s just a rock. But to me, it’s something else,” Shai said. “I never plan what I’m going to sculpt. I start working, and the stone reveals to me what it wants to become — what’s inside.”
“As My Soul Speaks” is Shai’s second book. Her first, “Beautiful in Black,” published in 2006, explores how we deal with grief and our capacity to heal and rise above it.
The new novel, published on May 6, is rooted in stories Shai heard from family and friends, as well as her own life experiences.
“I wanted to tell a story about a family and through them, tell the history of the Jewish people,” she said. “I chose to include The Witness because it gave me a way to share my personal insights. I’m a yogi, deeply spiritual, and I meditate regularly. The Witness gave me a platform to express those thoughts. He follows the characters throughout the book and occasionally offers moments of illumination. No one hears him except Gabriella, and only at the end does she meet him face-to-face.”
The novel begins with the Babylonian exile and follows a Jewish family through centuries of history, including captivating stories passed down in Shai’s own family.
One such story stands out. “In Iraq, my family had great reverence for the prophet Ezekiel. Before leaving Iraq for Israel, my mother went to his tomb and vowed that if God ever gave her a son, she would name him after the prophet. After my family made aliyah, she did give birth to a son — but he was gravely ill, and in her distress, she forgot about the vow. Shortly after, she dreamed of Ezekiel, sitting naked and saying to her, ‘You forgot me.’ She woke up and told the family about the strange dream. They asked if she had made a vow — and that’s when she remembered. My parents rushed to the hospital where my brother was, and named him Yehezkel (Ezekiel in Hebrew). The very next day, he recovered and was sent home.”
The writing process, Shai said, transformed her. “The Witness represents a divine presence. I gave it a voice and an identity. It’s energy, and because of that, I never feel alone. I communicate through intuition and feeling.”
“This book,” she said, “was written to show the world the strength of the Jewish people and why we’ve been persecuted throughout history.”
“I want people to understand that the hatred toward Jews is not about land. It’s about consciousness. Those who hate us can’t stand the light. I believe this world we live in is made of opposites, good and evil, high and low, darkness and light. The Jewish people took on the responsibility of guarding the light and when the light dims, the darkness grows.”
“As My Soul Speaks” is available on Amazon.
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