“The Heavenly City… those books are incredible! You have to read them…”
As a kid, I’d heard this sentiment expressed by many adults, and as a dedicated bookworm, I made it my business to track down these “incredible” books so I could read them for myself. Young as I was, though, I didn’t appreciate what I was reading. The era spoken of in these books in such glowing tones kind of went over my immature head as I chugged through the stories, searching for the action, the adventure, the excitement.
Now, as an adult, I finally see what all those people were enthusing over when they described The Heavenly City books. The time period the books describe—Eretz Yisrael during the early 1900s, when the Old Yishuv had just been established, and Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld was rav—is so beautiful, and written about so well, you can’t help but be moved by it.
Popular author and educator Rebbetzin Sarah Feldbrand was also taken by all she had read about the holiness of this era, and it was this fascination that eventually led her to writing Courtyard of Dreams, a historical novel for teens set in Yerushalayim during the days of the Old Yishuv.
And what a detailed depiction of life at that time this book gives us! Although the main characters are fictitious, numerous famous historical figures, such as Rav Shmuel Salant, Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, the Lelover Rebbe, and Dr. Moshe Wallach, are woven into the plot, complete with many of the true stories told about them. Readers will be enthralled both by the exciting storyline of the book and by the real challenges and triumphs of this special time period. And as this book was written with teens in mind, it can really be appreciated by the younger generation—although trust us, this is a book adults will be drawn to, as well!
For an inspirational and particularly enjoyable read, you’ll want to pick up a copy of Courtyard of Dreams today!
Click here to purchase online.
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