Convene the Kingdom

Revisiting an old friend in Israel, Nona, Charyn, and their families confront the emotional poverty of their lives back in Ohio. With financially successful but dismissive husbands, the women recognize the need for change and the desire for something more.Tragedy strikes when an apparent assassination attempt forces their friend David and his family back to the States. As they adjust to life in the suburbs, they are confronted with the stress and delights of life in America.Amidst the chaos, a long-brewing love story emerges. Three friends who have loved each other for years must navigate entangling alliances and commitments to others, all while trying to create a better world for themselves. But redesigning their lives won't be easy, and they must remove impediments and make tough choices to achieve true happiness.In Jerome Mandel's 'Convene The Kingdom', the characters learn that love and happiness are worth fighting for, even when it means challenging the status quo. Jerome Mandel, sometime Chair of the English Department at Tel Aviv University and now Professor Emeritus, is the first-place winner of the P.E.N.-UNESCO International Short Story Competition (1997) for 'Third Time, Ice Cream.' His first book of stories, Nothing Gold Can Stay: 18 Stories of Israeli Experience appeared in 1999. Most of the stories in his most recent collection, Covet the Oven, are set in America. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, educated at Oberlin and Ohio State, moved to Israel in 1978, and since 2015 now lives in North Carolina.