By Jillian Chambers

Recent graduate of the Judaic Studies MA program at the University of Connecticut, Marilyn Simon Rothstein, has published her first novel, Lift and Separate, as reported by the Connecticut Jewish Ledger. The novel follows Marcy Hammer, a woman finding her way after her husband, the head of a global bra company, left her for a lingerie model. Over the course of the novel, Marcy refuses to fall apart even in the face of newly revealed secrets by her family and friends. Marcy handles all of her setbacks while still finding the humor in her heartbreak.

Rothstein, a 63-year-old Avon resident and grandmother of three is fulfilling a life-long dream after earning a journalism degree from New York University, working for Seventeen magazine, and finally launching and running an advertising agency for the last 25 years. Rothstein wrote a novel instead of a thesis while completing a master of arts in liberal studies at Wesleyan University; however she was not able to have it published. While that novel did not come to fruition, Rothstein’s Lift and Separate manuscript has led to a two book deal with Lake Union Publishing; a second book is scheduled for release in January 2018.

Rothstein is also heavily involved with the West Hartford Jewish community. She was the past president of the board of Yachad Greater Hartford Community High School (which is now the Jewish Teen Learning Connection), as well as an advisor to the United Synagogue Youth group at Beth El Temple in West Hartford. Both of Rothstein’s daughters, Sharyn and Marisa, have carried on her legacy and served as past presidents of the Beth El Temple United Synagogue Youth group.

We congratulate Marilyn Simon Rothstein on her accomplishment and look forward to more novels in the coming years! For more updates on Judaic Studies alumni and other Center news, check out our Blog on our website. The original article featured in this story can be found here.

 

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