A Human Rights Odyssey
About
It is August 2014. Rabbi Isaac Levin’s dream has been realized. Rodef Tzedek synagogue has provided a home for secular and other faith-based organizations in northern Manhattan. This community center would become a city on a hill, a model of interfaith cooperation.Two tragedies spoke out against this wonderful milestone: the shooting of Michael Brown, an African American man in Ferguson, Missouri; and the murder of Tina Fontaine, a young indigenous girl in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As Rabbi Levin comes to terms with these senseless deaths, he reflects upon the events of his past that have molded his passion for social justice.Isaac Levin’s human rights odyssey begins in the suburbs of St. Louis during the Civil Rights Movement. There he is influenced by a progressively minded school system, inspired by a rabbi who marched with Martin Luther King and befriended by a brilliant warm-hearted Black student. The odyssey takes him to the inner city of Hamilton, Ohio where he tutors Black children, to a courtroom in Birmingham, England where he is an eyewitness to discrimination against People of Color, to Paris where he meets his French cousin who saved the lives of Jewish children during the German occupation, to three cities in the former Soviet Union, Moscow, Leningrad, and Kiev where he teaches and comforts refuseniks, to a federal penitentiary where he fights for justice for the Jewish inmates, to the Canadian cities of Winnipeg and Regina, where he witnesses the hardships of First Nations people and prepares a Cree girl for bat mitzvah, to Long Island where he leads his congregation through the horrors of 9/11 and seeks to combat Islamophobia, to America’s Deep South and Washington, DC, where he co-leads an interfaith Civil Rights mission, and finally back to his former high school where he shares his insights with a new generation of young people.A Human Rights Odyssey is a heartwarming story of the spiritual growth of Isaac Levin through the decades. It speaks lovingly of the people who mentored him throughout his journey and the power of a lifelong interracial friendship. It is a plea for all of us to embrace the wonderful diversity of humanity, to treat all people equally, and to build an inclusive society.
Praise for this book
A Human Rights Odyssey by Jeffrey Gale follows Rabbi Levin's decades-long journey as a Jewish spiritual leader committed to building bridges across racial, cultural, and religious divides. The narrative centers around his leadership at Congregation Rodef Tzedek and his evolving role in multiple communities—from organizing integrated youth programs in New York and Winnipeg to supporting Jewish inmates’ religious rights in Michigan prisons through the Whitney v. Brown lawsuit, to mentoring a Cree girl, Helen Asner, for her bat mitzvah. His actions consistently push institutions—synagogues, prisons, schools—toward inclusivity and justice. In a civil rights pilgrimage he leads for teens from diverse backgrounds, visiting landmarks across the American South. There, Rabbi Levin synthesizes the lessons of Jewish suffering, Black struggle, and Indigenous trauma, using interfaith rituals and historical memory to nurture empathy, leadership, and hope in the next generation.
A Human Rights Odyssey: From Dreams Deferred to Reconciliation by Jeffrey Gale is a powerfully written and deeply reflective work that challenges readers to confront the moral dimensions of memory, justice, and empathy. With a deft narrative voice, the author invites readers into a transformative journey that transcends mere historical recounting and becomes a meditation on collective responsibility. The prose is both lyrical and precise, allowing thoughtful philosophical and ethical questions to emerge organically from the lived experiences and reflections of those featured. The emotional resonance is palpable, particularly in moments where past atrocities are linked to present inequalities, creating a sense of urgency without falling into didacticism. The book’s strength lies in its ability to draw complex connections across cultures, faiths, and historical traumas while resisting the temptation to reduce them to simplistic parallels. Thoughtful and courageous, this is a work that demands attention and rewards it. Recommended.
A Human Rights Odyssey: From Dreams Deferred to Reconciliation by Jeffrey Gale is a sweeping literary exploration of one man's lifelong journey for justice, inclusion, and faith in the face of systemic inequality. Rabbi Isaac Levin, the central figure, reflects on the pivotal events that shaped his activism from his Civil Rights-era youth in St. Louis to his interfaith work in post-9/11 America. Set against the backdrop of real-world tragedies like the deaths of Michael Brown and Tina Fontaine, the novel uses flashbacks to illuminate how Levin's spiritual and social commitments developed over decades. His odyssey culminates in a historic interfaith Thanksgiving celebration in 2014, marking a milestone in his fight for human dignity.
Author Jeffrey Gale knows how to make issues relevant and timely through the context of his characters, and that results in a deeply moving and intellectually rich portrayal of one man’s spiritual and activist evolution. Isaac is an interesting character who is fully developed, and reading this novel feels like you’re stepping back in time through all the pivotal moments of civil rights history, then looking at the here and now and hoping for so much better than we currently have. The narration and detail around Isaac’s personal history are well-researched, with great dialogue that brings to life the social relevance and empathy we need for him in times of struggle. Brilliant moments of achievement and growth feel earned and emotionally powerful, with seamless discussions of collective responsibility and cultural memory blended into his life as it unfolds before us. This is a work that inspires readers to reflect on their roles in building a more inclusive and compassionate society and take action wherever they can. Overall, A Human Rights Odyssey is a highly recommended read for fans seeking more inspiring social change, as well as deeply affecting literary dramas.
A Human Rights Odyssey: From Dreams Deferred to Reconciliation by Jeffrey Gale will appeal to fans of protest literature and compelling works that examine social issues and questions of race. The narrative takes us to August of 2014, when Rabbi Isaac Levin dreams of creating an interfaith community center in Manhattan. His dream of collaboration and including others in the faith ministry comes true. Everything seems to be moving in the right direction, but the tragic deaths of Michael Brown and Tina Fontaine force Levin to think about his lifelong struggle for social justice. The story covers Levin’s childhood experiences in St. Louis during the Civil Rights Movement and racism in Birmingham, England. He helps the Jewish refuseniks in the Soviet Union. This is a man who stood at the forefront of the fight for equality, leading his community through some of the most devastating tragedies in history and building bridges of faith.
I am a fan of social justice, and A Human Rights Odyssey appealed to me. It tells the story of a man at the heart of difficult situations, bringing comfort and hope to those who have suffered discrimination and injustice. Jeffrey Gale moved me with his clear writing. The prose is economical, direct, and focused on exploring the essential elements and moments in the life of Rabbi Isaac Levin. I was fascinated by Levin's spiritual growth and his relationships with those who inspired and mentored him. This brilliantly written book discusses the themes of interfaith, tolerance, and the struggle for social justice in a way that had me fully engaged. I was swept along by the deep spiritual currents that run through the narrative and appreciated the accuracy with which the author captured the historical setting.