Jewish fiction by Leora Freedman. Powerful novels "that resonate today, at a time when religious belief seems arbitrary and the bonds connecting families more precarious."--Gefen
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Leora was quoted in a recent article in The Jewish Tribune (February 9, 2012)
"Jewish Women Tap Writing's Healing Power"  

            
Leora spoke in the Three Authors Panel:  Creative Connections- 
                         Writing through a Jewish Lens on December 4, 2011

Leora read from her essay "On Writing Jewish Fiction" at the Book Launch of
Living Legacies:  A Collection of Writing by Contemporary Canadian Jewish Women,
Volume III, edited by Liz Pearl.  October 30, 2011   

           
Freedman, who grew up in Connecticut and lives in Toronto, takes on difficult issues here, and respects her readers enough not to offer pat solutions. Zoe is a nuanced character whose inner contradictions and conflicts consistently ring true.  
                       ......Emily Donaldson    Quill and Quire  

This multi-layered coming of age story strongly portrays universal issues of growing up and the difficult choices that teens of all cultures make as they explore their sexual orientation and grapple with peer pressure.  Author Leora Freedman earnestly addresses these issues and does not shy away from the truth...
                ....Jewish Book World  Fall 2011

The novel deals with big questions and is open-ended, making it suitable for discussions in a classroom or book club setting…. Parachuting will have appeal for many female young adult readers who will relate to and identify with one of the three main female characters. 
                       ......Ann Ketcheson      CM Magazine   © Manitoba Library Association 

The complexity of this story unravels to a poignant climax with a page-turning conclusion that will leave you wanting more. The author...illuminates the realistic issues young adults dealt with forty years ago that unfortunately still prevail today.
               ....VOYA  Voice of Youth Advocates

It was refreshing to read a young adult novel that deals with the important themes of queerness and trauma. Freedman treats her readers with respect, wrestling with the true challenges of being a teenager…..

                         .....Lesley Kartali      Elevate Difference 

Parachuting is an intimate look at the increasingly complex lives of two suburban American teen girls. Through Leora Freedman's pragmatic description of the characters' everyday thoughts, the reader almost forgets that this young adult novel is set over three decades ago...
                ....Tristalyn Russell   Shameless Reviews   Spring 2011

...Zoe does not understand her feelings for her Hebrew high school teacher, Rivka Lev, who elicits irritation and fascination at the same time. As she reads a biography of Hannah Senesh, she wonders how she can make a difference in the world...The coming of age aspect of this book is interesting, and Zoe's character is well developed.
                ....Kathe Pinchuck   Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews   September/October 2011

           
Leora Freedman interview at The Gatekeepers Post  

Leora Freedman interview at Young Adult Books Central