Chesed: A Jewish Woman's Discovery of God's Mercy

By Deborah Markowitz Solan

Do you want the goodness and mercy of God to follow (pursue) you all the days of your life? The miraculous life stories and wisdom that Deborah Markowitz Solan shares in Chesed-A Jewish Woman's Discovery of God's Mercy will show you how.

The COVID-19 pandemic and other national crises have a way of getting our attention. It was th

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Sep 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781637696798

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Chesed

A Jewish Woman’s Discovery of God’s Mercy

Deborah Markowitz Solan

Trilogy Christian Publishers

TUSTIN, CA

Trilogy Christian Publishers

A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

2442 Michelle Drive

Tustin, CA 92780

Chesed—A Jewish Woman’s Discovery of God’s Mercy

Copyright © 2021 by Deborah Markowitz Solan

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.TM Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Public domain.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without written permission from the author. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

Rights Department, 2442 Michelle Drive, Tustin, CA 92780.

Trilogy Christian Publishing/TBN and colophon are trademarks of Trinity Broadcasting Network.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Trilogy Christian Publishing.

Trilogy Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this book are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views and doctrine of Trilogy Christian Publishing or the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN: 978-1-63769-678-1

E-ISBN: 978-1-63769-679-8

Contents

Dedication vii

Endorsements viii

Introduction x

The Early Years 1

Jewish to the Core 1

Death and Dysfunction 3

The Phone Call 9

The Good Counsel Fairy 11

The Moonies, My Mom, and Me 15

Men! Who Needs Them? 17

Where Was God? 22

The Fear Factor 31

Divine Intervention 34

The Angel 34

Living on a Garbage Dump 35

Spiritual Cruise Control 37

Look Up! 39

Marriage and Motherhood 41

Opposites Attract 41

Husbands, Love Your Wives 43

God’s Motherly Love 46

Ode to Samantha 48

From Helicopter to Parachute Mom 50

Breaking the Bondage 55

A Spirit of Intimidation 55

The Lies That We Believe 57

Our Intimate God 61

My New Name From God 66

What’s in a Name? 73

Grace Rocks 74

Family Legacies 77

The Greatest Miracle 77

Holding Hands 81

Safe in the Storm 82

The Saddest Goodbye 83

The Devil in the Hospital Room 87

Purpose and Passion 89

What Will Be on Your Tombstone? 89

What in the World are We Doing? 92

Brooklyn Calling 94

The Starfish Story 97

God, Teach Us How to Love 98

Thanks Living 102

The God of Miracles 106

Disney World on a Dime 106

The True Meaning of Wealth 109

You Won’t Believe This—Try Me! 111

Important Truths 117

Resting in God 117

I Choose You 120

Ode to Baseball 121

From Football to Faith Fanatic 125

How Television, Movies, and Media Impact Our

Lives 128

A Misunderstood God 132

Lessons Learned 136

Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street? 136

Life and Prejudice—Lessons Not Learned in

School 137

America’s Schools—The Most Dangerous Place on

Earth 139

Am I Really Awesome? 143

Seeing with the Eyes of Our Heart 145

Look, Miss Deb—It’s Art! 147

Summer Jobs—Not for the Faint of Heart 148

Surprised by Grace 150

Heavenly Habitation 153

Houses From Heaven 153

Homeless No More 158

And Nana Too 161

A Death-Bed Miracle 163

Just When I Needed Her Most 169

Big Cats in Heaven 173

Hi Mom! It’s Me 175

God of the Jews 179

Jewish Roots 179

Jewish Refugees and Fort Ontario 182

Bound by Love and Not Our Past 185

God Can Be Trusted 187

Crises All Around 187

That’s Why We Call Him Redeemer 190

Refrigerator Poem 193

Epilogue 194

My Heroes 194

About the Author 204

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my mother, Maxine Herman, my husband, George M. Solan Jr., and our daughter, Samantha (Solan) Kacik. Their lives are inextricably connected to mine and, as such, are mentioned frequently throughout these stories. It is also dedicated to our cat, Emma, who came just when I needed her most. Finally, it is dedicated to all who may be searching for God, not realizing that all your life, He has been searching for you.

I would like to thank Elizabeth Suarez for her editorial assistance and Deb Dziurlaj, two of my dearest friends and long-time prayer warriors, whose rewards in heaven will far exceed my own.

Endorsements

In this compelling book, Deborah Markowitz Solan shares her powerful testimony of the Lord’s work in her life. In story after story, she illustrates God’s faithfulness in pursuing her with His everlasting love to bring her into a relationship with Himself. Through Deborah’s transformed life, He broke the chains of generational family dysfunction, setting them free to share the good news of Jesus with others.

—Dan Brownell, Editor, Today’s Christian Living

Gaining gentleness amidst tragedy, acceptance through rejection is paradoxical. But in ‘Chesed—A Jewish Woman’s Discovery of God’s Mercy’—Deborah Markowitz Solan shares how the impossible is possible! Whether personal trauma, the collective thrill of sports, teaching, or defining moments in history, each story is testimony. Though through a personal lens, each story is communal. Together they tapestried God’s grace, love, and mercy, reminding us we are His beloved and what it means to be loved by Him! What a gracious gift! Amen!

—Shaneen A. Harris, Author, Orator, Educator

Akron, Ohio

Deb Solan beautifully shares compelling, relatable, and heartwarming stories of life, love, loss, and triumph in ‘Chesed—A Jewish Woman’s Discovery of God’s Mercy.’ I laughed, I cried, and I found comfort and inspiration in every chapter. This book is for anyone looking for hope, healing, and joy in a world that can be all too confusing, frightening, and unpredictable. Deb’s faith is a beacon for all who are seeking to live a more purposeful and meaningful life, and it shines brightly on the pages of this book.

—Martha Lerner, Childhood and Forever Friend

Deputy Director, The Rockland Conservatory of Music,

Pearl River, New York

Introduction

I always knew I would write a book...someday. I did not expect it to be during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic that quarantined and crippled much of the world’s population for more than a year. More than three million people have, thus far, died from the novel virus that brought the world to its knees, devastating economies, traumatizing the young and the old, and leaving many of us wondering if our lives would ever be the same.

The stay-at-home directive by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine provided me an opportune time to work on this book. My husband, George, said that the quarantine was my first real vacation in years. He was right as my life before COVID-19 consisted of a daily routine working 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as a substitute teacher and nanny.

It is not a coincidence that I have written this book during a crisis. It was another crisis—the assassination of President John F. Kennedy—that shaped my outlook and destiny in life, although I was only five years old when it happened. The generation following mine experienced the horrific 9/11 terrorist attacks as the crisis that shaped many of them, although most probably don’t realize they internalized the eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we shall die philosophy of life. Ironically, that phrase comes from the Bible.

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 8:15

But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! ‘Let us eat and drink,’ you say, ‘for tomorrow we die!’ (Isaiah 22:13)

The chapters in this book are life experiences from my childhood through 2021. They each tell a story of how God intervened in my life, often miraculously, even when I had no idea who He was. I have woven them together like a hand-knitted tapestry, beautiful on the front and messy on the back. I take no credit for any of the incredible events and miracles that I have experienced and enjoyed. I have often said that if left to my own choices in life, I would make the wrong decisions every time.

However, God keeps His promise of an everlasting covenant with the Jewish people, of which I am one. His eternal promise, coupled with my desire to live completely for Him, has allowed God to demonstrate His lovingkindness for my good and His glory.

Thank you for taking the time to read and hear what the Spirit of God may wish to speak to you because God desires to show His goodness and chesed—mercy—to all people.

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23).

The Early Years

Jewish to the Core

I grew up in the 1960s in Brooklyn, New York, in a secular Jewish home, much like millions of other second-generation Jewish people throughout the country. My maternal and paternal grandparents had come to the United States, along with a massive wave of Jewish immigrants, in the early part of the 20th century. They left Eastern Europe—Hungary, Poland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Austria—for a better life.

The Statue of Liberty beckoned them, and Ellis Island, the gateway for millions of immigrants from throughout the world from 1892 through 1954, was the door through which they came. The overcrowded halls of the processing building reeked of an odious smell, and a cacophony of languages filled the air during this mass immigration resettlement. Despite the fears and uncertainties of what awaited them, Jewish immigrants came to America with the hope that the land of opportunity would make room for them. They were escaping pogroms, widespread violence against Jews in the Russian Empire, persecution that existed solely because they were Jewish. When they arrived in America, their goal, for the most part, was to leave their past behind.

Although my immediate family was not religious, we were Jewish to the core; a concept that most Christians have trouble understanding. Our identity was strongly Jewish, but we did not actively practice the Jewish religion. Therefore, many Jews do not view Jewish atheism as a contradiction because a large percentage of American Jews are culturally, but not religiously, Jewish.

Jews make up a small minority (approximately 2 percent) of the United States population. If you ask many Jewish people what it means to be Jewish, most will say that it is our Jewish ancestors and that we celebrate Hanukkah (not Christmas), Passover (not Easter), and that we don’t believe in Jesus. My mother, Maxine, put it this way, There’s us and them. Although there is a strong emphasis on Jewish pride, we still fear being singled out. A study of history justifies why.

During high school, I was asked to do a writing assignment to identify our ancestors and trace our family roots. I was excited at the prospect of learning more about my past, but the search came up empty. There was no way to trace our roots even though all came through Ellis Island. Most immigrants came to Ellis Island with no official papers and left the portal the same way. My nana’s sentiment echoed that of millions, We are Jewish. That’s all I know.

Later in life, a DNA test confirmed what I already knew but desired to see in writing. I am 97 percent European Jewish; not a surprise, but still a source of pride and joy.

Every man is a quotation from all his ancestors

Ralph Waldo Emerson

American essayist

Passing down the importance of my Jewish heritage to our daughter, Samantha, has always been a top priority in my life.

Death and Dysfunction

The world changed a lot during the 1960s, and many would say not for the better. It was a decade of turmoil as television, the new medium in the homes of most Americans, brought daily images of death, carnage, and despair into our living rooms. The horrors of war bombarded us as the Vietnam War dragged on endlessly, causing many to question our purpose there. The war was so destructive to our national psyche that Vietnam veterans were spit upon when they returned home.