The book's main characters are a pioneering Chassid couple, Yitzhak and Chana. They travel with Yitzhak's sister's family and a motley crew of followers, from Poland to America in 1845, and Yitzhak leads them across the desert, not to Israel, but to California. There, they encounter Jews who ride coaches on Shabbat, and attend a seder served by African slaves. Some people find that home by returning to their roots in a more traditional sense.
Some people do that by carving out new territory.
She has long been interested in various mystical traditions. Though not raised in an observant family, she had a strong Jewish identification. Even though I didn't have a Jewish upbringing, I always knew I was Jewish and felt that connection. Almost 30 years ago, when she had young children, Veltfort felt a stronger connection to Judaism, observing holidays with her family. She grew up in Palo Alto and has been a San Francisco resident for over 30 years.