The Messiah Chronicles: Book 1

Book excerpt: When Arielle, a new immigrant to Israel, sees a poster announcing the coming of the Messiah, she feels compelled to raise people's awareness about it in any way she can. She starts by interviewing people, follows an old Chassid who is putting up more signs, and gets involved in promoting the rally where the Messiah is to be revealed. Little does she know that this day will change her life, setting her on an exploration of her beliefs and her commitment to the path she's chosen. A handsome young Chassid she meets the day of the rally, Aryeh, goes through changes of his own, choosing to leave the insular world he’d grown up in. David, a former Chassid who has chosen to leave the fold and expand his horizons, is of Davidic descent. His Uncle Yehoshua, a Holocaust survivor, believes himself to be the Messiah and plans to let the world know at a rally in Jerusalem. Yehoshua has been excommunicated by his Chassidic sect, including most of his family. Though David isn’t sure if it's true, he is willing to do whatever he can to help his uncle. When Aryeh and Arielle meet again at a Shabbat dinner, they feel a strong bond. As they get to know each other and their relationship develops, Aryeh introduces her to his new friends, David and Miri, and a world of spirituality she hadn't known existed. David's chosen profession, as a university professor, makes it necessary for David and Miri to move back to the United States. In 1994, after five years back in the United States, a dream Miri has leads them back to Israel for a visit, which will allow them to realize a longtime dream.