Dear Colleagues, Friends, and Family,

I’m thrilled to share some wonderful news: after 30 years of hard work, and more than a few personal sacrifices, I’ve finally completed my manuscript, Smart Jews, Foolish Mistakes: The Mystery of Jewish Creativity & The Alchemy of Antisemitism.

Years ago, while visiting a friend in London, I saw a witty postcard that read: “Being Jewish is an experience everyone should have at least once.” This book honors 4,000 years of Jewish wisdom, struggle, and resilience, and invites readers of all backgrounds to share in the Jewish experience.

For centuries, remarkable figures—from Tolstoy, Goethe, and Mark Twain to today’s voices like the Dalai Lama, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and leaders in China and South Korea—have been fascinated by Jewish creativity and survival. And yet, despite their extraordinary contributions to humanity, Jews have endured relentless hatred and persecution. How do we explain this paradox?

Combining decades of scholarly research, personal experience, and uplifting humor, my book offers fresh and groundbreaking insights into this paradox.

In keeping with the noble Jewish tradition of self-reflection and honest self-criticism, this book also explores certain “foolish mistakes” that many brilliant Jews have been making which inadvertently fuel hostility towards them.

At a time when we are witnessing both a remarkable display of Jewish ingenuity and an alarming rise in antisemitism, the message of this book is both urgent and hopeful. It illuminates the roots of these twin phenomena and offers practical wisdom for Jews and non-Jews alike on how to nurture personal creativity and how to respond to irrational hostility with strength, compassion, and clarity. It inspires both personal growth as well as social tolerance, ingenuity, and interfaith harmony.

Here’s a glimpse of the impact this book has already had on readers:

“I read a lot of your manuscript and am very impressed. There’s a great deal of information and interesting material and it is well written.”

—Dr. Tamar Frankiel, Professor of Comparative Religion & the author of several books, including The Voice of Sarah: Feminine Spirituality and Traditional Judaism

“It is my sincere belief that this Book will be a SUCCESS; people of our time NEED to be re-educated about this topic that has lingered in history since time immemorial. Bravo, and thank you.”

—Jahangir Sedaghatfar, Architect

“Your book is fascinating. What an incredible amount of research you have done to write each chapter. I like the way you have interjected humor to lighten it a bit for someone like me who is a nonacademic and unfamiliar with the material.”

—Connie Guidotti, Visual Artist

“May the effort of this book be of benefit to the emergence of a genuine understanding between the world’s great religions, and may it foster in us deep reverence towards one another.”

—Mojtaba Momeni, Engineer

“As our friends in the music biz like to say, ‘rock and roll, baby!’ It rocks; it's concise, compelling and very readable.”

—Jordan Elgrably, Journalist & Interfaith Activist

“I think you did a superb and admirable job. But It does not surprise me, as I got to know you as a great professional and academic thinker.”

—Mordechai Avidan, Accountant

“Thanks so much for sending me your due-to-be-published book chapter by chapter. I am so impressed with the rich information you have provided in your book. Reading the book is informative and educational to me.”

—Joseph Chang, Engineer

“I so enjoyed reviewing your manuscript; in fact, I found it hard to pull away! … Your writing is articulate and beautiful, and it’s clear the time and research you’ve spent—not to mention your unique personal experience—is making for a gem in your niche market.”

—Stacey Aaronson, Editor

I would be honored to have your support in bringing this project to the world. Your generosity will help fund the following costs:

• Final professional editing

• Cover design and interior page layout

• Book production (print, e-book, audiobook, video-book)

• Translations into Farsi, Hebrew, and other languages

• ISBN registration and copyright protection

• Social Media outreach and marketing

Your partnership will ensure that this work reaches readers worldwide. Here’s how You Can Help:

• Donate: Any contribution, large or small, brings this book closer to publication.

• Share: Even if donating isn’t possible, sharing this campaign with your networks would mean the world to me.

I’ll be posting biweekly progress updates on this page, so please feel free to check in regularly and share your thoughts or feedback.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. With your support, I believe this book can make a real difference.

With gratitude,

Mitra

PS. If you would like to learn more about my educational background and achievements, please visit my website: www.DrMitra.org