Meet Shalzed and Simon

shalzed and simon

From ten light-years away, Earth looked like utopia. Up close, Shalzed finds more questions than answers.

Smart, engaging fiction that explores human rights with clarity and humor

Meet Shalzed and Simon

shalzed and simon
shalzed at library

How Shalzed and Simon First Met

It all began at the library. Dina Perlstein, whose son Aaron is in my eighth grade Mishnah class, spotted me just as I finished checking out a new Grisham novel on the self-checkout machine. “Moreh Simon,” she said as she hurried over. “I have to talk to you about the test you gave last week.”

It always embarrassed me to be called ‘moreh’ outside of school. “Nice to see you,” I said, glancing towards the door. Since she was Orthodox I didn’t offer to shake her hand. “I just finished grading, tomorrow I’ll give the tests back to the class.”

“Did Aaron do alright?”

Why do parents think I know every kid’s grade by heart? “I think so,” I told her. “I don’t recall off the top of my head.”

“Remember he was very busy the night before the test preparing for his bar-mitzvah. I’m sure you agree that has to take precedence.”

Just then the red flashing light went on at the library exit and the gate made an alarm sound. We both turned to look. A man with pale blue skin and pointy ears was stuck at the locked turnstyle, looking bewildered.

shalzed at library

Smart, engaging fiction that explores human rights with clarity and humor

Shalzed's Most Recent Adventures


Why You'll Love Shalzed

Who's Behind This?

shlomo Levin

Human rights mostly come up in indignant op-eds or lengthy reports, usually advocating a particular point of view. Not everyone wants to read this material or be told what to do.

I created Shalzed to use short fiction in order to make complex human rights issues more accessible to all. Rather than strive to stir up indignation and get you to take a side, Shalzed’s stories show the complexity of human rights issues, and how people committed to human rights will still often disagree about what’s right in a given situation. Shalzed invites you to become more knowledgeable and to help you make up your own mind about critical issues we face.

I look forward to hearing your feedback and thoughts.

Shlomo Levin

shlomo@hrhaggadah.com

shlomo Levin