A 2025 AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION STONEWALL HONOR BOOK In this “ searing testament to the
strength in claiming one’s destiny” ( The Washington Post ) a young woman desperately attempts
to protect her children and family while also embracing her queer identity in a controlling
Hasidic community. This memoir is perfect for fans of Unorthodox and Educated . Growing up in
the Hasidic community of Brooklyn’s Borough Park Sara Glass knew one painful truth: what was
expected of her and what she desperately wanted were impossibly opposed. Tormented by her
attraction to women and trapped in a loveless arranged marriage she ultimately could not
conform to her religious upbringing and eventually made the difficult decision to walk away
from the world she knew. Sara’s journey to self-acceptance began with the battle for a
divorce and custody of her children an act that left her on the verge of estrangement from her
family and community. Controlled by the fear of losing everything she forced herself to remain
loyal to the compulsory heteronormativity baked into Hasidic Judaism and married again. But
after suffering profound loss and a shocking sexual assault Sara decided to finally be
completely true to herself. Kissing Girls on Shabbat is both an unflinching window into the
world of ultra-conservative Orthodox Jewish communities and an inspiring celebration of
learning to love yourself that ultimately “leaves a mark” ( Publishers Weekly ).
