Sephardic Stories Initiative: Year Three
The Sephardic Stories Initiative is part of PJ Library’s ongoing commitment to reflecting the full diversity of North American Jewish communities through the books we share with families. In its third year, the Initiative continues to elevate the voices of emerging Sephardic writers, with generous support from the Seattle-based Samis Foundation. This year-long, all-expenses-paid fellowship (January–December 2026) offers participants monthly virtual workshops led by Sephardic and Mizrahi scholars, authors, and publishing professionals; individualized mentorship; regular editorial feedback; and a dedicated in-person writing retreat designed to support the development of publishable children’s book manuscripts.
Fellows will deepen their craft as children’s book writers, working closely with PJ Library publishing professionals to develop original stories rooted in Sephardic, Ethiopian, and Mizrahi traditions, histories, and lived experiences. Alongside this creative work, participants will build a lasting community of fellow writers united by shared goals and a commitment to expanding Jewish representation in children’s literature. Learn more about the Sephardic Stories Initiative writers below.
Alyssa White was born and grew up in South Florida with her parents and two siblings. She earned a Bachelor's of Design and a Bachelor's of Science in Sustainability in the Built Environment from the University of Florida. She moved to Portland, Oregon in 2016 to earn her Master's in Architecture and currently works as an architect at an education-focused design firm. When she's not working, she enjoys reading fantasy and literary fiction, watercolor painting, and general crafting, as well as trying new restaurants and cocktail bars with her husband.
Danna Zeiger is a former biology professor-turned-homeschooling mama and passionate children’s book author. Danna lives in Massachusetts with her husband, three curious children, two pet chickens, and a bookcase always filled with the maximum number of checked-out library books. Her 2025 debut nonfiction STEM picture book, Rewriting the Rules, was named Best of 2025 by School Library Journal and the Chicago Public Library, and won 2026 Outstanding Science Trade Books for K-12 by the National Science Teachers’ Association. Learn more about Danna, her books, and her love of all things science and Jewish at www.dannazeiger.com.
Elinor Chriqui was born in Israel in 1982 to parents who brought their Moroccan roots with them across generations. In recent years, she made her home in Washington, D.C., where she lives with her partner and their two daughters. For more than two decades, writing has been her constant companion in observing, questioning, and giving shape to the world. Motherhood opened a new chapter in this journey, drawing her toward the magic of writing for children, where imagination, curiosity, and emotion come together.
Ella Ben Yacov is an animation creator, emerging author based in Israel, and graduate of Bezalel Academy of Arts, Jerusalem. Since 2016, she has been working on various animation productions, including Where is Anne Frank directed by Ari Folman; Harold and the Purple Crayon co-produced by Sony Animation; and the short films Holy Holocaust and Pisces, which were both nominated for Academy Awards. Her passion is to write stories about the Mizrahi culture and experience. Currently, she is developing an original children's animated show and book series about the Israeli wildlife.
Emma Fierberg is a photographer and videographer with a focus on newborn and family portraiture. She is originally from West Hartford, CT and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. She is new to the world of picture book writing, but storytelling is in her blood. When she's not crafting media, you can find her baking challah in her kitchen, dancing the night away at Zebulon, singing with the Jewish Treble Choral Project, or reveling in the glory of a great Broadway cast recording or singer-songwriter album.
Hava Tizazu is a writer, director, and activist. She brings to the front of the stage the experiences and stories of the Ethiopian community in Israel. Hava has been involved in the public sector in Israel, worked for Israel Council for Culture and Arts, and sat on different committees promoting Black culture. Hava has a Bachelor’s Degree in African Studies and Theater from Tel Aviv University and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Originally from Israel, she now lives in Washington, D.C.
Julie Segal Walters is a children’s book author and community engagement consultant based in Washington, D.C. Her first picture book, This is Not a Normal Animal Book (illustrated by Brian Biggs), released in 2017 from Simon and Schuster. In addition to writing for children, Julie is the president of Civic Action Strategies, a community outreach and civic action consulting firm. Julie specializes in helping organizations build their community participation and social justice advocacy strategies. She is fluent in Spanish and has been featured at librarian, teacher, and writer conferences about using children's books to build life-long social action and community engagement.
Lisa Aslan is a non-profit leader with nearly 20 years of experience across a broad range of social impact programs. Lisa has been working to improve the lives of young people throughout her career in Israel, New York City, and Boston. Outside of her day job, Lisa is particularly interested in how formal and informal Jewish education spaces can explore ways to embed Mizrahi history and tradition to be more representative of the full spectrum of Jewish identities. As part of her own ancestral recovery work, Lisa is learning Judeo-Arabic, Iraqi-Jewish Shabbat and holiday traditions, and recreating family recipes.
Dr. Merav Fima is a writer, translator, and literary scholar currently based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of the forthcoming Sephardic migration novel The Rose of Thirteen Petals and the Pomegranate Tree (Running Wild Press, 2026) and of the short story collection Late Blossoms (Vine Leaves Press, 2025). She holds a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Monash University and her work has appeared in anthologies and literary journals, including: The Jewish Literary Journal; Parchment; Poetica Magazine; and The Australian Book Review. She was awarded a grant for “exceptionally talented writers” from the Israel Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, as well as a translation grant from the Israel Science Foundation for her translation of Gal Ventura’s scholarly monograph, Maternal Breast-Feeding and Its Substitutes in Nineteenth-Century French Art (Brill, 2018).
N. Bension is a literary consultant specializing in Jewish scholarship, Holocaust literature, and historically underrepresented Jewish traditions and communities. N. served on the 2026, 2025, and 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Award committees and currently runs FolkLab, a new lifelong learning and community engagement initiative presented by Jewfolk, Inc.
Nimrod Dweck is a speculative writer and poet working across fantasy, science fiction, poetry, and comics. He has published poetry, a young adult novel, and is currently working on his second novel as well as children’s books. He is married, a father of two, and lives in Israel.
Rinat Hadad Siegel is a children's book writer and a former educator. She holds a Master's Degree in Education from the American Jewish University and a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Ben Gurion University. Delving into her Mizrahi roots is one of Rinat's passions, and she aspires to promote diverse Jewish history in children's literature. Her debut picture book, Mixed Up Challahs, is slated for publication by Levine Querido in the fall of 2026.