CATHY SCHECHTER earns a living as a writer and principal of SUMA/Orchard Social Marketing, a corporate tikkun olam entity dedicated to the creation of awareness and educational campaigns to motivate behavior change in the interest of public health and well-being, primarily among low-income, low-literacy audiences. She was co-author with Ruthe Winegarten, z”l, of “Deep in the Heart: Lives & Legends of Texas Jews,” (Eakin Press, 1990), and more recently contributed to “Lone Stars of David: The Jews of Texas,” by Hollace Ava Weiner and Rabbi Ken Roseman (Brandeis Series on American Jewish History, Culture & Life), and to Encyclopedia Judaica with its first ever entry on Austin, Texas. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Eddie Selig, and has has four 20-something children, Julia, Molly, Ellana and Abe.

Currently, Cathy is a student at Hebrew College, working on a Masters in Jewish Studies. This piece was written as a final “paper” for a HC summer intensive course on the Akedah, taught by Dr. Eddy Breuer of Hebrew University, Jerusalem. With many thanks to Eddy for allowing me to risk writing an academic paper as a play! A study guide is in process.