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There Was Night and There Was Morning

A Memoir of Trauma and Redemption

Contributors

By Sara Sherbill

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Sep 21, 2027
Page Count
272 pages
Publisher
Union Square & Co.
ISBN-13
9781454955337

Price

$17.99

Price

$23.99 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. Trade Paperback $17.99 $23.99 CAD
  2. ebook $12.99 $16.99 CAD
  3. Hardcover $26.99 $35.99 CAD

A searing memoir about growing up in a fiercely loving, abusive rabbinical family in which the author’s father, the charismatic head of a splinter Orthodox religious community, demands unswerving loyalty—and a commitment to guarding terrible secrets.

Sara Sherbill was raised by a father who was both a representative of God and a broken man harboring an intricate set of secrets. Her riveting story explores what happens when a daughter is tasked with keeping those secrets, and the cost of keeping them. It asks: How do we live with suffering? What does it mean to heal? In the face of unspeakable harm, what can be reclaimed? Sherbill’s tale, written with grace and brutal honesty, reveals her struggle to reclaim her identity as a daughter, woman, and now mother. Most of all, it’s a story about learning to live alongside our traumas without letting them consume us—what some might call redemption.

Perfect for fans of Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman or other books about religious trauma, There Was Night and There Was Morning offers a nuanced exploration of faith, family, and the courage to reclaim one’s identity. Sherbill’s tale of survival and self-discovery sheds light on the often-unseen struggles within religious communities, and will resonate with readers navigating their own paths to healing from hidden abuse.

Sara Sherbill

About the Author

Sara Sherbill writes about mental health, domestic violence, and Jewish identity. Her work has appeared in Slate, The Forward, Tablet, and Kveller. She has worked as an independent editor for the past decade after beginning her career at Alfred A. Knopf. She lives in Washington, DC.

Learn more about this author