Acts of Acceptance

By: S. W. Leicher

Narrated by: S. W. Leicher

Serach and Paloma—daughters of two tightly insular cultures (one Ultra-Orthodox Jewish, the other Latin-Catholic immigrant)—escape their rigidly-defined gender roles to embrace a forbidden union, childfree lifestyles, and ambitious professional careers. They ensconce themselves in a big Brooklyn house, revel in the full range of New York City’s cultural riches and dodge the occasional blast of longing for everything they’ve left behind. It all seems to work until the spring of 2020, when the rules as everyone once understood them shatter.

Rampant illness, death, isolation, and chaos rock every family and community of the city and beyond—and a motley crew of unmoored brothers, nephews, and nieces, begin seeking comfort and shelter from two women who never considered rules to be the answer. They find themselves breaking bread with companions they never would have chosen—and might even have been barred from meeting. And Serach and Paloma? It seems they were destined to be matriarchs, after all. They just needed to invent the right family. Acts of Acceptance: A tale of expectations turned upside down and imaginations let run wild.

©2025 S. W. Leicher (P)2026 S. W. Leicher