Meriel Schindler in conversation with Rebecca Abrams

Tuesday 30 January, 2pm-3.30pm

Levett Room, Wolfson College and Online via Zoom

Part of the Vera Fine-Grodzinski Programme for Writing Jewish Women's Lives

At the core of OCLW's new programme on Writing Jewish Women's Lives, our new series of afternoon literary seminars are a chance to discuss books by and about Jewish women.

At this event we welcome Meriel Schindler to talk with Rebecca Abrams about their various books and the issues raised when writing about or as Jewish women. Topics will include family relationships, assimilation and legacy - as well as addressing practical questions about researching, writing and structuring a multiple-strand story. There will be time for questions from participants, with priority given to in-person participants.

Meriel Schindler spent the first fifteen years of her life growing up in central London before suddenly being moved to a convent school in provincial Austria. Five years later she moved back to the UK to study French and German at university and is now an employment lawyer, partner and head of a team at Withers LLP, a law firm. Meriel is also a trustee of the writing charity Arvon. Meriel is married to husband Jeremy and has three grown-up children. The Lost Café Schindler is Meriel's first book.

Rebecca Abrams teaches on the Masters in Creative Writing at Oxford University and is an award-winning author  with a particular interest in Jewish history and material culture. Her recent publications include Licoricia of Winchester:  Power and Prejudice in Medieval England (2022), The Jewish Journey: 4000 years in 22 objects (2017) and Jewish Treasures From Oxford Libraries (2020) which was long-listed for the 2021 Wingate Literary Prize.  

Our second seminar will take place on 13 February.