THE UNUSUAL STORY OF HOW AUTHOR ROY NEUBERGER FOUND JONATHAN DAVID PUBLISHERS

Roy Neuberger’s From Central Park to Sinai, published by Jonathan David in 2000, follows the author’s remarkable transformation from a Central Park rich kid to a deeply religious Jew.  It takes us on his tumultuous emotional journey from an empty secular life to a world of spiritual richness.  Here is the author's  personal account of how he found a publisher.

In the spring of the year 2000 I had the great fortune to meet the Kolatch family. [Jonathan David Publishers was founded in 1948 by Alfred J. Kolatch.]

I had always loved writing. That was the way I could best express myself, and I had learned the art of writing from sophisticated teachers at a school with high standards. I had owned a weekly newspaper and done writing on my own, but I had never been able to write “The Book” I knew I had inside me.

In late 1999, events occurred in my life which gave me the time I needed, so I embarked on the Great Project. It took about a year to finish the book. Then I started looking for a publisher. The manuscript was rejected left and right. I became discouraged, until a dear friend, Rabbi Yechiel Perr, late Rosh Yeshiva [spiritual leader] of the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway, uttered nine simple words: “Go to Jonathan David. They will publish your book!”

I answered, “Who is Jonathan David?”

Rabbi Perr said, “Look them up in the phone book.” (They had phone books then!)

And that is exactly what I did.

* * *

The following week, I found myself in a meeting at Jonathan David’s New York offices. Just as Rabbi Perr had predicted, they liked my book!  David Kolatch [editorial director of the company] and I instantly bonded . . . and we are still bonded!

The outcome of the meeting? I was told that I had great material but that it needed reorganization. I remember thinking to myself at the time that I basically had to throw all the words I had written up in the air and then--when they landed--rearrange them to create a cohesive story.  With that in mind, I went to work . . . and, in time, the rearranged jigsaw puzzle became the beautiful From Central Park to Sinai: How I Found My Jewish Soul.

Upon publication, the response was overwhelming.  People loved the book. It became the Number One English-Jewish bestseller for months in the spring of 2001, and over time it has became something of a classic, a book that is still selling today after more than a quarter of a century. From Central Park to Sinai has changed many people's lives, including mine.

* * *

There is an amazing story, which shows that G-d was really interested in how this all turned out. In the very beginning of our relationship, I was still not sure about whether Jonathan David was the right publisher. The Shabbos after I met the Kolatches, I was at home, reviewing the weekly Torah portion from the Prophets. That Shabbos, the portion we read was from the Book of Samuel, and it told the story of the two great Biblical friends, Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and David, the future King of Israel.

 As I was studying this portion, the words suddenly jumped out at me!

 “Wait a minute! This is all about Jonathan and David! Jonathan David! Jonathan David!”

 I couldn’t stop saying those words: “Jonathan David!”

 “Thank you, G-d! You answered me!”

 As you can see, the match between Jonathan David and me was made in Heaven!