Background

I was born in a small village on France’s Atlantic coast. My father insisted that my name be short, simple, and easy to pronounce worldwide — and, most importantly, shaped by his own life experience, free of any ties, religious or otherwise. He chose Claire, from clarus  in Latin, meaning bright and clear. My mother agreed. “Claire” was classic and neutral. August 1989 — The last picture before I left their home for good, posing with my little cousins. That was the final year

If you’ve followed the story of this blog from the beginning, you may notice a paradox: how can a story of conversion not be about religion? Believe me—it is not. It’s about identity, belonging, and the sacrifices we make to feel accepted. In my case, to win the approval of my in-laws. Before moving from France to Tel Aviv at twenty-two, I had met them only twice, briefly. My impression was that they were kind, warm, and generous. I didn’t sense any particular religiosity. Wh

Finding clarity in the storm: A walk along the Isle of Man coast where the idea for my memoir first surfaced. 2021 There were a few reasons I began writing this memoir. When the 2020 pandemic hit, I found myself rethinking how I was spending my days—cooped up in a small apartment in a new city and country we had just moved to. I needed a project to keep both my hands and my mind busy. Cooking didn’t interest me, cleaning and decluttering only got me so far, social networks fe