Did Chaim Lerner, acclaimed Israeli author and Holocaust survivor, take his own life in 1983, or was it something more sinister? Set decades after the Holocaust, Here There Is No Why follows journalist Judah Loeb as he returns to Jerusalem to uncover the truth behind his former mentor’s mysterious death. Joined by his teenage daughter and a detective friend, Judah’s investigation exposes the darker corners of the Israeli psyche, revealing secrets that challenge history itself. A story of memory, betrayal, and redemption, Philip Graubart’s novel explores how the past continues to shape identity and moral reckoning in the modern world.

Guest Speaker: Philip Graubart is the author of the award-winning novels Planet of the Jews and Silwan, along with several other books. He’s published essays, short stories, and op-eds in numerous publications, including Forward, Tikkun, Moment, The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, and The Jerusalem Report. He is a rabbi and writer living in San Diego. He's served pulpits in Massachusetts and California and also served in leadership positions at the Shalom Hartman Institute, the National Yiddish Book Center, and the San Diego Jewish Academy, where he now teaches. He’s published eight books, including five novels.