Giyur: A True Love Story

Love stories hold a special place in readers' hearts. Some readers delve into such tales to find hope, others to relive their own romances, but all long to see couples overcome obstacles and forge a lasting relationship. There is a reason for the influx of romance stories spanning genres including paranormal, historical, and science fiction. Regardless of the milieu, a love story grasps the reader and reveals the nature of romance. A great story hides a nugget of truth in a fictional story but the best stories rely on unadulterated truth. "Giyur: A True Love Story," as the title implies, is such a story. In a unique twist, the author hears the story secondhand and writes it down without alteration. The story is the definition of short but sweet. Volodya encounters a stunning beauty on a cruise ship, Natasha. The two instantly connect and fall in love. However, Natasha is not Jewish despite raised in a Jewish family. She must complete the Giyur, or conversion ceremony, before she can marry Volodya. As any lover of romance can foresee, she is eager to take Giyur but is unable to without returning to her Jewish grandmother. Volodya undertakes a journey to Odessa, his homeland to visit the grandmother and gain her approval. Of course, she is more than happy to pass on a blessing and the two wed. The heartwarming moment occurs years after the story when the author witnesses Volodya and Natasha's family and happiness walk merrily by him.