Learning from a Golden Teacher: A Guest Post by Hadassah Schildkraut
Shalom, dear readers! Today I want to share something unexpected that I’ve learned since leaving my hometown of Kiryas Lev, a community of Orthodox Jews in the countryside outside New York City. A beautiful golden retriever named Rochester has taught me lessons I never expected.
Growing up, dogs were practically nonexistent. There were religious concerns that some families held about ritual purity, and practical ones too—when you have six or eight children and barely enough money for food and clothing, a dog seems like an unnecessary expense. The few times I encountered dogs as a child, I was taught to keep my distance.
When I first met Rochester, I honestly didn’t know what to do. Here was this enormous golden creature with kind brown eyes, wanting to sniff my hand and be petted. I froze, completely out of my element. “There aren’t many dogs in Kiryas Lev,” I told Steve, trying to explain my hesitation without admitting how frightened I was.
But Rochester seemed to understand my nervousness. Instead of jumping on me or demanding attention the way I’d imagined dogs would, he sat quietly and let me approach him at my own pace. When I finally worked up the courage to touch his soft fur, he looked up at me with what I can only describe as acceptance. No judgment about my long dress or my accent or the fact that I’d never petted a dog before.
Over the past few months, I’ve witnessed something remarkable about Rochester. Steve calls him his “partner in crime-solving,” and I used to think that was just a joke. But I’ve seen this dog in action. He has an uncanny ability to sense when something isn’t right—when people are lying, when danger is near, when someone is hiding something they shouldn’t be.
The day that Yakov Shmerler was murdered at the Purim carnival, Rochester led Steve to the body. He found evidence that helped the police understand what had happened. And later, when dangerous men came to threaten me in my cousin’s home, Rochester sensed the tension immediately. When one of them pulled a gun, Rochester didn’t hesitate—he knocked the man down and helped save us all.
But what moves me most about Rochester isn’t his detective skills. It’s his compassion. I’ve watched him comfort children who are crying, sit quietly beside elderly people who seem lonely, and somehow know exactly when someone needs a gentle head nudge or a warm presence beside them. The day those men threatened me, I was trembling and holding baby Leah Rivka, and Rochester positioned himself right next to us, like a furry guardian angel.
In the Talmud, we’re taught that all of God’s creatures have purpose. I’m beginning to understand that dogs like Rochester embody some of the highest virtues we’re called to practice: loyalty, protection of the innocent, comfort for the suffering, and an uncanny ability to sense truth from deception.
My childhood taught me to be wary of dogs, but my experience with Rochester has shown me something different. Maybe the problem isn’t with the animals themselves, but with how we’ve been taught to see them. Maybe when we isolate ourselves too much from God’s other creatures, we miss important lessons they could teach us.
Rochester has never judged me for the way I dress or the community I come from. He’s never told me my opinions don’t matter because I’m a woman. He’s never tried to control me or force me into a life I don’t want. He simply offers friendship, protection, and an example of how to live with both strength and gentleness.
As I continue to explore life outside Kiryas Lev, I’m learning that wisdom can come from the most unexpected teachers—even a four-legged one with golden fur and a nose for justice.
Sometimes the best lessons in faith come not from studying ancient texts, but from watching a good dog work.
Baruch Hashem for all the teachers in our lives, even the ones with wagging tails.
Dog of Deliverance: A Golden Retriever Mystery
by Neil S. Plakcy
About Dog of Deliverance
Dog of Deliverance: A Golden Retriever Mystery
Cozy Mystery
21st in Series
Setting – Pennsylvania
Publisher : Independently Published
Publication date : June 30, 2025
Print length : 246 pages
Paperback ISBN-13 : 979-8287443207
Digital ASIN : B0FCD4DRD2
When his golden retriever Rochester discovers a body behind the bounce house at Stewart’s Crossing’s first Purim carnival, Steve Levitan finds himself juggling two dangerous investigations that will test both his computer skills and his courage.
Eastern College President Babson asks Steve to use his hacking expertise to investigate Austin Graynor, a star academic whose impressive credentials might be hiding a darker past. What Steve discovers about the professor’s history with female colleagues creates an urgent dilemma about academic power and deadly consequences.
He’s distracted, though, by the murder of Yakov Shmerler, a diamond dealer who was supposed to marry eighteen-year-old Hadassah Schildkraut. Hadassah fled her restrictive Orthodox community to stay with friends of Steve’s. As he helps his detective friend Rick Stemper investigate Yakov’s murder, they uncover secrets that reach from Pennsylvania to the isolated community of Kiryas Lev in New York’s Catskill Mountains.
Hadassah’s escape has made her a target. Her blog exposing corruption in her hometown threatens powerful men who’ve built their authority on others’ silence. As both investigations converge on themes of hidden identities and the courage to challenge corrupt authority—echoing Purim’s ancient story of Queen Esther—Steve must protect those speaking truth to power while helping bring dangerous men to justice.
About Neil S. Plakcy
Neil S. Plakcy is the author of over 70 novels in mystery, romance, and adventure. His golden retriever mysteries are inspired by his English Cream goldens, Brody and Griffin, who are constantly sniffing around for food or affection.
Author Links
WEBSITE: mahubooks.com
BLOG: https://plakcy.substack.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy
GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/126217.Neil_Plakcy
PINTEREST: http://pinterest.com/neilplakcy/boards/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/NeilPlakcy
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/neilplakcy/
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/neil-s-plakcy
LINKED IN: linkedin.com/in/neilplakcy
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001JP4EL6
Purchase Links – Books2Read – Amazon
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This guest post by meow truly was featured on My Reading Journeys as part of Debbie’s blog tour on 
Meow there. It’s my pleasure to chat on My Reading Journeys blog about Debbie’s new release, 
For a case of fiction imitates life or vice versa, Debbie recently adopted two kittens and is in the process of introducing them to her 10-year old cat, Stripey.
For those of you facing a new cat or kitten in your home, here are some links that may make the introductions between the newcomer and your resident cat less stressful.
Sneaky The Library Cat's Blog 