Check Out Harry Stern’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Harry Stern.

Hi Harry, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in a New York City neighborhood populated by a wide range of immigrant groups. The neighborhood bordered Harlem, which was often the scene of racial tension and teen clashes. The environment was a stimulus for me to become self-reliant. Upon graduation from City College of New York, I was employed by a residential treatment center for teen delinquents. Subsequently, I earned a master’s degree at Columbia University specializing in Social Policy and Policy Administration.

Upon my graduation in 1968, I married and moved to Israel. We were determined to help the fledging country in any way we could. I held the role of Director of Community Organization for Southern Tel Aviv and I held a faculty position at Hebrew University, in Jerusalem.

Several years later, we returned to the USA, whereupon I entered the doctoral program at Columbia University, graduating in 1977 with a degree in advanced policy administration.

At this stage of my career, I was writing professional articles, but aspired to write fiction when my professional life allowed. The many diverse experiences that I had living in the Middle-East, in a country bordered on all fronts by enemies gave rise to numerous scenarios for my novels.

Likewise, the scenarios sensitized me as I retired from my 16-year tenure as the CEO of the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. My retirement lasted a month as I was recruited to the position of Director of Global Development at Kennesaw State University. This position brought me into contact with many Arab World countries — quite a departure from my prior experiences. My diverse experiences helped me to enrich my novels through first-hand experiences.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Geopolitical tumult in the Middle-East provides an ever-changing terrain upon which to create a cat-and-mouse novel. Seemingly perpetual animosity provides a backdrop for spy thrillers which pits equally cunning actors vying to outwit one another.

The personal struggle for me has been identification with Israel while understanding the quest for land that the many entities feel is their legitimate right. The understanding wanes when extreme violence enters the picture.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Throughout my career, I have written and lectured on Middle Eastern affairs and their impact on Israel’s military challenges.

The majority of my career has been at the helm of a nonprofit agency. I held the position of CEO of the Lawrence Family JCC in San Diego from 1987-1991. In 1991, I was recruited to become the CEO of The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, where I served for 16 years. The initial years in that position were devoted, in part, to raising the funds to add 120,000 square feet onto the 40,000 square foot Zaban Center. I remained in the CEO position for sixteen years and proudly instituted numerous programs and events that continue to grow and impact Atlanta’s general community.

I launched the Bargal-Canaan series of espionage novels in 2020 with My Brothers’ Keeper, and my second book, The Insider. Both are available at harrysternbooks.com.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success, in my personal life and career, has been defined in categories.
My career as an instructor in universities has been clearly linked to student advancement and their appreciation of viewpoints analogous to theirs as well as divergent from their beliefs.

I have been immensely gratified by the introduction of inclusive programming for persons with disabilities at the Marcus Jewish Community Center and Kennesaw State University.

Readers’ responses to my Middle Eastern spy-thriller novels have been truly invigorating and at times overwhelming. The novels touch on Middle-Eastern conflicts and foes that seem to have limitless enmity toward each other. I have received numerous requests for advance copies of my upcoming, soon to be launched third novel, “The Munich Conspiracy.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://harrysternbooks.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574988389097