Chaya Rochel Zimmerman was born and raised in Staten Island, NY, by her Polish father and her Brooklyn-born mother. Her father made a living from a small egg and butter store, often giving groceries away to his poorer customers. Later in life, when he became the beloved Shamash of the only Orthodox Shul on Staten Island, he continued performing acts of kindness for the members of the shul.

From an early age, Chaya Rochel was drawn to the world of education and its endless possibilities. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Education from Brooklyn College and her Master’s in Math Education from the University of Maryland. Subsequently, she attended Machon Chana and Bais Rivka Seminary in New York to deepen her Jewish knowledge.

She is married to Yale Zimmerman, CEO of the former Zimmerman Brush Co., a professional musician, and currently a real estate agent. They lovingly raised their eleven children in Chicago while simultaneously growing the fledgling Jewish community. Together with other families, they founded a Yiddish-speaking elementary school and subsequently a Girls High School, serving on the school boards. Chaya Rochel organized women’s programs and children’s groups and currently volunteers as a Mikvah attendant.

Chaya Rochel’s experiences in raising a large family, combined with her communal involvement with children, teens, and adults, attuned her to the complex issues faced by young people moving into adulthood. After witnessing immense pain as well as marvelous triumphs by various community members, she was motivated to reach out with an important message for the frum community: you are not alone in your struggles.

She took the common experience of contemporary Jewish Orthodox life, highlighting challenges and illuminating and validating them. Her courageous stories are drawn from true episodes, albeit written through the medium of fiction, sensitively preserving the dignity of people in crisis.

Her passion for writing arose from her love of reading and the realization that her desire to help others can be expressed through writing. When writing a book, especially a novel, the author puts herself aside to identify with the mindset of the characters she has created, writing with a passion that inspires herself and thereby her readers.

She seeks to create an enjoyable body of work, true to her heritage, that will captivate and educate the minds of her readers while evoking reflection and encouragement.

"Lemons In The Fog," her first book, brought much-needed awareness and hope, shining a spotlight on the serious issue of mental health.

"The Next Pair Of Shoes" opened our eyes to the gratitude we owe our ancestors for immigrating to friendlier shores to secure a better Jewish future for our people.

"Seattle To Strawberries" explores how the tuition crisis contributes to serious decisions Jewish families must make concerning lifestyle choices.