The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyle; Random House Children’s Books/ David Fickling Books (c) 2016; ISBN 978-0-385-75107-0; 218 pages including discussion questions; $17.99 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — This novel is being brought back after a decade; its impact on its intended audience of young readers likely to be sad, […]
The Dream of Zion: The Story of the First Zionist Congress by Lawrence J. Epstein, Rowman & Littlefield, New York; ISBN 978-1-4422-5466-5 ©2016, $36.00, p. 137, plus chronology and references. By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — Professor emeritus Lawrence Epstein in his newest book The Dream of Zion, argues that the nineteenth-century European Enlightenment’s
‘The Dream of Zion’ focuses on the life of Herzl Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, International, Jewish History, Middle East
The Chameleon That Saved Noah’s Ark by Yael Molchadsky with illustrations by Orit Bergman; Penguin Young Readers Group/ Nancy Paulsen Books (c) 2015; ISBN 978-1-100-99676-8; 28 pages, 16.99 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –You could call this Israeli-written and illustrated book a fable, or a midrash, that utilizes the well-known biblical story of Noah
Fabled chameleons protect food supply on Noah’s Ark Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer by Irene Gut Opdyke and Jennifer Armstrong; Penguin Random House/ Ember; (c) 1999, 2015; ISBN 978-0-679-99181-6; 278 pages including appendices, $10.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — This publication has reviewed, and will continue to review, numerous memoirs by Holocaust survivors. What makes this memoir different
A Righteous Gentile’s own story Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History
Meant To Be by Rabbi Marvin Hier; Toby Press, LLC; © 2015; ISBN 978-1-59264-389-9; 342 pages including photo sections and index; $29.95 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –This memoir tells the story of the founding of the Yeshiva University of Los Angeles, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, Moriah Pictures, and the Museums of Tolerance in
Growth of Museum of Tolerance, Moriah Pictures told Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. HarrisonLife Along the Silk Road, by Susan Whitfield, 2nd edition, University Press, 2015 By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — The book opens with several explanatory sections: a “Preface to the Second Edition,” a “Note of Transliteration and Names,” an “Introduction,” a “Prologue,” and a map spread across two pages. The map is arresting. It shows
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Books, Poetry & Short Stories
The Ghost Warriors: Inside Israel’s Undercover War Against Suicide Terrorism by Samuel Katz; Berkley (2016) ISBN: 1592409016; $18; Rated: 5* By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — There is hardly a day when we don’t read another story about a terrorist attack. For the most part, Radical Islam has demonstrated an almost uncanny ability to raise
Katz’s book on Israel’s war against terror is outstanding Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastOr the Daughter of Not Without My Daughter By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — One day in 1991, a huge “skyscraper” size portrait of Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini was draped on full display in Israel and as can be imagined caused quite a bit of consternation. Police arrived on the scene to find that it actually
From the Jewish library: ‘My Name is Mahtob’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short StoriesBy Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California–The works of two great Jewish poets, Leah Goldberg (1911-1970) and Zalman Shneour (1887-1959) will be featured at the Tuesday, February 23, 7 p.m. program of Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices in the Astor Judaica Library of the Lawrence Family JCC. All the poems will be read in their original language as
Large cast to read, sing Goldberg, Shneour works Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego CalendarFalse Facts and True Rumors: LaShon HaRa in Contemporary Culture by Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, Maggid Books, Jerusalem; ISBN 978-1-59264-441-4 ©2015, $29.95, p. 261, plus bibliography and indexes By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California–The Hebrew expression lashon hara, literally meaning “an evil tongue,” is often translated as slander, gossip, and malicious or disparaging speech. In contemporary
How Judaism views evil speech Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionSergei Prokofiev: A Soviet Tragedy by Victor Seroff, Funk & Wagnalls, 1968 By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — Anton Rubenstein. a composer and one of the greatest piano virtuosos of the 19th century was born to Jewish parents in the vicinity of Odessa. Though he and Prokofiev never met – indeed Prokofiev was only three
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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
The Tree in the Courtyard: Looking Through Anne Frank’s Window by Jeff Gottesfeld; illustrated by Peter McCarty; ©2016 Alfred A. Knopf, Junior Library Guild Selection; 34 pages; $17.99 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This beautifully written, magnificently illustrated, sentimental remembrance of Anne Frank is being marketed as a children’s book, but I’m not
Can a derivative story teach the Holocaust? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History
Ghosts: Images of War by Carrie Zeidman; © 2015 Swiss Creek Publications; ISBN 978-0970227652; 71 pages; $40. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This is an unusual book of photo essays touring venues of the American Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Holocaust. Photojournalist Carrie Zeidman visits these places
‘Ghosts’ illustrates reverence for our war dead Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USA
Stop The Fight: An Illustrated Guide for Couples by Michelle Brody, PhD; © 2015; The Experiment, LLC; ISBN 978-1-61519-280-9; 295 pages plus index and notes; $15.95 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Psychologist Michelle Brody offers a dozen scenarios illustrating typical fights between married couples, along with suggestions for how the couples might understand what those
Some tips for couples who don’t want to quarrel Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison