Jews who Rescued Jews During the Holocaust is an extraordinary initial publication of the compiled research of Moshe Gromb. The work is precisely summarized, factual, clinical, telling the stories of 100 of the over 2,000 harrowing stories he has collected. [Jerry Klinger]
Chronicler tells of Jewish rescuers during Holocaust Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Middle East
The prolific author Lynne Sharon Schwartz has put together a collection of 25 of her short stories that have appeared in a variety of publications, calling the resulting book Truthtelling. To go on sale on October 6, the slim volume makes for engaging reading in short, concentrated bursts. The first story in the book, also called “Truthtelling,” tells of a long-married couple exchanging confessions about misdeeds during their marriage. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]
A prolific writer shares stories, fables, glimpses Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks is a world-wide respected religious leader, the former chief rabbi of the English Commonwealth, the author of more than thirty books, and the winner of numerous prizes. His new book Judaism’s Life-Changing Ideas,” with a Foreword ‘”The Secret of Our Staying Power” by Bari Weiss, the award-winning author and op-ed editor and writer of the New York Times, introduces readers to a life-changing Jewish idea from each of the more than fifty weekly biblical portions. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
A book filled with knowledge Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
I have read and reviewed numerous Holocaust memoirs, but none hit me with the impact of this novel — perhaps because the author infused The Brothers of Auschwitz with such onomatopoeia as the sounds of machine gun fire, the clubbing of human beings, the whistle of death. This made the experience different from reading the more flatly narrated memories of Holocaust survivors; it stimulated me to not only read about the horrors of the camp, but to empathically experience them. [Donald H. Harrison]
Novel captures horror, confusion of Holocaust, recovery Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
Laurie Baron, Ph.D., rounds up opportunities for diverse Jewish studies via the Internet.
Streaming Jewish Programs (Sept. 21-24) Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA
As I read this comprehensive, engaging book about Jewish Music in America, I kept thinking about the extensive music collection we have in our Astor Judaica Library of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center and what a wonderful course we could develop, using this volume as the textbook and our library’s lp records, CDs and DVDs for illustrations. We have most of the music Fruhauf writes about in her book. [Eileen Wingard]
The volume of Jewish music in America Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA
Guerrero adroitly compiles in a fast-moving, soundly researched 275 pages a text that connects the dots between Miller’s own history, personal stories of Trump and Miller’s victims, backstage intrigue and shocking events thanks in part to Miller’s engineering. Miller, who predictably would not cooperate with Guerrero, is part of a hard-right network that has long sought the kinds of ultra-conservative policies the current White House is attempting to implement. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Book review: ‘Hatemonger’ skewers Stephen Miller Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Bruce Ticker, International, Middle East, USA
Amid the glitzy lifestyle that author Susannah Marren described so well in her previous novel, A Palm Beach Wife, the Cutler family sisters, Elodie and Aubrey, face a real-life crisis that will challenge all their conceptions in their label-conscious bubble world. [Donald H. Harrison]
Should a woman carry her sister’s child? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
I can recommend two enjoyable holiday books for young readers to enjoy on the holidays and all year long! [Marcia Berneger]
Jewish Books for Children: Chanukah & Tu B’Shevat Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Marcia Berneger
You might get the idea from the title of this book that it is about a BBYO Group enjoying a favorite ride at Disneyland. However, it is far more serious than that. It tells about the war Jewish refugees waged against Portugal and Spain and their Grand Inquisitors. It also offers a hint concerning the dispute between Spain and Portugal over the true nationality of 16th century explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish pirates took revenge on Inquisition’s nations Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, USA
Adam looked at the kitchen clock and realized he would not make it to the morning minyan, even if he sprinted. He would daven shachris from home, in his new apartment. He began the morning blessings, thanking Hashem for causing him to wake from sleep, for being born a male, for being sure-footed. These primary blessings were intended to set the tone of praise, gratitude, and mindfulness for the prayers to follow. [Short story by Eva Trieger]
Fiction: “It’s a Good Start” Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eva Trieger, Jewish Fiction, Lifestyles
Friday, the big day arrived. Mendel’s hat and long black coat were cleaned, special. We even asked the seamstress to fix the frayed bottom of his coat so it would not look bad. He had a new white shirt, properly buttoned to the collar and his tallit katon, which he always wore outside his shirt. It was freshly washed and ironed. We added black shoe polish to his canvas shoes to make them look darker. He combed out his long salt and pepper beard, so it was extra neat. [Jerry Klinger]
Fiction: Mendel the Chasid’s job interview Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jerry Klinger, Jewish Fiction
I climbed the cheap metal steps to one of the many cheap “temporary” classroom buildings that sprouted like weeds between my Spring 1965 campus visit to SUNY Buffalo [UB] and the August start of freshman year. The classic Gothic campus on Main Street had turned into a muddy mobile home park, but I was happy to be there. Not quite 17, I celebrated as my parents drove off in tears, leaving me 400 miles from home. They had told me to choose a state school, and the map told me Buffalo was as far as I could get from Brooklyn. A bonus was UB’s academic reputation, good enough for the elitists in my high school to express surprise that I had been accepted. [Michael Ginsberg]
A mind is a fine thing to grow Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Lifestyles, Michael Ginsberg, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USAWe had a small bundle of papers on the table, a job application seven pages long and a thirteen-page job description certification. Applying for a job as a tollbooth operator for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority was more complicated than we had at first thought. [Jerry Klinger]
Fiction: Mendel the Chasid applies for a tollbooth job Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jerry Klinger, Jewish Fiction