Posts Tagged Book Recommendations

Add Some Religion to Your Summer Reading

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Books on June 29, 2011

I have decided that I owe JPS blog readers my version of a summer reading list.  I have been spending my summer with a fair amount of Hemingway, but For Whom the Bell Tolls is probably not JPS material.  Rather than provide you with a list of only Jewish-oriented novels that you’ve already read, I want to also share a few more broadly religious or spiritual works.  You may have read some of these, you may be avoiding some of these, but hopefully I can encourage you to make a few new friends. 

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-         The Plot Against America – Not necessarily Philip Roth’s best or best-known work, but a really excellent choice for the summer.  The novel imagines Charles Lindbergh defeating FDR in the 1940 election and the ensuing repercussions.  Check out this terrific article  on Roth published in last week’s Financial Times too.

-         A Passage to India OR Howard’s End - I have a huge thing for E.M. Forster because my senior seminar focused on him and Virginia Woolf.  A lot of people fear Forster’s works, but I am here to tell you that they are worth pushing through.  Both A Passage to India and Howard’s End have underlying mystical feeling to them.  A Passage to India also incorporates elements of both Islam and Hinduism.

-         A Portrait of An Artist as Young Man – I know what you’re thinking: James Joyce as a summer read?  Listen, Portrait’s third chapter is one the most frightening and vivid depictions of religion I have ever come across in a novel.  It gets all “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry G-d” coupled with religious retreat on you.

-         The Color of Water – A superb memoir of a black man tracing the roots of his white and Jewish mother, this novel was on my personal summer reading list a few years back.  I think I read the entire novel in less than two days- absolutely stunning.

-         The Old Man and the Sea – Though Hemingway’s novels are not terribly religious, The Old Man and the Sea has a certain spiritual feel to it.  I read the novella over the course of a few hours this past week and found myself oddly swept up in the old man’s inner counseling of self.  His dreaming and chatting are therapeutic and read like dialogue between self and spirit.

-         Need a break from novels?  Try some poetry.  Adhering to my religiously themed list, here are a few works you can try:

  • Pick up anything by William Blake, but start with Songs of Innocence and Experience (try to find the copy with Blake’s really beautiful engravings).
  • Again, anything by Leonard Cohen.  Before this spring, the only work of Leonard Cohen’s I knew was “Hallelujah” (which I used to play repeatedly on the piano). Upon reading “These Heroics” in April, I immediately became a Leonard Cohen fan and am now playing catch-up.
  • Read and share Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Sonnets from the Portuguese.  The sonnets are heavy with religious allusion, yet also extremely beautiful as expressions of love. 

What are your favorite religious-oriented novels or works of poetry?

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The Circumcision Decision

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Knowledge on June 24, 2011

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As fans and observers (Jewcy includes “maybe a handful of Perez Hilton wannabes”) wait to learn if Natalie Portman will have her son circumcised, the anti-circumcision movement swells.  In reading Kveller’s post about the potential impending bris, I was slightly taken aback by the really heated comments from readers.  I am not particularly interested in outlining a well-developed reason as to why I either do or do not support circumcision.  I’m neither male nor a parent, and I have not yet had to think through my position.  What I do want to do is discuss the books published by JPS that may prove useful for those in the position to make the circumcision decision.

First and foremost: the Tanakh.  Yes, I know you probably already have one (which totally rocks), but start by reading the passage in Lekh Lekha (Genesis 12.20) in which G-d tells Abraham that “every male among [him] shall be circumcised…and that shall be a sign of the covenant.”  Side note: Lekh Lekha was actually my bat mitzvah portion so it’s interesting to be re-visiting it as a blogger rather than a thirteen-year-old grasping for the meaning of her portion.

Next, check out Vanessa L. Ochs’ book Inventing Jewish Ritual.  In her brief section on circumcision, Ochs offers a new take on circumcision as ritual.  She writes that, “Jewish ritual is no longer necessarily embraced or rejected without first engaging in a process of reflection.”  Rather, ritual is now the process by which a Jew comes to a decision, not just the decision itself.  For Ochs, ritual is essentially interactive, the act of deciding what one wants to do or not do based on reasoning.  For my parents, circumcising my brother was a given – “a Jew thing” as my dad says – but even their decision to adhere to past practice is a ritual for it shows a process by which they made a choice.

Finally, challenge yourself with a copy of Jewish Choices, Jewish Voices: Body.  Dr. Harry Brod, author of the article, “Circumcisional Circumstances: Circumspecting the Jewish Male Body,” writes of circumcision as “hidden.”  He explains: “that which is undiscussed or hidden…operates all the more powerfully precisely because of its hiddenness,”- so thus circumcision grows and festers as a subject the more that people refuse to discuss it.  Brod urges specifically men to discuss circumcision and to have an active role in deciding whether or not a son will be circumcised.  On a more general note, he encourages men to take control and participate in important conversations about their bodies.

The overall and overt point of this post is that there is no “right” answer to the circumcision question- it is a very personal and very important decision, one which each person or family must make for their own reason(s).  Individuals and families, however, owe it to themselves and Jewish tradition to make a well-educated decision, one which JPS is more than happy to aid with books.

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A List of Lists to End All Lists!

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Link Roundup on January 1, 2011

I have a thing for ranked lists. All that categorization does something great for my repressed OCD. The one downside to all those ‘top ten’ sites is the typical subject matter. Sure, I care what your top ten favorite B-Horror movie monsters are, but sometimes I find myself looking for heftier topics.

Here’s a few classy lists from some of my favorite Jewish sites and publications:

Any good sources of lists I missed? Let me know. I’m a little bit addicted.

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Prepare Yourself For Chanukah Shopping!

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Link Roundup on November 7, 2010

I know it’s crazy, but there are only about three shopping weeks left before Chanukah is upon us. The holiday begins on December 1st, so this year buying all your presents on Black Friday indicates some serious procrastination on your part. I don’t recommend it.

Personally, I’m a big fan of online shopping. I think we all have our shortlist of standby stores and websites for last minute shopping, but that doesn’t answer the question of what to buy. Googling such a question tends to lead me to lists of hot new gadgets I can’t afford. I love Dad too much to buy him a heated ice scraper, anyway. So what to buy?

Looking back, it may be more appropriate to call this post, “Rachel is hungry and wants book and t-shirts for Chanukah,” but I hope I gave you an idea or two. If not, comment with the gifts you’re planning on buying, or hoping to get!

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So Many Books, So Little Time!

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Jewish Books on August 30, 2010

If you’re like me, you started your summer with an overly ambitious reading list that’s been (mostly) neglected. Now that the time for beach reading is nearly done, you may find yourself staring woefully at a pile of almost-finished novels. Just be grateful that you didn’t try to start the season off with some Dostoyevsky. Trust me. Vowing to finish The Idiot in June is a great way to guarantee that you won’t finish anything by August.

So here’s your quest, should you choose to accept it: Knuckle down and finish something meaty before it’s fall. We’re talking a hardcore literature binge. No more teen vampire romances for us. If you need ideas, take a look at these:

  • Let’s start with a list of underrated authors compiled by Publishers Weekly. I’m   pretty sure I haven’t read the work of anyone on here, so I’ll definitely be looking them up! Don’t you love being the one to introduce an awesome book to your friends and coworkers?
  • I’m really, really far behind if I want to read all the books suggested by JPS author Josh Lambert’s weekly column, On The Bookshelf, featured by Tablet Magazine. I do, though. Each of the books he highlights sound like they should be at the top of my list.
  • Super Sad True Love Story has been all over the internet this summer. I can’t believe that I haven’t read it yet…dystopian literature has been my favorite since I stole The Giver from my sister in fourth grade! Clearly I’m a terrible, lazy person. I swear I just bought a copy.  Shteyngart’s new novel, according to some, indicates that books by Russian-Jewish immigrants are now quite the thing. Here he is in a podcast with Joshua Cohen, author of Witz, discussing their individual takes on dystopian America as a book setting.
  • Rachel Shukert is just a never ending source of hilarity. Her first memoir, in case you missed it, was Have You No Shame?, a witty and genuine look into her childhood as a Jewish girl in Nebraska and her attempts to break into acting in New York. She also wrote Everything’s Coming Up Moses: A Gypsy Seder, and juxtapositions of campy musicals and biblical tales are a genre I will support to the bitter end. Her second memoir, Everything Is Going To Be Great, chronicles her tour through Europe as a recent college graduate. To get an idea of what she’s all about, take a listen to this excerpt from Everything Is Going To Be Great.

What are you waiting for? Get off the internet and read! Well, first you should use the internet to procure reading material, and I suppose you might as well keep surfing while you wait for said book to arrive, but then you should hole up and read for as long as possible.

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Jews in the World Cup

Posted by admin in Publishing on June 24, 2010

Four years ago, I watched the World Cup matches on a huge outdoor screen on the beaches of Tel Aviv. This year, though I’m in the states, I’ve still been able to take some Jewish pride in watching the games. Thanks to a report by Ron Kaplan at New Jersey Jewish News, I’ve learned that there are three Jews on the US squad:

Both Bornstein and Feilhaber, who happen to be old friends and roommates, played in yesterday’s winning game. The Jewish Journal recently interviewed the two players on their connection to Judaism. Here are a few highlights:

Feilhaber said that he and Bornstein “definitely had a special connection” because of their religion. Plus, he said, “it was easy being friends with him because he scored all the goals so I passed him all the balls.”

“My father is Jewish, and I have a connection with Judaism through my father and my grandparents. I know our history as a people and embrace being Jewish myself,” Feilhaber said. “Of course, my proudest moment as a Jew was having my bar mitzvah in front of all my family and friends.”

Bornstein’s relationship with Judaism also stems from his father, a Jew born into an Orthodox family in New York. While Bornstein did not have a bar mitzvah and doesn’t consider himself observant, he did grow up celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Passover with relatives. And he credits his experience representing the United States in the Maccabiah Games in 2005 with reinforcing his Jewish identity.

“It was an amazing experience. I loved it, and not just because I got to play soccer in Israel. It made me realize how fulfilling and enriched Jewish culture really is,”Bornstein said.

Click here to read the full article.

For further reading about Jewish sports stars, check out these great resources:

-Jill Finkelstein

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Jewish Delis: The History of the Nosh

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Jewish Books on June 22, 2010

Have you ever wondered how Delis became such a huge aspect of Jewish American culture? Today, I got the opportunity to flip through Sheryll Bellman’s America’s Great Delis: Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast. Bellman explains that the first delis were opened by German immigrants in New York. With buildings hard to come by, most cooks sold their wares in pushcarts. In the early 1900’s, a Jewish population in the city increased so rapidly that they were the largest immigrant group there by 1910. Naturally, Ashkenazim food began to dominate the pushcarts of New York. Soon the Deli business moved inside, and by then traditional European Jewish foods had become synonymous with Delicatessen.

While reading, besides finding out that I might be hot dog royalty (Charles Feltman, a German immigrant, opened the first American hot dog stand 1867), I also learned all about the origins of some of America’s favorite deli foods. Here are some fun facts:

  • Bagels originated in Krakow, Poland circa 1610. They were called beygls, and were originally given as gifts to women after childbirth.
  • Cheesecake was served to Olympic athletes in Greece as early as 776 B.C.E.
  • Most jarred pickles you can find at the grocery store are pickled rapidly using heat instead of long soaks in brine. To get the texture and taste of a genuine pickle, make sure you go to a deli that makes their own. My personal favorite, the half sour dill pickle, is pickled for two weeks. A real full sour takes three months.
  • Seltzer, adopted quickly as a classic deli drink because it complimented the rich food, was once known as Jewish champagne.
  • If they’re made of milk, chocolate syrup, and seltzer, why are they called Egg Creams? Some think it was a witty way of describing the beverage as being rich, since when it was invented (1890) no one could possibly afford to use eggs and cream in a beverage.
  • Jewish macaroons were probably adapted from a recipe created by Italian nuns, while biscotti were most likely inspired by Mandelbrot that Spanish Jews brought to Italy. It’s a small world!

For more facts and a ton of great recipes, check out the book at Bellman’s website: http://sheryllbellman.com

Of course, anyone can see that there just aren’t as many Delis as there used to be, especially outside of New York! Find out how to fight the fast food takeover at http://www.savethedeli.com.

It doesn’t matter where you’re from: Nothing beats an old-fashioned Jewish Deli. Yum!

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Summer Reading Roundup

Posted by admin in Jewish Books, Link Roundup, Publishing on June 11, 2010

School may be out for summer, but don’t underestimate the fun of curling up in the warm weather with a good book. We’ve rounded up the best of the web to get you excited about summer reading!

1.     Joanne Meier blogs about the benefits of reading during the summer on Reading Rockets’ Sound It Out blog. According to a new study, simply giving kids books may actually be as effective as summer school. Summer reading also helps kids retain what they’ve learned throughout the school year.

2.     Many book stores are offering incentives to kids for reading. This summer, with through Barnes & Noble’s Passport to Summer Reading program, when kids read 8 books, they can earn a free book of their choice. The program also offers downloadable activity kits for parents and educators. At Borders, kids under 12 can earn a free book when they read 10 books through their ‘10 Summer Double Dog Dare reading program.

3.     Know of any good books? Now you can share your summer reading recommendations or search for the perfect title on Twitter by using the hashtag #sumread10.

4.     Participate in a summer reading program! Visit http://www.cslpreads.org for a list of reading resources (for children and adults) and find out if your local library is part of the Collaborative Summer Library Program.

5.     E-readers are great for tossing into your beach bag, but if you’re thinking about buying one, check out this article from The New York Times to find out which one best suits you.

If you know of any other great reading programs or summer reading recommendations you would like to share with other readers, let us know in the comment section. Happy reading!

-Jill Finkelstein

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Celebrating A Belated Women’s History Month

Posted by admin in Jewish Books, Jewish Knowledge on April 12, 2010

Sarah, our New Linkages intern, guest blogs today about Jewish Women.

Szold's writing desk Jewish Museum of Maryland

Each month there is a different reason to celebrate. In March, Jewish women everywhere were commemorating Women’s History Month. Even though March is over, it is still a time to reflect on the literary and cultural achievements of Jewish women. Henrietta Szold is a monumental figure in the world of Jewish literature and learning. In 1893, she became the first paid employee and secretary of JPS. In that capacity Szold wrote, edited, translated, and oversaw the publication of 87 books. Many of these works continue to pervade contemporary American Jewish culture.

The many voices of Jewish women are constantly being read and heard in new and innovative ways. Below are some exciting resources to both learn and share in the stories of Jewish women.

The Jewish Women’s Archive (JWA) is an online resource providing a repository of information about influential North American Jewish women, web-based exhibits, documentary films and educational tools. JWA’s blog, “Jewesses with Attitude”, is a space where women can discuss feminism, Jewish-related events and more.

Lilith Magazine is an independent, Jewish women’s publication, featuring current event articles, historical and contemporary first-person accounts, art, photography, fiction and poetry all by and about Jewish women.

From the Rib?, Jewess and The Sisterhood Blog are all forums dedicated to discussing issues Jewish women face day-to-day.  Topics range from posts about the changing role of women in Orthodoxy to women in healthcare reform to personal anecdotes about Jewish experiences.

While online resources are helpful and educational, Jewish women are writing their own narratives, guides and stories about Jewish life.  Below are some recent and exciting books written by and about Jewish women:

Sisters at Sinai: New Tales of Biblical Women by Rabbi Jill Hammer Ph.D

In this anthology of 24 stories, Rabbi Jill Hammer explores the influence women of the Bible have had on Jewish life and Torah. Drawing on the importance of midrash, Hammer creates new, imagined biblical worlds in which women such as Miriam, Sarah and Lilith are reexamined as teachers and leaders.

Genesis: The Beginning of Desire by Avivah Zornberg Ph.D

A National Book Award Winner, this uplifting exploration of Genesis breathes new life into biblical stories, weaving together midrashic and literary sources. Through her own lyrical style, Zornberg shares her beautiful, personal experience of God with her readers. Other notable works by this author include: Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus (2001) and of The Murmuring Deep: Reflections on the Biblical Unconscious (2009).

Inventing Jewish Ritual by Vanessa Ochs

In this provocative guide, Ochs explores the ways contemporary Judaism is evolving and engaging in new traditions such as naming ceremonies for baby girls, Rosh Hodesh groups, women’s seders and healing services.  This text is a guiding light in modern Jewish ritual and women’s place in that ritual.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

This fascinating and engaging first novel by Diamant re-creates the life of Dinah, daughter of Leah and Jacob. The story focuses on the “red tent,” the place where women of the tribe gathered during their menstrual cycles or pregnancies. Through this insider’s look at the daily lives of a biblical group of women, the feminine characters truly come to life.

Rashi’s Daughters Trilogy and Rashi’s Daughter, Secret Scholar by Maggie Anton

All these incredibly detailed and page-turning novels focus on the lives of medieval Jewish women in France. The text blends Talmudic study with a plot thickened by the relationships between the scholar Saloman ben Isaac, and his three daughters, Joheved, Miriam and Rachel.

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The 59th Annual Jewish Book Awards

Posted by Carol in Jewish Books on March 11, 2010

My goodness, what a week: first, the Oscars on Sunday night, and then the Jewish Oscars on Tuesday! The Jewish book Oscars, that is: the 2009 National Jewish Book Awards.

Jewish Book Council

Dozens of Jewish literary notables were there: Joseph Telushkin, James Kugel, Lawrence Schiffman, Ari Goldman, Alana Newhouse, Yitz and Blu Greenberg, just for starters. Lots of other familiar faces, too, including two former JPS interns Naomi Firestone and Miri Pomerantz Dauber, now with the Jewish Book Council, which hosted the event.

It was quite a night for JPS, with more award winners than any other publisher: Editor Emerita Ellen Frankel and Avi Katz took a prize for the best Illustrated Children’s Book, for their JPS Illustrated Children’s Bible; Paul Steinberg and Janet Greenstein Potter’s Celebrating the Jewish Year: The Spring and Summer Holidays won for best Jewish Family Literature, Judy Klitsner’s Subversive Sequel in the Bible took the award for Scholarship. Frauke von Rohden’s Meneket Rivkah: A Manual of Wisdom and Piety for Jewish Women was a finalist for in the Scholarship category, and Frankel and Katz also were finalists in Jewish Family Literature. Below you can view a slideshow of our winners at the event!

I’m a big fiction fan, so I’ve added Joseph Kertes’ Gratitude: A Novel, the fiction award winner, to my (50+ book!) reading list. If you want to add winners to your reading list, check out wwww.jewishbookcouncil.org and add your comments and suggested book list titles below in response to this posting.

-Carol Hupping, Interim Director

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