By Ellie Schwartz, Volunteer Librarian
In this blog, I’m highlighting a few of the new titles in the Levine Library at Temple Beth Abraham, describing the locations in the library of fiction and nonfiction about Israel, and explaining how you can borrow books. Please read on!
Once upon a time, I.B. Singer wrote a story of Gimpl, a much-maligned individual taken for a fool. Published about a month before the Nazi surrender, the classic story was interpreted as a symbol of Jews in the diaspora. Saul Bellow translated the story from Yiddish into English in 1953; his translation was done in a single sitting with no involvement from Singer. In this bilingual edition, the original appears along with Bellow’s version and a translation begun by Singer himself and completed by scholar David Stromberg. It is intriguing — and fun — to see the differences in translations in this beautifully illustrated little book.
This stunningly gorgeous book will wow you! As Jewish Studies professor and author Marc Michael Epstein writes: "Izzy Pludwinski is an artist, an artisan, and a master teacher. His letterforms sing and soar. Were all the skies made of parchment, all the seas overflowing with ink, every reed and quill a pen, and everyone a scribe by trade, I cannot imagine a better, more accessible, more consummately gorgeous book on Hebrew calligraphy could be created. This work is a gift that deserves to be given to all whom we love, and to all whom we wish to introduce to the breathtaking beauty of Hebrew script."
As one of the editors of The Jewish Catalog: A Do-It-Yourself-Kit (published in 1973 and still available in bookstores), Rabbi Strassfield was one of the disrupters of Jewish practices in the American diaspora. He has returned to the business of disruption in 2023 with Judaism Disrupted, which has garnered praise from rabbis and lay leaders alike. He writes: "Judaism’s purpose is not to help us become good Jews, it is to help us become good people. Judaism should be offering wisdom and practices to help us take the most precious gift we have been given — our lives — and live with meaning and purpose. https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/pb-daily/disrupting-judaism-modern-practices-in-the-making Rabbi Strassfield suggests eleven core principles, which include continuing the work of creation by bringing goodness into the world, finding holiness in our everyday interactions, and reflecting on our mistakes and making changes (teshuvah).
The library has a sizable collection of books about Israel, including histories, biographies, and novels. You will find histories in the 800s, biographies in 799, and fiction in the fiction section. A few titles:
The Levine Library is open during TBA business hours. To check out a book, find the sign out sheet on the cabinet to your left as you walk in the room. Add the date, your name, and the title of the book. Plan to return the book in two weeks, or keep it until you’re done (unless somebody else wants it). Sign out as many books as you like!
On Shabbat or Jewish holidays, the checkout procedure is different. You can find me in the library during Musaf most Shabbat mornings. Tell me what you’re borrowing, and I will record the information after Shabbat. (I have a pretty good memory for books and borrowers; this superpower can be a mixed blessing.) If I’m not there, simply email me after Shabbat and I’ll record the information.
Stay tuned for my next blog entry in December. I’ll tell you how you can use the library catalog to request specific titles. Note: the library catalog is accessible from the TBA website: Education/Adult Education/Beth Abraham Library Catalog. Alternatively, you can go there directly:
For questions email Ellie: ellie.schwartz1@gmail.com