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JBI Library

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LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     🕮    Jill Rothstein is the head librarian at JBI Library, an organization that connects anyone who is blind, has low vision, or has a print disability to Jewish life. I learned so much by talking with Jill, about how JBI helps readers AND helps other libraries. This interview includes an invitation! JBI Library is inviting you to help create tactile Hanukkah cards that can be enjoyed through the sense of touch. Order free supplies from JBI by October 12th to participate. It really is a great mitzvah activity for all ages. Speaking of doing a mitzvah, I want to give you my own Tikkun Olam suggestion right now. With the U.S. midterm elections approaching, I want to urge you to make a plan to vote. Go to NoKings.org to check your voter registration, find local voter ID laws, and learn about your voting rights and how to stay safe at the polls. Visit NoKings.org and click on the big r...
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Sukkot x 3

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LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     🕮    Like most Jewish holidays, the meaning of Sukkot is multi-layered: it commemorates the ancient harvest pilgrimage to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, but it also represents the temporary dwellings used during the Exodus from Egypt. In modern times we tend to think of it as a chance to reconnect with nature, gives thanks for our blessings, and gather with community. In terms of kidlit, Sukkot is the winning-est holiday of the season this year, with multiple titles coming out at the same time! We expect lots of books each year for Passover and Hanukkah, but it’s unusual for Sukkot to be so well represented. I couldn’t choose, so I invited three authors into my virtual sukkah for a group discussion.  LEARN MORE: Amy Fellner Dominy’s website , Instagram , Facebook Barbara Lerman-Golomb’s website , Instagram , Facebook Sidura Ludwig’s website , Instagram , Facebook Buy A House with...
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Diving Deep on Rosh Hashanah

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LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    Rabbi Ed Rosenthal is the founder of Tikkun HaYam, or Repair the Sea, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping our oceans clean. Rachelle Burk is the author of Diving Deep on Rosh Hashanah, a picture book biography of Rabbi Ed. Today I've got both of them on the podcast for an inspiring conversation about citizen science and water torah. LEARN MORE: Episode Transcript Buy Diving Deep on Rosh Hashanah Rachelle Burk’s website Rabbi Ed’s Repair the Sea website The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau trailer and playlist Tikkun Olam: Sign up for Reverse Tashlich and avoid single-use plastic Sample Share Your Shelf bonus segment — free for all subscribers this month! This is what the bonus segments always look like, take a peek. CREDITS: Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish L...
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New Faces: Derek Stordahl at Behrman House/Apples & Honey Press

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LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT          🕮     Behrman House has been publishing Jewish educational materials and children's books for over 100 years, and up until now, has been a family-run business. But David Behrman and his wife Vicki Weber are about to enter their well-deserved retirement, and they are passing the business out of the family into the capable hands of their friend and colleague Derek Stordahl. I spoke to all three of them about the history, and the future, of Behrman House and its children's imprint, Apples & Honey Press . This is Part 2 in my 2-part "New Faces" series. Part 1 introduces you to the new Editorial Director at Kar-Ben Publishing, Leila Sales. If you haven't heard it, go back and listen ! LEARN MORE: Behrman House website , Facebook , and Instagram Apples & Honey Press website and Instagram Press release about the change in leadership Past Book of Life interviews...
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New Faces: Leila Sales at Kar-Ben Publishing

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LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    VISIT KAR-BEN     🕮    Kar-Ben Publishing has been producing Jewish children's books for over 50 years. After the recent retirement of 20-year veteran Joni Sussman, we've got new leadership at Kar-Ben with Editorial Director Leila Sales. Here's my conversation with Leila about the behind-the-scenes transition at the beloved institution that is Kar-Ben. This is Part 1 in my 2-part "New Faces" series. Part 2 will introduce you to the new owner of Behrman House and Apples & Honey Press, Derek Stordahl. Episode drops July 16, 2026. Author Jane Yolen z"l passed away recently at age 87. She was the incredibly prolific author of 450 books, both secular and Jewish. She wrote the landmark 1988 Holocaust novel The Devil's Arithmetic , and she was the winner of the 2022 Sydney Taylor Body of Work Award. I interviewed Jane Yolen in 2018, along with her co-author Barba...
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A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon

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  LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon is Hannah Reynolds' first foray into fantasy, following a string of contemporary romances. It's a fun, swoony, slow burn romantasy set at a school of magic in an immersive Jewish fantasy realm. I really enjoyed it and I think it will make a great beach read this summer! LEARN MORE:  Hannah Reynolds’ website and Instagram Buy A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon The Jewish Book Garden’s Summer Reading Club BookBub (Hannah’s day job) Bonus content on Substack  CREDITS: Produced by Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel Co-sponsored by the Association of Jewish Libraries Sister podcast: Nice Jewish Books Theme Music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band Newsletter: bookoflifepodcast.substack.com Facebook Discussion Group: Jewish Kidlit Mavens Facebook Page: Facebook.com/boo...
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The Jewish Book Garden

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LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    READ THE TRANSCRIPT     |    VISIT THE JEWISH BOOK GARDEN     🕮    My friend Susan Kusel has all the Jewish literary bases covered. She's an author, she's a synagogue librarian, she's been a buyer for a bookstore, and like me, she's a past chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award committee. We are basically Best Book Buddies, and we do a lot of projects together to promote Jewish kidlit. Our newest project is The Jewish Book Garden, a website/newsletter on Substack. In this episode, Susan and I break down what The Jewish Book Garden is, who it's for, and what you can expect to find in your inbox when you subscribe to it. Don't miss our announcements about our Summer Reading Club and our new Zoom discussion group!  LEARN MORE: The Jewish Book Garden The Jewish Book Garden Summer Reading Club Jewish American Heritage Month | Canadian Jewish Heritage Month Heidi's Tikkun Olam suggestion: support...
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