The Book of Life

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     🕮    Susan Kusel is the chair of the Sydney Taylor Book Award committee of the Association of Jewish Libraries. She joined us by Skype from her home in Falls Church, VA. to talk about the 2018 winners of the award.  Here's the official Sydney Taylor Book Award announcement: click here .  The Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour will take place February 4-8, 2018. For details, click here . The Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award was mentioned in the interview: click here .   The National Jewish Book Award winners from the Jewish Book Council have also been announced! To see their winners, click here . CREDITS: Theme music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band   Facebook: facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast    Twitter: @bookoflifepod   Patreon: patreon.com/bookoflife Photo: Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee Chair Susan Kusel with 2018 gold medalist titles Your feedback is ap...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     🕮    The winners of the 2018 Sydney Taylor Book Awards for the best in Jewish children's and teen literature will be announced on January 10, 2018 . Chair Susan Kusel gave The Book of Life an exclusive interview that will be posted on that date. In the meantime, here is her dedication to the hardworking awards committee.   Photo: STBA Committee: Left to right Front row: Ellen Tilman, Diane Rauchwerger, Kathy Bloomfield, Back row: Rivka Yerushalmi, Rebecca Levitan, Susan Kusel, Elissa Gershowitz, Heather Lenson Not pictured: Marjorie Shuster, Rena Citrin  

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     🕮    In this twelfth anniversary episode of The Book of Life, we hear from listeners and past guests about some of their favorite interviews. If we missed YOUR favorite, check out the right-hand sidebar at bookoflifepodcast.com for past episodes or go to the Internet Archive at archive.org/details/@TBOL . During The Book of Life's coming hiatus, I may post occasional interviews if I come across something just too interesting to resist podcasting about, and I'll also post about any future podcasting plans, so watch this space! My new job at PJ Library includes overseeing the Author Newsletter, so if you're a creator of Jewish kidlit, be sure to subscribe to that newsletter here . Today's show includes clips from these shows; click on any title to listen to the full episode. March 2007 Why Is This Podcast Different From All Other Podcasts? Guests: dave horowitz (Five Little Gefiltes), Tami Lehman-Wilzig (Passover Aroun...

The Association of Jewish Libraries and the Jewish Book Council present the third annual reading challenge for readers of all ages, Readukkah! To participate, all you have to do is post about any #JewLit book (any book of Jewish interest) on the Facebook event discussion board—or share a link to your review anywhere online—and use the hashtag #Readukkah to connect with other readers! By sharing your Readukkah posts, your participation in this reading challenge helps spread the word about worthwhile titles, bringing them to the attention of more readers and supporting the publication of Jewish books!   JOIN THE EVENT HERE

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST    |    BUY THE BOOKS: ILLUSTRATED / PIRKEI IMAHOT     🕮    I convened a virtual roundtable among the creators of two books related to The Ethics of the Fathers, aka the Pirkei Avot. Goodness knows, this is a time when the world needs moral guidance! Why not turn to ancient and modern teachings of Judaism for help? I spoke with Jessica Deutsch, creator of The Illustrated Pirkei Avot: A Graphic Novel of Jewish Ethics , and with Lois Shenker and Rabbi Eve Posen, co-authors of Pirkei Imahot: The Wisom of Mothers, The Voices of Women . GRAND FINALE: In other news, I want to thank you all for the voicemails you've left me saying nice things about The Book of Life. You'll hear those messages, mixed with clips from the episodes they refer to, in our grande finale episode later in December 2017. I also want to let you know that I may post random episodes of The Book of Life now and then in the coming year,...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    Tasa's Song by Linda Kass is a story of a young musician in WWII Poland. I met the author at "A Book in Concert" where she read excerpts interspersed with musical performances by the Carpe Diem String Quartet . They played classical music that Tasa would have played herself, and they played the original piece "Tasa's Song," written by Charles Weatherbee as a tribute to the book. Linda is not only an author, she's also a bookseller! If you're ever in Bexley, Ohio, visit her bookstore, Gramercy Books ! GRAND FINALE: The Book of Life will go on hiatus after the December 2017 episode. YOU can be a part of my grand finale! Leave me a voicemail or send me an audio recording with your comment about what The Book of Life has meant to you, about a favorite interview, about new podcasting ideas for me, or any other thoughts you want to share. Your voice may end up on th...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    VISIT THE YIDDISH BOOK CENTER       🕮    The Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA rescues Yiddish books and puts them in context to broaden our understanding of modern Jewish identity. This June I visited the Yiddish Book Center, where I spoke to Communications Director Lisa Newman, and to Christa Whitney, director of the center's Wexler Oral History Project . They both offered exciting backstage views of the Yiddish Book Center, and they even helped me clear up an old family linguistic mystery! By the way, here's a link to Lisa's podcast, The Shmooze ; and the address Christa mentions for requesting oral history interviews is yiddishbookcenter.org/tell-your-story.   "VACATION PHOTOS"   NEWS!  NEWS!  NEWS! After 18 amazing years as Judaica librarian at Congregation B'nai Israel of Boca Raton, I've taken a new job at PJ Library in Agawam, Massachusetts. I ne...

As many of you have heard, I now work for PJ Library and PJ Our Way! I am very pleased to announce their new initiative, a FREE trip to Israel to inspire authors to write for children about Judaism in general and Israel in particular. If you are an author who writes Jewish kidlit, or if you are a published author who has ever thought about writing Jewish kidlit, check this out. And if you have friends who are authors, please let them know about this opportunity! CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE TRIP!

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    In My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew , Abigail Pogrebin takes readers on a journey through every single Jewish holiday ever. As a non-Orthodox Jew, many of these holidays were unfamiliar to her before this; she explains these holidays and finds meaning in them at the same time. Abigail last appeared on The Book of Life in October 2006 , talking about her book Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish . I spoke to Abigail by Skype at her home in New York. CREDITS: Supported in part by: Association of Jewish Libraries   Theme music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band   Facebook: facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast  Twitter: @bookoflifepod   Support The Book of Life by becoming a patron at Patreon.com/bookoflife Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or call our voicemail number at 56...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    WATCH THE VIDEO      🕮    The Last Shepherd by Evil Sun Productions is a Hebrew-language indie comedy adventure scifi fantasy film with elements of Jewish mysticism and kabbalah, made in Israel. To summarize, "A geeky programmer and his rebellious co-worker are taken by a mysterious biblical figure on a cross country adventure, trying to stop an ancient evil force, while being chased by government agents."  Back in January 2016, I Skyped with actors Uri Lifshitz and Roni Weissman, writer Gai Bosco, and post production manager Dovi Shraga. Then I sat on the interview, waiting for the film to become available in North America. It hasn't happened yet, but I got tired of waiting. Instead, I'm hoping listeners will be proactive in helping to get the film more widely distributed. If this interview piques your interest, please request that your local Jewish film festival or your...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    In the picture book The Language of Angels: A Story about the Reinvention of Hebrew , author Rich Michelson tells the true story of how an ancient tongue became a modern one.  I met with Rich at R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he displays the art of many illustrators including Karla Gudeon, his partner on Language of Angels .   CREDITS: Produced by: Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel   Supported in part by: Association of Jewish Libraries   Theme music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band   Facebook: facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast  Twitter: @bookoflifepod   support The Book of Life by becoming a patron at Patreon.com/bookoflife    Photo: Rich Michelson displays Karla Gudeon's art in his gallery Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gm...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |    VISIT BEHRMAN HOUSE     🕮    Behrman House has been supporting Jewish education as a bookseller and publisher for almost a century. At the 2017 Association of Jewish Libraries conference in New York City, I met with Vicki Weber to hear all about the history of Behrman House and the many projects in which they are engaged. CREDITS: Produced by: Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel   Supported in part by: Association of Jewish Libraries   Theme music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band   Facebook: facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast  Twitter: @bookoflifepod   Support The Book of Life by becoming a patron at Patreon.com/bookoflife Photo: Vicki Weber Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or call our voicemail number at 561-206-2473.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     |   BUY THE BOOK     🕮    Yaffa and Fatima, Shalom, Salaam by Muslim author Fawzia Gilani-Williams takes an old Jewish folktale and turns it into a story of cross-cultural friendship. I spoke to Fawzia by Skype at her home in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Here are a few of the websites and books Fawzia mentioned during our conversation: DiscoverIslam.com 1001inventions.com Find some of Fawzia's own stories at IslamicTimelessTales.com   What Islam Is All About by Yahiya Emerick The Complete Idiot's Guide to Islam by Yahiya Emerick   Islam: Its Meaning and Message by Khurshid Ahmad CREDITS: Produced by: Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel   Supported in part by: Association of Jewish Libraries   Theme music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band   Facebook: facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast  Twitter: @bookoflifepod Support The...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST    |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    I almost didn't read The Six-Day Hero because I usually don't like war stories. But I'm glad I tried it because once I started, I couldn't put it down.  I also got interested because another podcast guest, Catriella Freedman , had mentioned to me that this book was vetted by the kids of PJ Our Way, and that their feedback affected the final book.  So for several reasons, I was eager to talk to author Tammar Stein . CREDITS: Produced by: Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel   Supported in part by: Association of Jewish Libraries     Theme music: The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band     Facebook: facebook.com/bookoflifepodcast    Twitter: @bookoflifepod   Support The Book of Life by becoming a patron at Patreon.com/bookoflife !   Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast...

I'm trying to create a comprehensive list of kidlit (picture book through YA) that showcases diversity within the Jewish community. Here is my working list; if you are aware of additional titles please post a comment or send me an email . I've also created a sortable LibraryThing list , but a few of my titles are missing from their database. I admit that I've approached this an in "Ashkenormative" way by using the label [Sephardic] but not [Ashkenazi]. Let me know if you think I should use both. And let me know if you think I should be using additional labels such as [Mizrahi].  Any opinions on the label [ Latinx ]? Is there anything else that you think I've mislabeled? Are there additional labels you think I should use? FYI, I have not read all of these books and can't vouch for them.  This list is alphabetical by author, with diversity subject headings in brackets after each entry. [Adoption] [Asian] [Asian/Jewish] [Black] [Black/Jewish] [Di...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      |    VISIT PJ OUR WAY     🕮    PJ Our Way is an initiative of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation that gives free chapter books to Jewish families with middle grade readers. It's an outgrowth of PJ Library , which does the same thing with picture books for younger kids. I spoke to PJ Our Way Director Catriella Freedman, who told me all the in's and out's of the program, and explained to me why independent readers can't be treated in quite the same way as the little ones. LIBSYN FYI, The Book of Life's rss feed is now hosted by Libsyn instead of Hipcast, beginning with the "Almost a Minyan" episode on May 16, 2017. If you are not receiving new episodes in your feed, please resubscribe. Click LISTEN to subscribe.   CREDITS: Produced by: Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel   Supported in part by: Association of Jewish Libraries   Theme music: The Fre...

The Jewish Women's Archive blog, Jewesses With Attitude , interviewed me about The Book of Life! They asked me about why I decided to start a podcast dedicated to Jewish literature and arts; why women storytellers have a harder time than men storytellers; and what The Book of Life and JWA’s podcast Can We Talk? have in common. CLICK HERE TO READ THE INTERVIEW!