The Book of Life

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST    |    BUY MITZVAH CARDS     🕮    #Readukkah is coming, and this podcast begins with an invitation to join this fun Jewish reading challenge, before we hear a fascinating interview. Rabbi Goldie Milgr a m founded and directs the 501C3 Reclaiming Judaism and Reclaiming Judaism Press and is Dean of the Maggid-Educator Ordination Program and Bar/Bat Mitzvah [R]evolution at Bmitzvah.org . I met her at the 2015 Association of Jewish Libraries conference , where she told me about Mitzvah Cards and other great books and projects of Reclaiming Judaism.   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...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST    |    BUY THE BOOK     |    WATCH THE FILM     🕮    Sue and Lloyd Ecker are fascinated with entertainer Sophie Tucker , "the last of the red hot mamas." This larger-than-life Jewish woman was a major figure in 20th century Vaudeville and Hollywood. The Eckers have created a documentary film and begun a series of "fictional memoirs" about Sophie. I interviewed them when the film The Outrageous Sophie Tucker premiered in South Florida. See SophieTucker.com to buy the film, the book, and to find supplemental video and audio by and about Sophie, or watch the full movie on YouTube . Sue & Lloyd Ecker with a picture of Sophie Tucker 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: faceboo...

The Association of Jewish Libraries kicks off its first reading challenge with #Readukkah during Hanukkah, December 6-14, 2015. It's easy! Anyone can participate, including kids. All you have to do is:  Read one Jewish book  Review it online (include hashtag #Readukkah)  During Hanukkah, December 6-14, 2015  You pick the book - any reading level, fiction or nonfiction, Jewish in any way you choose to define it.  Review your book anywhere online: on a blog, GoodReads, Amazon, Facebook, YouTube, or even on AJL's listserv, Hasafran. Use the hashtag #Readukkah somewhere in your review to help readers find you!  By sharing your #Readukkah reviews of Jewish books, you will help spread the word about worthwhile titles, bringing them to the attention of more readers, increasing the market and supporting the publishing of Jewish books!  GIVEAWAY Sign up to participate in #Readukkah! All participants will be entered into a ...

Please join the Association of Jewish Libraries for a book discussion about the adventurous Jewish historical novel THE WAYWARD MOON  by Janice Weizman on Sunday, October 18, 2015 at 9pm Eastern/8pm Central/6pm Pacific Time via call-in show. We'll discuss the book by phone, and record the discussion for those who miss it. Call (724) 444-7444 and enter the Call ID 139461 to participate! The discussion will last approximately one hour. This is Association of Jewish Libraries' first experiment with a virtual book discussion event. Please spread the word and please join us on Sunday to make it a success! Don’t worry if you haven’t read the book yet – the discussion will be a good introduction that will make you eager to read it afterwards.

I am participating in the #Diversiverse Challenge , in which you have to: Read and review one book Written by a person of color During the first two weeks of October (October 4th-17th, 2015) I wanted to include a Jewishly diverse angle, so I selected My Basmati Bat Mitzvah by Paula J. Freedman (Amulet/Abrams, 2013). The author and the protagonist have a mixture of European Jewish and East Indian heritage. The novel is aimed at 10-14 year olds. I found this to be a delightful book. Twelve-year-old Tara Feinstein forges her identity as a Jew with strong pride in both the Jewish and Indian sides of her family. She struggles and grows as her relationships with best friends and boys change and develop, she expresses her individuality while respecting her family relationships, and she takes her Bat Mitzvah lessons seriously. Despite all the important learning going on, the tone remains light and upbeat, a fun read. Characters are well-developed and likable. Comparisons with ...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST    |    BUY THE BOOK     🕮    I interviewed author  Maggie Anton about Apprentice , the first book in her Rav Hisda's Daughter series, back in October 2013 - you can listen to that podcast here . Here is my follow-up interview with her about the second book in the series, Enchantress , which continues Hisdadukh's story. 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: Maggie Anton visits Congregation B'nai Israel   Your feedback is appreciated! Please write to bookoflifepodcast@gmail.com or call our voicemail number at 561-206-2473.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST    |    VIEW FILMS     🕮    Emmy-nominated filmmaker and founder of The Webby Awards Tiffany Shlain joins us to talk about Character Day , coming up on September 18, 2015. Her films at Let It Ripple are meant to spark conversations that bring about social change. This year on the second annual Character Day, she will reintroduce The Science of Character and debut two new films, The Adaptable Mind and The Making of a Mensch .  Also, click here to hear Tiffany on The Book of Life in 2008 talking about her film The Tribe , which looks at Jewish life through the lens of the Barbie doll!   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 ...

BUY SPIRITUAL KNEADING     |     BUY JEWISH SOUL FOOD     🕮    I recently received two different books on similar themes of cooking and eating with Jewish spiritual mindfulness. While recording interviews with these two authors didn't fit into my plans, I did think you'd be interested in learning more about these titles. SPIRITUAL KNEADING by Dahlia Abraham Klein Dahlia says, "Long before I was conducting Rosh Chodesh groups in my home, I was introduced to challah baking by my friend, Brenda. She invited me to her home on a Thursday night to participate in a Segula Challah bake. It was my very first time baking challah. It was touching, I thought, that Brenda and I were part of the forty women from around the community, baking in our own homes — all connecting to a shared intention. There was something very holy and meditative about the whole process. In a sense, I felt like I was part of the pulse of the Jewish heartbeat. ...