The Book of Life

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     🕮    This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, celebrates the power of storytelling. We'll hear from: Simms Taback , author/illustrator of the beloved classic Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and the new sensation Kibitzers and Fools   Karen Golden , storyteller, about her CD's Tales & Scales and Pass It On   Sharon Elswit, librarian at Rodeph Sholom and author of the award-winning Jewish Story Finder Gali Cooks, director of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation's literacy project, The PJ Library

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      🕮    Thanks to everyone who participated in The Book of Life survey, and mazel tov to Miriam Intrator, winner of the drawing for a gift certificate to Powell's City of Books. Although the prize has been won, YOU can still do a mitzvah by providing us with feedback! Fill out the survey now! This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, celebrates Jewish life in America.   In this episode, we hear from: Linda Glaser and Phil Myzel, author and subject of the historical novel Bridge to America . CBI Music Director Susan Shane-Linder , reviewing the CD American Jewish Summer : Songs of the Jewish Youth Camping Movement. Susan Goldman Rubin , author of L'Chaim! To Jewish Life in America! "Super-Librarian" Nancy Pearl, whose book recommendations are featured in her Book Lust series, on her website , her podcast , and her TV show , and who is the only librarian to have her ow...

Cover Story: Wired for Words: Shul librarian creates Jewish book podcast Shalom Today , a marketing publication of the Sun-Sentinel , June 1, 2006 The Book of Life Podcast Brings Jewish literature, culture to youngsters by Michael W. Sasser, special to Shalom Today Congregation B'nai Israel librarian Heidi Estrin was exploring means to expand the library's audio-visual components, and ways to market the offerings, when she began to consider a technology that was in its fledgling days. "I knew about podcasts, and it occurred to me that might be a terrific way to reach people with audio content," Estrin said. "The initial idea was to promote new library products, but it grew. Still, it grew out of the library itself." Thus was launched "The Book of Life," a show about "Jewish people and the books we read." The podcast first appeared in late 2005, and there have been new monthly editions available since. A podcast is an Internet-...

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      🕮    This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, celebrates summer reading with an armchair trip around the world. Be sure to take the Book of Life Survey ! Help us out with feedback, and be entered into a drawing for an electronic gift certificate for Powells City of Books! (Must complete survey by June 30, 2006 to be entered into the drawing.) In this episode, we hear from: Holly-Jane Rahlens in Germany, author of Prince William, Maximilian Minsky and Me   Abigail Yasgur, Director of the Jewish Community Library of Los Angeles' Summer Reading Club Jacob Edgar, ethnomusicologist for Putumayo and founder of Cumbancha , about Jewish recording artists and the CD, A Jewish Odyssey   Pnina Moed Kass of Israel, author of Real Time Sheryl Stahl, librarian at HUC-JIR in Los Angeles, and host for the Association of Jewish Libraries 2006 Convention Blog

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      🕮    This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, celebrates Get Caught Reading Month, a campaign of the Association of American Publishers . Here's who we'll catch reading: Author Markus Zusak on his amazing new novel, The Book Thief Dianne Hess, executive editor at Scholastic , about Jewish books she has published Aley Sheer, musician and educator, on his new CD Sheer , based on Torah texts Mitchell Kaplan, owner of the independent bookstore Books & Books , a founder of Miami Book Fair International , and President of the American Booksellers Association which co-sponsors the upcoming convention Book Expo America along with the Association of American Publishers This month we debut our literary guessing game Jews' Clues ! See if you can guess the answer!

Podcasting Connects Synagogue with Community   By Bryan Blessy, Journal Staff Writer Jewish Journal , Palm Beach South edition, April 18, 2006 Congregation B’nai Isarel has entered the cutting edge of the digital age.   Since December, Heidi Estrin, the librarian at Feldman Children’s Library at the congregation, has been using a new technology known as podcasting to inform people about the materials offered at the library and to showcase authors, musicians and others who promote Jewish books and music. The podcast Estrin hosts is a monthly Internet radio show called “The Book of Life,” which she describes as “mostly interviews with authors, musicians and performers.” The show, which generally runs 20 minutes, also features reviews of books and music with Jewish themes. Estrin says the show began as a way to help showcase and market library materials so that listeners would be able to borrow items from the library. “It was actually part of a lager project,” she says. “I wan...

Do you enjoy listening to The Book of Life podcast? I certainly hope you do! To make listening to this monthly show even more convenient, you can sign up to receive the actual posts as e-mail messages! Just enter your e-mail address in the box on the sidebar and click the "Subscribe" button. You will be directed to the webpage of MailChimp, where you will instructed to confirm your address. That's it! You will start receiving our monthly posts in your Inbox. What could be easier? Thanks for listening to the show! Heidi Estrin Host, The Book of Life

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      🕮    This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, features many books and CD's that would make great Afikomen gifts! I'm including age recommendations to help you select the right gifts for the kids at your seder. In this episode, we hear from: Jean Marzollo , author of Miriam and Her Brother Moses and other Bible stories [Preschool - Grade 2] Shira Kline, musician, on her new CD Shirlala Pesach! (If you live in NY, you might want to go to the CD Release Party on April 2 at the Manhattan JCC - check Shira's website) [Preschool - Grade 3] Anna Olswanger , author of Shlemiel Crooks [Grades 3-5] Steve Brodsky of Mah Tovu , on the hit single Pharoah Pharoah , a parody of Louie Louie [ALL ages, including teens]* CBI Student Brittany Paris reviews The Yarmulke, Kippah, Coppel Book by Rifka Freidman, with a little help from Rabbi Robert Silvers [Preschool] Bonus Track: Pesasch...

  LISTEN TO THE PODCAST       🕮    This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, features: Reb Moshe Waldoks of Temple Beth Zion in Brookline, MA, co-author of The Big Book of Jewish Humor and expert on Jewish funny business. Latifah Berry Kropf, author of It's Purim Time and other Jewish holiday picture books for young children. Cantor Stephanie Shore of Congregation B'nai Israel on Jewish music and Purim shpiels .

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST        🕮    This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, features: Anne Dublin , author of Bobbie Rosenfeld, the Olympian Who Could Do Everything . CD review of Let My People Go , a Jewish and African American Celebration of Freedom Steve Bergson on Jewish comic books Rabbi Jessica Spitalnic Brockman of Temple Beth El, Boca Raton, on the life of Marc Chagall NOTE: Temple Beth El will host an art gala including some works by Chagall on March 4, and an outdoor art show March 10-12, 2006 Students Brooke Bekoff and Rachel Reizburg review Dreamer from the Village , The Story of Marc Chagall by Michelle Markel , illustrated by Emily Lisker

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST     🕮    This episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, features: Sarah Darer Littman , winner of the 2006 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Jewish children's literature in the Older Readers Category for the book Confessions of a Closet Catholic Andy Rubin, founder of The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band Author Erica Silverman and illustrator Mordicai Gerstein , winners of the 2006 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Jewish children's literature in the Younger Readers Category for the book Sholom's Treasure: How Sholom Aleichem Became a Writer Jewish Educator Dorothy Herman, sharing a page from her own personal "Book of Life" The Sydney Taylor Book Award is presented each year by the Association of Jewish Libraries to the best in Jewish children's literature.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST      🕮    This inaugural episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, features: Eric Kimmel , author of Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins CBI Youth Director Aley Sheer, reviewing Craig Taubman's new CD The Hanukkah Lounge Author Rebecca Tova Ben-Zvi on her new book, Four Sides, Eight Nights CBI's Rabbi Richard Agler , sharing a page from his personal "Book of Life" and a bonus track! Rabbi Robert Silvers sings "Thank God I'm a Jewish Boy!" (also available on the CD Now That Sounds Kosher! )   Background music is provided by The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band. All books and CD's mentioned on the show may be borrowed from the Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel .