Leadership in the Wilderness

What is the Jewish equivalent of achieving Nirvana, and am I even allowed to compare my elation to that state of being?! But to use yet another phrase that may not be totally appropriate, I feel like I’ve hit the trifecta:

An advance reading copy;
Of a book by Erica Brown;
About the Book of Numbers (BaMidbar).

Yes, Leadership in the Wilderness: Authority & Anarchy in the Book of Numbers by Dr. Erica Brown is hot off the presses of Maggid Books.

Reading an advance copy, also known as an ARC, is like being in on a secret before everyone else. How smug are you when people start talking about a book, and you can say, “I got an advance reading copy?” Since it’s not a “real” book, you can mark it up, not worry about folding down pages and making “dog ears,” and not worry about what the humidity conditions will do when you are in a steamy bathtub. The only drawbacks are that you cannot sell it, there is a twinge (infinitesimal) of guilt when you have to buy the final copy of the book because it was so good, and many times you cannot pass on the ARC to your friends.

I think I am Erica Brown’s number one fan, but not in a creepy, break your legs, Annie Wilkes from Misery way. When I read, the word that immediately comes to mind is “scholar.” But the second word is “teacher” because she makes her scholarship accessible to non-scholars like me. It is such a pleasure to read and learn and appreciate every turn of phrase, the succinct vocabulary, and the high level, in which Dr. Brown presents a topic or subject in such an unpretentious way.

When I saw In the Narrow Places: Daily Inspiration for the Three Weeks (Maggid Books, 2011), I grabbed it off the shelf. While the Jewish calendar often dictates that we should be happy (Sukkot) or sad (Tisha B’Av), it is often challenging to evoke these emotions in the course of daily living, even more so during the three week period between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, which falls out during the summer days of sunshine and vacation. The promise of the book’s description was fulfilled: “For each day of the Three Weeks, she presents a short, inspirational essay based on biblical texts followed by a kavana, a spiritual focus that involves reflection, imagination or action to transform these somber days of remembrance into a period of introspection and spiritual growth. Alongside the traditional prophecies of doom and consolation traditionally read during the Three Weeks, In the Narrow Places offers a new process for rebuilding and a re-affirmation of hope.”

I was lucky enough to get a review copy (almost as good as an ARC, but not quite) of Return: Daily Inspiration for the Days of Awe (Maggid Books, 2012). The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are also challenging in terms of the hectic schedule of prayer in the synagogue, festive meals, and the excitement in the autumn air of going back to school and work. But Dr. Brown reminds us that “we have these ten days…to pray, to cry, to improve, to change, to forgive, to apologize, to become what we’ve meant to become, to return, to come home, to build a sanctuary that is repentance.” Each chapter centers on a theme from the quintessential Yom Kippur Prayer, the Vidduy, or confession. These themes include Faith, Compassion, Gratitude, and Anger. Let’s face it: it is the amazing person who can make a noticeable change in their outlook and behavior in just ten days. That’s why this book has to be in an easy access spot on the bookshelf. Pull it out during another period of contemplation, the Counting of the Omer, and see if you can make some more tweaks before Shavuot.

Finally, I love a good parsha book. I love seeing a pasuk come to life; seeing why the grammar is the way it is, seeing that no word in the Torah is superfluous, that everything is somehow connected. I also feel that reading a chapter on Friday night puts me more in touch with the Torah, especially when the text describes things like sacrifices in The Temple, the deaths of Nadav and Avihu, or Moses not being allowed to enter Israel. Even with points of view with which I do not agree, I give credit to the author as I think, “How did he get that from the text? That’s an interesting take.”

Dr. Brown has studied leadership using both biblical textual analysis and modern management theory before. Her Inspired Jewish Leadership: Practical Approaches to Building Strong Communities (Jewish Lights, 2008) explores Jewish leadership through “ancient models of Jewish leadership, contemporary professional business literature, and Jewish texts. Dr. Erica Brown lays the framework for working through important leadership issues and illustrates how great leadership can be learned when you are equipped with resources, reflective training, and a helpful network of mentors. It includes personal anecdotes from experienced Jewish leaders, questions for reflection, and easy-to-do exercises. It is a valuable sourcebook is ideal for professionals and volunteers who want to hone their own skills as well as facilitate group leadership development.”

This outing focuses on the leadership of Moses, the environment (physical, emotional, spiritual) in which Moses “managed” the Israelites, and the passing of this mantle of leadership to Joshua. As I was reading, I thought of the “nature versus nurture” argument. It seems the wilderness brought out the worst in many people, but as the same time, honed the skills of the leadership to deal with the challenges, although Moses was often exasperated with God’s followers. Through Brown’s careful analysis, we see that “the wilderness experience” shaped the nation. Through plagues and punishment the numbers were winnowed and a new generation entered the Land of Israel.

That said, Erica Brown’s new book is satisfying on so many levels. In the preface, she lays out the elements of the equation, so to speak. “The wilderness is an excellent metaphor for leadership that depends on flexible skills to confront unexpected dangers and unanticipated dramas.” The “rules” are “a set of commandments designed as a moral and spiritual constitution to determine and shape the character and commitments of a nation. Receiving them in a place of transition, we were to understand that the rules we live by transcend any limited boundaries. They were given to us to shape a future that would always be precarious and unknown.” Looking at parshiot like Korach and Balak, it is clear that “leaders in Numbers faced a breakdown of authority, the decay of trust and faith, and the near anarchic rabble-rousing of those beset by discontent.” What kind of leadership did it take to take a group of slaves out of Egypt to meet their destiny?

She notes that almost every leadership encounter in Numbers falls within the framework of “critical interplay between the desire to be ruled by power-hungry leaders and the divine mandate to limit human power through constitutional leadership.”

I know that many people do not like to mix in secular sources when studying Torah, but I love the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “It is vain to dream of a wilderness distant from ourselves. There is none such. It is the bog in our brains and bowels, the primitive vigor of Nature in us, that inspires that dream.” A perfect description of the Israelites forging a new identity and contending with all the emotions involved in dealing with a strange environment and new rules.

This book does not go through the parshiot in order. Rather, it hits on themes and leadership issues: the Nazarite as gadfly (Parshat Naso); the juxtaposition of the “scouts/spies” episode with the commandment of tzitzit and Korach’s rebellion (Parshat Shelach), as well as the passion (zealotry) of Pinchas.

Needless to say, I suggest everyone run out and get a copy immediately!

On a reading break, I had to go to the American Consulate. Right near the Consulate is S.Y. Agnon’s house. Although there was a school there on a tour, the director graciously let me run up and see the library and Agnon’s Nobel Prize:





Hag Shavuot Sameach and Happy Reading!

An Author Groupie in Israel

This is a story about an author groupie, the incredibly small world of Jewish geography, and the joys of living in Israel, which came together in interesting ways in the week before and during Passover.

I am an author groupie. I love meeting authors, especially authors of books that I love. I have the utmost respect for someone who can craft a book that captures my attention and my imagination. I often save quotes or a turn of phrase that says something perfectly and succinctly. When I attended Book Expo, I would wait on lines for hours to meet some of my favorites. Attending the Baker & Taylor preview meetings was also a great way to meet authors and hear about how they write and what inspires them. It’s hard to believe that at a small venue in Central Jersey, I met Laura Amy Schlitz (Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!), Tony DiTerlizzi (Spiderwick Chronicles, Search for Wondla), and Katherine Paterson (Bridge to Terebithia). One of the coolest authors I’ve encountered is Shannon Hale (Goose Girl), who was willing to sign a book to my daughter with the sentiment “to my dear, close, personal friend.” Not all my meetings have been as awe-inspiring as these. I’ve been yelled at by authors who thought they should have won the Sydney Taylor Book Award, and there have been a few that were aloof, but most are very appreciative of their fans.

Recently I met three creative people and learned about their work.

It’s a Small World
I had the joy of attending the wedding of an amazing young lady that I’ve known for all of her life. It was very emotional and very satisfying to see her looking so beautiful and so happy. Seated at my table was… an author!

Sheryl Prenzlau is the author of The Jewish Children’s Bible (Pitspopany Press) and some of the books in the Kid Sisters Series (Targum Press), both of which were familiar titles. Her most recently published book is Room for One More: A Modern-Day Fairy Tale (Feldheim, 2013). Sheryl lives in Jerusalem, and she also works as a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. She graciously took time from her busy schedule to answer some questions.

She actually wrote the book over 20 years ago, but other projects took priority. When it came time for the pictures, her editor at Feldheim suggested an illustrator, Adi Katz, and Sheryl was able to work closely with him, making suggestions for colors as well as particulars in the illustrations. Sheryl’s children and grandchildren also had input into the details of the story. The result is a funny and eye-catching rhyming version of the "crowded house" story with many surprises.

The Gemara (Sukkah 28a) tells of Jonatan ben Uzziel, one of the 80 tannaim who studied under Hillel the Elder. It was said that while he was absorbed in studying Torah, if a bird flew over his head, it would be burnt. L’havdil, when Rebbetzin Shira Smiles is teaching Torah, I think if a bird flew over her head, it might also ignite. Rebbetzin Smiles lectures all over the world; teaches in a seminary, gives audio and video classes, and is the author of three volumes of Torah Tapestries, based on her studies and lectures. Being a big fan of books about the weekly Torah reading, I asked to review Breishis and Shmos for the AJL Newsletter. As I’ve mentioned in my reviews, I can almost hear her voice when I read the essays. I love her style of posing several questions and answering them by illuminating the cogent points in the parsha. It has become my habit to read from her books on Friday night. She also happens to live down the block from me in Ramat Bet Shemesh.

When I saw her buying vegetables for Passover, I was taken aback. Someone of her brilliance actually does mundane activities like shopping and cooking for Passover? Since we started reading the book of Vayika, what would I do on Friday night without a book? I asked when her new book would be out, and she said “Thursday.” I sent my son to pick up a copy, which Rebbetzin Smiles autographed. As you will read in my review in the AJL Newsletter, it’s easy to find relevant lessons in stories about the patriarchs or matriarchs or in the Ten Commandments. It’s a bigger challenge to find them in detailed descriptions of Temple sacrifices. But she manages to talk about parenting, looking at things with “a good eye” and explains the juxtaposition of the dedication of the Mishkan and kashrus (parshat Shemini) with her inimitable style.

Finally, I visited with a new bride and groom. The groom is a friend/colleague of my husband, and it turns out that his wife is a film maker. The Second Front, released in 2002, is a documentary about Jewish partisans during World War II. Ed Asner narrates, and archival footage, recent explorations of Belarus and Vilna, and interviews with many partisans combine for wide perspective on partisan activities. While we tend to romanticize many of these heroes (think Daniel Craig in Defiance), the footage and first-person accounts show a precarious existence and the constant threat of death and starvation. The film also emphasized the interaction between the partisans, the Communists and the Russian army.

Deborah Freeman’s mother and uncle were involved in the partisan movement, and the story of their ghetto, Marcinkantze, was included in Yuri Suhl's book They Fought Back. In fact, her uncle, Beryl Novick, was one of the men who tried to ambush the German soldier who was rounding up the Jews. She made over ten trips to Lithuania and Belarus, discovering her family history and making friends along the way. Ms. Freeman also noted that in many of the villages that actively resisted the Nazis, there were yeshivot. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the film, you can contact her.

In a related note, I am trying to read The Hare with Amber Eyes for a book discussion that will be taking place at the Bet Shemesh library. In it, the author describes a Buddhist funeral where the custom, after cremation, is to pick out the bone fragments with special chopsticks and give the deceased a kaimyo, a precept name. This name supposedly prevents the return of the deceased if his name is called. I’m also reading the latest Jodi Piccoult novel, The Storyteller. (When I read a lot of her books in succession, I met her at a Barnes & Noble book signing.)There is a character in her book who is a funeral director, who must arrange a funeral ceremony for a Japanese Buddhist – the same details of the special chopsticks and the naming ceremony.
Still reading The Hare with Amber Eyes, I learned a new word, amanuensis, which means “one employed to write from dictation or to copy manuscript.” (Thank you, Merriam-Webster.) The word also makes an appearance in yet another book I am reading: Future Tense by Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks.

I feel like I am studying for the SAT’s. More vocabulary words from “Hare”:
mahout – someone who leads an elephant; vitrine – a glass fronted cabinet for bibelots (known to many as tzochkes); flaneurial – another blogger was also perplexed by this one. It seems to be derived from the French, flaner, which means to stroll or idle. Apparently de Waal’s ancestor was a man about town, who did a lot of strolling and idling while his bibelots sat in the vitrine; vertiginous – causing vertigo by being extremely high or steep; apogee - the point in the orbit of an object (as a satellite) orbiting the earth that is at the greatest distance from the center of the earth; meretricious - apparently attractive but having in reality no value or integrity; Empyrean - the highest heaven, supposed by the ancients to contain the pure element of fire (used in a phrase about Proust – “drinking in Charles’ empyrean conversation” – a little pretentious, no?; bagatelle - billiards-derived indoor table game; venal - Showing or motivated by susceptibility to bribery; screed – a ranting piece of writing; risible – such as to provoke laughter; heterodox - contrary to or different from an acknowledged standard, a traditional form, or an established religion; scumbled – modified (a painting or color) by applying a very thin coat of opaque paint to give a softer or duller effect; parvenu – one that has recently or suddenly risen to an unaccustomed position of wealth or power and has not yet gained the prestige, dignity, or manner associated with it; uritarian – Of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a mythical place of high, typically comic-opera romance; putto - is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually nude and sometimes winged; fiacre - a small four-wheeled carriage for public hire; grandiloquent - pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, esp. in a way that is intended to impress; feuilleton - The part of a European newspaper devoted to light fiction, reviews, and articles of general entertainment; consanguinity - relationship by blood or by a common ancestor; en fête - being in festal dress: making a holiday showing.

I have to stop so often to consult the dictionary that I hope I finish the book in time.
More joys of living in Israel:

Visiting the Kotel on Passover



Visiting Ashkelon on a beautiful day



Pomegranate tree in my yard



Happy reading!

The Jerusalem International Book Fair

I attended the Jersualem International Book Fair at Binyanei Hauma, the International Convention Center. As I love a good book fair, I was very much looking forward. There was very little swag to be had and there were no ARC's, etc. - only books for sale. In fact, I went to the booth for books from India and found one I really liked, but I will probably have to order it online if I want a copy.

First stop: a duchan (Hebrew for booth or market stall) with Israeli author Mirik Snir. She has a new book about the seven days of creation that is imaginative and gorgeous, also probably not for general circulation in the library.


Next stop was an event at The Literary Cafe. The "stage" was set up like someone's living room, and the "audience" sat around tables on armchairs, so the could sip their coffee while listening to the discussion between Dr. Chaim Peri, former director of the Yemin Orde Youth Village and Judie Oron, author of the 2010 Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teens, The Cry of the Giraffe. The book has been translated into Hebrew, and it is getting a lot of attention, as people feel it is time to hear the amazing stories of the Ethiopians' arduous journeys to Israel.

I met a friend and walked around the fair. There were exhibitors from Russia, Spain, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Angola and France. One section of the display had beautiful illuminated books created by modern Israeli artists. Most of the events were in Hebrew, and as much as I complained about sitting in Ulpan for five months, I understood what was going on. I sat down for the end of a discussion with Ronit Matalon and Ariel Hirschfield about their novel, Undue Influence. Through letters, it tells the love story of Lori and Natanel. Next on the schedule was "Between Reality and Redemption," which was supposed to be in English. An Israeli translator spoke with a Norweigian author. She began speaking Hebrew, and he read from his book, in Norweigian. She spoke a very broken English, and he contradicted what she said. If she said, "the opening line is very simple;" he said, "no, it's very complex." After about fifteen minutes of this, I got a headache trying to figure out what they were talking about, so it was on to the next session.

I thought I would enjoy the seminar entitled "Literary Criticism.com," and I was right. This was billed as an open discussion between bloggers about cultural criticism on the web. The participants:

Mark Sarvas, author whose blog, The Elegant Variation is updated sporadically.

Maud Newton - blogging as Maud Newton.


Naomi Alderman - author, teacher, game writer and another sporadic blogger - http://www.naomialderman.com/my-blog/


Boaz Cohen - the only Israeli on the panel, who blogs in Hebrew. I could not figure out whether his blog is entitled "London Calling" or "London Culling" because the word is transliterated into Hebrew, but either way works for me.

Again the room was arranged so the discussion participants werre sitting around talking while the audience members enjoyed the discussion. At times I felt the group was "too cool for me," but not in a bad way. They are all "in the know" and on the cutting edge of books and culture, kind of how I wish I could be. There were some very interesting observations and points made: don't blog about something unless you are passionate about it; if you are fooling around on the computer all day, it appears you are working and being productive, while if you sit and read a book, it appears you are goofing off, while quite the opposite could be true.

One of the most pleasant surprises of the afternoon was hearing Naomi Alderman. Her literary fiction ponders the meaning of life (pretty heavy), but in person she was quirky, funny and very good at creating metaphors (that's why I love her books!).

So all of this led up to the highlight of the day, a panel with Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Rabbi Binyamin Lau and Professor Moshe Halbertal. I had to line up an hour early and the hall was completely packed and buzzing with excitement. The topic: "The Leader, the Rabbi and the Professor: Varieties of Jewish Leadership." The evening was a tribute to the Rabbi and a prelude to the release of a new book: Radical Responsibility: Celebrating the Thought of Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. The book "brings together thirteen luminaries of Jewish and Western thought to explore the intellectual legacy of Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Centered on the fundamental themes of his work - ethics, justice, religion, and leadership - this collection advances Rabbi Sacks's lifelong quest to bridge Torah and secular wisdom, highlighting the relevance of the Jewish tradition to the challenges of the twenty-first century." Thank you, Yehudit Singer for the review copy. I can hardly wait to read it. My only problem will be creating the bibliographic information, as the book is published by the London School of Jewish Studies, The Michael Scharf Publication Trust of YU Press, and Maggid Books, an imprint of Koren Publishers.

Rabbi Lau spoke mostly in Hebrew, and Professor Halbertal discussed a story from the Gemara, and then Rabbi Sacks spoke. He began in Hebrew, talking about the power of ideas, but then switched: "And now I will speak in English so I can understand what I'm saying." With his trademark combination of scholarship, charm and humor, he discussed the need for Jews to participate in the world. He terms it as the relationship between Torah and hochma (wisdom). One excellent point Rabbi Sacks brought out: with material goods, like food or money, the more you share the less you have. But with spiritual "goods," like love or caring, the more you share, the more you have.

After this incredible inspiring and thoughtful panel came the antithesis: the bus ride home. I had to stand most of the way, and my fellow city inhabitants (you know you who are because they write about you in The New York Times) made the trip that much more unenjoyable.

After a computer tuneup, I am back to work.

Some Rosh Hashanah Reading

Here are three books that, at first glance, seem to have no Jewish content. But looking just a little deeper, they provide fodder for some thoughts worthy of this propitious period in the Jewish calendar. While Rosh Hashanah is a time for families, food, and prayer, it is also a time for introspection. Rabbi Yaacov Haber tells us to “leave the complications behind us and start a brand new year.” Let’s resolve not to be complicated people, but rather to shine in our simplicity.” Shimon Apisdorf asserts that “the message that Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur send is clear: to be engaged in life is to be engaged in the ultimate relationship; our choices and their consequences are of paramount importance, and God cares so deeply that He cannot not judge us.” It is the time to reassess the direction of our lives. Much as with my wonky GPS, my life needs periodic recalculation for me to reach my destination, and hopefully to get there via a more pleasant road than through the bowels of Newark, New Jersey.

The Tools: Transform Your Problems into Courage, Confidence, and Creativity by Phil Stutz and Barry Michels (Spiegel & Grau, 2012) seems to be another self-help book. Stutz, a psychiatrist, and Michels, a psychotherapist, have combined their skills and experience to provide a framework for bringing about change. The good things about this book are that there is almost no “psychobabble,” and most of the real-life experiences are typical situations. The two mental health professional present a somewhat novel approach in that past events are not as important positive action now. It’s also interesting that the tools are counter-intuitive. If someone pushes your buttons, send them love. If you lack confidence in certain situations, embrace your vulnerable side. If you are avoiding a situation, feel your fear and pain and you will be able to deal with the situation. While these techniques may be novel in the world of psychotherapy, they have always been a part of Judaism.

The High Holy Days are a great time to use “the tools.” We look back on the past year, not so we can beat ourselves up for our inadequacies, but so that we do better in the coming year. When someone has upset us, we forgive them. Whatever way we have wronged others, we ask their forgiveness. We forgive ourselves for not meeting our own expectations. I particularly liked reading about the tool of “Inner Authority” and “The Force of Self-Expression.” We don’t want to see ourselves as bad or evil or inadequate. But instead of trying to hide these traits or deny them, we need to embrace ourselves as a whole person. Much like classical Mussar (Jewish character development), we need to see that all aspects of our personality are neither good nor bad. They need to be balanced for us to be whole, optimally functioning human beings. There’s also a great quote of W.H. Murray: “The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too…raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.”

For great fiction, there are two books by two of my favorite authors: Harmless by Dana Reinhardt and I Am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak. In Harmless, Anna, Emma, and Mariah make up a story so they won’t get in trouble for doing something they shouldn’t be doing. “What happens next challenges their friendship, their community, their relationships with their families, and their sense of themselves.” What they believe to be an innocent lie made up to protect themselves gets an innocent man accused of a crime he did not commit. Many are familiar with the Jewish folktale of the woman who gossiped. The rabbi told her to take a bag of feathers and release them in the wind. Then he asked her to collect all the feathers. From this, the woman (and the reader) learns the power of gossip: you can’t take it back and you don’t know how far it will go. Although there is no Jewish content, it is much the same in Harmless. Once the lie is told, no one can control the consequences. Through the alternating three-voice narration, we see the events unravel from each girl’s perspective. For those who have graduated from “Feathers,” Harmless provides what has made YA books so popular: complex characters, real-life situations, a little hair and fashion, and, of course, Reinhardt’s brilliant prose.

I Am the Messenger also embraces a Jewish concept with no Jewish content. Ed Kennedy is your average ne’er-do-well. “His life is one of peaceful routine and incompetence.” After he stops a bank robbery, he starts receiving playing cards in the mail. These cards provide instructions to go to specific places at specific times in order to intercede in other people’s lives. To this end, Ed helps a woman in an abusive relationship, helps a congregation find a parish, and visits a lonely old lady. Through these actions, he is able to help himself and becoming a better person. Helping others and helping yourself? Sounds a lot like tikkun olam, the Jewish idea that we are put on this earth for a purpose – to improve ourselves and make the world a better place. Zusak seems to embrace characters that seem ordinary on the surface, but end up in situations that tap their inner strength and character. Another great message for the coming year: you are very special. It’s time to tap into your strengths (and weaknesses) and use this year to develop your potential and by doing so make the world, even for just one person, a nicer place to live.

May we all be inscribed for a year of health, happiness and peace.
K’tiva v’Chasima Tova.

Mussar from Mirka

I have been anxiously awaiting Hereville 2, which has an “official” publication date of November 1, 2012. I saw the cover on a book at Book Expo, got very excited, and then grabbed it to open it and find the cover encased the first Hereville book. Needless to say, that was not the only dummy in the room. When I complained to Jason Wells, he told me it would be available on Net Galley.

When I returned home from Book Expo, I immediately registered for Net Galley. It’s free, and I’ve been enjoying my subscription immensely for a number of reasons. I feel like I have a wonderful secret because I am seeing books pre-publication. I have the kid in the candy shop experience of perusing titles, but from the comfort of my home (often in pajamas). My family appreciates that there are no physical books coming into the house to crowd them out. Finally, since we moved to Israel, it is prohibitively expensive and slow to have books shipped. So yay for Net Galley.

Now, back to Mirka. The net galley is definitely not the final product. There are some pictures missing, some pictures sketched, and some that need some coloring. But, honestly, it’s Mirka! My favorite plucky, knitting, Sabbath-observing heroine is back with another adventure.

I don’t want to give away the plot, which involves a meteorite, an evil twin, and a witch wearing shorts and going barefoot, but it is another trip through the amazing creative world of Barry Deustch, who has again managed to combine humor, drama, and Judaism into an eye-catching graphic novel. But what really struck me about the book is the mussar, or character lessons, that were taught without the preachy, didactic tone that is often associated with “values education.”

Okay, a little plot spoiler. Mirka is faced with an exact physical copy of herself, but the copy is stronger, neater and better in many ways. But when it comes down to it, the copy can never truly be Mirka because it is Mirka’s way of doing things, of not being neat or strong or good at math that makes her who she is. It is reminiscent of the story of Reb Zusha, who does not worry whether, at the time of judgment, he will be questioned as to why he was not like Moses, but that he was not like Zusha.

I also liked that Fruma, Mirka’s stepmother, was a little more nuanced and provided more of the mussar. One aspect of this was showing Mirka that using your brain to figure out strategy, like in chess, is a way of winning in battle. She also emphasized acting like the person you want to be – excellent practice for developing character.

Loved the knitting (spoiler – new projects!) and the Regret-O-Meter. And I loved the Moon. Consistent with Jewish thought, the Moon is female, and she does her thing in a modest and helpful way, also teaching Mirka that not everyone has to know when you do something good or wonderful – just the act of doing it brings you closer to being the person you hope to be.

So to Barry, a grosse yasher koach (a big congratulations). Now I am even more excited to see the final product, and I am looking forward to Hereville 3.

Attune Foods Recipe Contest

I just entered the Attune Foods Recipe Contest. They made those delicious probiotic bars, as well as some great gluten free cereals. I submitted the cereal cheese loaf that I love and my family is not too keen on. DH does not like casseroles as a rule, and DS, DD, and DS2 generally do not eat cottage cheese. I don't understand them. Between the corn flakes, nuts, and cheddar cheese, it just hits the spot on a beautiful fall evening like this one. Actually, I'm glad they don't like it. I can eat the whole thing myself.

The entry deadline is November 17th, so if you have a savory recipe ($200 prize but $200 donation to Share Our Strength made in your name), get cooking!: November Contest Details

December's Challenge is a gift food.

Good luck and happy eating!

Gizella's Cereal Cheese Loaf

3 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups cottage cheese (1 16 oz. container)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup smoked almonds
3 cups Erewhon corn flakes
1 cup (4 oz.) cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until well-combined. Spread evenly in a greased 8x8 pan.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until set and lightly browned. Let stand several minutes before cutting.

Servings will depend on whether it is a main dish, side dish, or appetizer.

My Dewey Month

When I sat behind the reference desk at the public library, I would have to keep statistics for the library: how many ready reference questions (What is the capital of Alabama?); how many locational questions (Where is they copy machine?); how many in-depth reference questions (What is the Gross National Product of Zimbabwe?); and how many telephone calls I received during my shift.

At the same time, I kept my own log, which I called “My Dewey Day.” Whenever I was asked a question or someone was researching a topic, I would write down the Dewey Decimal numbers. When high school students were assigned a history report, I spent a lot of time in the 900’s. When they were assigned a literature paper, it was into the 800’s. Medical questions meant the 600’s, etc. The more numbers I logged, I realized the more exciting my day was, and the more I learned.

Lately I’ve been reading and reviewing a variety of books, so I thought it would be interesting to recap this month’s selections:

Sometimes I pick up books with interesting titles. Once I start reading, I realize the title was meant to draw the reader into a not-so-thrilling book. Or I wonder why I took it out in the first place. This month’s winner is Instinctive Parenting: Trusting Ourselves to Raise Good Kids by Ada Calhoun (Simon & Schuster, 2010). Ada is the editor-in-chief of Babble.com, a site that touts itself “for a new generation of parents.” This book falls under “Parenting,” which my library classified as 649.1. So if I trusted my instincts, I probably would not be buying a book about parenting. In fact, I think I am from one of the last generations that were not “parented.” The only book available, which has been debunked, was Dr. Spock. It is no wonder that many people confuse Mr. Spock (of Star Trek fame) with Dr. Spock, because today his ideas seem like they are from another planet. But Calhoun’s book proves that not everyone should trust their instincts. She discusses the use of booze and drugs (for the parent, not the kid) and admits a beer can make bath time a more pleasant time for both parent and child. But smoking pot to get through a challenging day with a toddler definitely crosses the boundary. So, as a librarian, and a fan of Ranganathan’s Five Laws, this book must be for somebody out there.

A topic I love, books and reading, falls under 028.9. While I didn’t read it this month, The Reading Promise by Alice Ozma (Grand Central Publishing, 2011) has had an impact. Alice’s father, a school librarian, read to her every night until she went away to college. I got a little too much information in the book about the family’s personal life, but I liked the idea, so I started reading the Oz series to my daughter. We were amazed at how different the first book was from the movie, and they just keep getting weirder. L. Frank Baum starts every book with a short note, and it seems that the youngsters of the 1900’s were bombarding him with requests to write more books. There are talking chickens, armies of little girls, a glass cat with pink brains (you can see them work!), and a Nome king who changes people into bric-a-brac (my daughter had no idea what bric-a-brac was). These books have turned out to be charming, although dated, but I see the benefits of reading aloud in terms of vocabulary, plot development, and bonding with my daughter.

I happened upon the library on a good day, so I was able to read Jane Lynch’s memoir, Happy Accidents (Hyperion, 2011). My library put this in biography, 092 LYN, but the library in the next town classified it as 792.028 – biography of an entertainer. Either way, it was a quick read with no Jewish content.

For Jewish content, I read Senator Joe Lieberman’s The Gift of Rest: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Sabbath (Howard Books, 2011), which is shelved at 296.41 – the Jewish Sabbath. I’m not quite sure of the target audience for this book. The Senator describes the observances and prayers in detail, relates some of his experiences observing the Sabbath in Washington, DC, including at then Vice President Gore’s residence, and reminisces about his grandmother. He also encourages non-Jews to observe their Sabbath by turning off the electronic devices, spending time with family, or saying a heartfelt prayer. While there’s nothing particularly offensive or controversial in this book, unless you consider him coaching Sarah Palin with the story of Queen Esther to be so, there is also not much new or exciting, either.

In the 641 category (cooking): you will see my review of The Kosher Carnivore by June Hersh (St. Martin’s Press, 2011) in the AJL Newsletter. I’m looking at a lot of Jewish cookbooks, and the recipes are not for your bubbe’s chicken soup. Kosher Carnivore had some very involved recipes with a variety of spices, herbs, and wines to bring out the flavor of beef and poultry. My species of carnivore enjoy a slab of meat fresh off the barbecue, some form of potato and a plain salad, but adventurous gourmets will “devour” this one. I will also be reviewing Kosher Revolution by Geila Hocherman & Arthur Boehm (Kyle Books, 2011), which includes recipes for Coconut-Ginger Squash Soup with Peshwari Challah and Matzo Brei with Caramleized Apples.

There was lots of discussion on the Child Lit List Serv about Bumble-Ardy by Maurice Sendak (Michael Di Capua Books, 2011). The posts about this E FIC SEN book ranged from criticism of a pig dressed an Indian to a detailed deconstruction of the pictures with references to the symbolism of their positioning and the role of such characters as a “big baby” in children’s literature. They say that as we age, our personality quirks, both good and bad, intensify. So as Mr. Sendak’s work has been funny, a little strange, sometimes subversive, always thought provoking, as he enjoys his 83rd year on the planet (he should live until 120!), it is even more so. Look for the banner that has the Hebrew letters after Bumble-Ardy. Usually it is just a nun and a yud, the acronym for “Nero Yoir,” may his light shine, often seen on bar mitzvah invitations after the boy’s name.

I also pre-screened some juvenile and YA fiction for the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee. I’m fascinated by what can be considered a Jewish book. On the one hand, I have the same argument as those from the African American community: Jews have been fully integrated into American society, so their stories are really not that different than what is considered mainstream fiction. On the other hand, I love Hereville so much because Mirka’s Judaism informs her whole attitude toward life. I can hardly wait for the big announcement in January. What books will win the Sydney Taylor Book Award?