Life Is Like a Library
Life is like a library owned by an author. In it are a few books, which he wrote himself, but most of them were written for him. --Harry Emerson Fosdick
Monday, October 28, 2024
One Day in October
Monday, October 7, 2024
Heroes of October 7th
A Project by Hadassa Ben Ari Illustrations by Tehila Bar-Hama |
Mural by Liran Tapiro at entrance to new war room in Re'im "The flowers will continue to bloom" |
Neria and Daniel Sharabi |
Salman Habaka |
Amit Mann |
Friday, July 12, 2024
Poetry and War
Since October 7th, life has a been a rollercoaster in many ways. For a long time, I could not read a book, could not focus long enough to read more than a page, could not do something so trivial or that could possibly be enjoyable when there had been so much horror and heartbreak.
While bibliotherapy has gained credence in recent years, librarians have always known the serendipity of reading the right book at the right time. The same is true for poetry.
During this phase, these words were a comfort:
The Peace of Wild Things
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free
-- Wendell Berry
As I attended more and more funerals and the cemetery started filling up, I remembered the poem I had to memorize in junior high school:
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset flow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
-- John McCrae
I was also reminded of a poem written by my father, Edward Schapiro, who was a sergeant in the United States Army and served in the Detachment 12 Weather Squadron. He wrote it in 1945, after World War II ended.
They say that time is kind, those fools who sit
And wait to die, who never climb the sky
Or touch the glowing stars with magic lit
And watch unmoved the rushing years go by.
They say that love's a flame whose burn is slight
And quickly heals before the press of days,
Who never shared with you the star swept night
And knew the fiery heat the heart can blaze.
They say that passion gives the tortured heart
A dearer fondness when the loved on is far,
Who never spent the hours from you apart.
Playing a crazy manmade game called war,
They say these things, a smirk of wisdom in their eye,
And all that I can say is this:
Damn them! They lie!
Recently I heard about a song dedicated to the memory of Re'em Batito, who was killed on October 7th. As songs are poetry put to music, this beautiful tribute broke my heart yet again:
Besorot tovot,
May we hear good tidings soon!
Sunday, June 9, 2024
Booking in Tel Aviv (and Jaffa)
With the good news of the rescue of four of the hostages (and the sad news that Almog Meir Jan's father died a few hours before the rescue, and that one of their rescuers, Arnon Zmora, died of injuries sustained in the rescue), it was time was a change of pace and a change of scenery. Off to Tel Aviv to go to bookstores!
We stared in Jaffa at...the Yafa Bookstore and Coffee Shop. Why did we not know that this is an Arabic bookstore? They had a few used English books, and they graciously offered some romance novels "to read on the plane." A little miffed on both counts, since we live in Israel and prefer literary fiction and non-fiction, but it was nice that they tried. The reward for trekking way down to Jaffa was the beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea and the architecture of the neighborhood.
From there, it was on to Sipur Pashut, which means "simply story." This bookstore is in the charming Neve Tzedek neighborhood, which is full of interesting stores and galleries. Again, not much of an English selection, but a fun place to look around.
Next stop, HaMigdalor. And yet again, not so many English books, but lots of games and toys in addition to the books.
And finally, Book Worm, which in Hebrew is Tola'at Sefarim. Here, it seemed the coffee and the snacks were the main attraction, although there were a lot of interesting books, many in English.
For our next trip, we will probably return to an old favorite, Halper's on Allenby, where there are plenty of English books!
Happy Reading!
Besorot Tovot!
May we hear good tidings soon!
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Double, Double, Toil and Trouble
Wisdom from the Witch of Endor: Four Rules for Living by Tikva Frymer-Kensky was recently published by Eerdmans Publishing Company. Frymer-Kensky died in 2006, and this posthumous volume is emblematic of her interests in drawing from the biblical text and championing women. To fully appreciate this little gem, we had to put a few pieces together.
Today, when we thick of witches, the coven from Macbeth comes to mind. This creepy group meets secretly and makes a nauseating brew in their cauldron:
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth, boil and bubble.
The witches predict that Macbeth will be king, but that Banquo's descendants will be monarchs. They tell Macbeth that "no man of woman born" can kill him, and that he will not be defeated "until Birnam wood comes to Dunsinane." All of which comes true. Macbeth is killed by Macduff, who was born via caesarian birth, and his forces cut down trees to use as camouflage when they attacked at Dunsinane.
Many assert that Shakespeare found inspiration in Samuel I, Chapter 28. Saul has been deteriorating, both mentally and physically, even more so since Samuel the Prophet's death. Saul tries praying and calling out, but he cannot reach God. Although he has outlawed necromancy, Saul disguises himself and brings two attendants to a witch. She is hesitant to help, since it is against the law, but Saul implores her, and she communicates with the deal Samuel.
Samuel asks why the witch disturbed him, and he gives Saul the bad news: he and his son will be killed in battle the next day. Saul is distraught, and the witch sees he is upset and gives him bread and meat before he goes on his way. While the witch did not make the predictions, Samuel's prophecy comes true, and David becomes king.
We never learn the name of the sorceress (fun fact: Endora, Samantha's mother on the 1960s television show Bewitched got her name from this chapter). But she is not the spooky, cackling, stereotype that casts spells; she is a professional with empathy.
Fryer-Kensky elaborates on the four lessons we learn from the Witch of Endor:
- Know your power.
- Strive to excel.
- Choose the moment.
- Win well.
After recounting the biblical story, she explains how the Witch applied these rules. Finally, she illustrates how we can use the rules:
[The Witch of Endor's] story reminds us that even people whose actions are suspect in their own day can be wonderful, magnanimous, and benevolent spirits. And so can we.
A small book, a quick read, but one with a message relevant to our times. The "other" is often discounted or disparaged, but everyone should know their power and strive to excel. Their moment to shine will come, and when it does, they should take it with grace.
Real Cats of Israel
These real cats were in Jerusalem, enjoying one of the first warm days of spring:
Happy Reading!
Besorot tovot (May we hear good news soon!)!
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Life IS Like a Library
Our blog gets its title from the quote by Harry Emerson Fosdick, and especially in these turbulent times, it is obvious that most books were written and are being written for us, and we have no control over anything that is happening.
For those of us who have had the privilege or working in or using a great library, we know it is a magical place, full of books and other materials just waiting to be discovered. As collectors of quotes, these came to mind:
A truly great library has something to offend everyone. - Jo Godwin (librarian)
A public library is the most democratic thing in the world. What can be found there has undone dictators and tyrants. - Doris Lessing
The libraries of America are and must ever remain the home of free and inquiring minds. To them, our citizens - of all ages and races, of all creeds and persuasions - must be able to turn with clear confidence that there they can freely seek the whole truth, unvarnished by fashion and uncompromised by expediency. - Dwight D. EisenhowerTuesday, January 9, 2024
The Right Book at the Right Time
The world changed on October 7th, and since then, it's been hard to focus on a lot of things, especially when a siren goes off. But as a corollary to two of SR Ranganathan's Five Rules of Library Science (Every person his or her book; every book its reader), the right books often come along at the right time for the person who needs to read them.
Yehuda Avner's The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership (Toby, 2010) has been enlightening in terms of the history of the modern State of Israel and politics. Avner (1928-2015) was born in Manchester. He was a speechwriter for Levi Eshkol and Golda Meir, and worked as an advisor to Yitzchak Rabin, Menachem Begin, and Shimon Peres. He also served as Consulate in New York and in Washington, DC, and he served as Israel's Ambassador to Great Britain, Ireland, and Australia. His book is a memoir of his diplomatic service, but also a look at history, and the personalities that shaped it.
During this "matsav" (situation), one of the most interesting things in the book was Yitzchak Rabin's answer when Avner asked him, in 1995, why he shook Arafat's hand. Rabin answered that
"Israel is surrounded by two concentric circles. The inner circle is comprised of our immediate neighbors. The outer circle comprises their neighbors -- Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya. Virtually all of them are rogue states, and some are going nuclear. Iranian-inspired Islamic fundamentalism is striving to destabilize the Gulf Emirates, has already created havoc in Syria...in Algeria...in Egypt...in Jordan...in the Sudan and Somalia...and in Yemen. And now it is gaining influence in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip...At the end of the day, the inner circle recognizes they have less to fear from Israel than from their Muslim neighbors, not least from radicalized Islamic powers going nuclear."
Wow! If you think this situation is something new, it has been brewing for 30 years. A hefty read at over 700 pages, but very worthwhile.
For those participating in the Nach Yomi project (an cyclical reading from the books of Prophets and Writings), it was incredible to read Megillat Esther, which is the story of how the enemies of the Jews tried to annihilate them, and things flipped and the enemies of the Jews were killed. No coincidence that the reading of this book took place after October 7th. While reading the actual text, I also read JT Waldman's Megillat Esther (JPS, 2005). Dubbed as the world's first religious, scholarly comic book, it combines amazing illustrations, creative use of text, and a list of resources from the commentaries. Hailed as a "visual masterpiece," the graphic novel reveals layers of meaning through both the art and the text.
I was trying to give a quick summary of Tunnels, a graphic novel by Rutu Modan (Drawn and Quarterly, 2021), but Amazon did a much better job:"When a great antiquities collector is forced to donate his entire collection to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Nili Broshi sees her last chance to finish an archaeological expedition begun decades earlier―a dig that could possibly yield the most important religious artifact in the Middle East. Motivated by the desire to reinstate her father’s legacy as a great archaeologist after he was marginalized by his rival, Nili enlists a ragtag crew―a religious nationalist and his band of hilltop youths, her traitorous brother, and her childhood Palestinian friend, now an archaeological smuggler. As Nili’s father slips deeper into dementia, warring factions close in on and fight over the Ark of the Covenant!"
I was a little nervous to read about tunneling Palestinians in the current situation, but Modan's book was captivating, with humor, irony, and the twists and turns of a complicated history and current situation. It had the edginess and quirkiness that are often found in graphic novels, but was also well-researched. While many of my colleagues put graphic novels in the "middle grade area" of the library, this one is definitely for adults.