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.

Real Cats of Israel

These cats live in Nir Oz, one of the worst hit communities on October 7th. I recently visited this once-serene enclave on the Gaza envelope, and took in the horror of what remained after over 100 of the 400 residents were murdered, kidnapped or injured. Houses were hit with RPGs or set on fire. But the cats still wander around.

Let's Make Soup

 Once again, winter has arrived in Israel, with a nice bit of rain, and some brisk, sunny weather. As the Talking Heads so eloquently expressed it in "Life During Wartime," "this ain't no party, this ain't no disco." So we have to look extra hard to bright moments in the dark days of Kislev and the "matsav" (situation).

For us, one such moment was meeting Chaya Bluma Gadenyan at a local vendor fair. She is the author of Getting Ready for Shabbat!: Let's Make Soup!, with art by Eugenia Ard (self-published, 2023). Chaya Bluma's first trip to Israel was for her bat mitzvah. She returned to Israel permanently in the late 1980s and worked in high tech for many years, eventually leaving a job as CFO to pursue "a more personally meaningful endeavor." During the pandemic, she taught English online to over 400 Chinese children on a one-on-one basis, and for the past three years, she has facilitated English learning for groups of Israeli youngsters.

The idea for the book germinated many years ago, when she heard a "put the chicken in the pot" song on a CD. As Chaya Bluma was looking for books to share with kindergarteners in her groups, her list of criteria included simple words, a positive message, appealing illustrations, and Jewish values. She remembered the song and realized it would make a great book. The book features her grandson, who is old enough to help and enjoys cooking with his grandmother. 

SPOILER ALERT!: The book begins with some wordless pages. A young boy is dropped off by an apartment building, and he climbs the steps to his grandparents' apartment with his school tik (bag) and two bags of groceries in tow. Grandmother (Grandma, Nana, Bubbe, Savta, Nona) is delighted to see him, and after he washes up, his grandmother asks what he wants to put in the pot. In go chicken, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, spices, potatoes, parsley, and finally, water. The words fit the tune of "London Bridge Is Falling Down." With the addition of each ingredient, Grandmother "stirs it up, nice and hot, we're getting ready for Shabbat." The soup, now ready for Shabbat, sits in the middle of the table. This beautiful double spread captures the colors and the amazing energy of a family around a Shabbat table.

©2023 by Chaya Bluma Gadenyan. Used with permission.

Cooking and singing at the same time, especially with young children, would be very challenging, so Chaya Bluma commissioned a crochet artist to make some of the ingredients in the book. She also created a coloring page, so that a group can review the items, and then follow along with the book.

As for Chaya Bluma's chicken soup, she grew up in an Ashkenazi home and married a Jerusalem-born Persian man, so her repertoire has literally been "spiced up." She makes Gomeh sabzi, which is a chicken soup with lots of fresh herbs and dried lime - her own "fusion" recipe. 

We loved hearing about Chaya Bluma's self-publishing journey from finding an illustrator to picking a printer. There are two versions of the book. The original has activities like a maze and a crossword puzzle at the end, the recipe for Chaya Bluma's chicken soup, as well as QR codes to access the internet, and information about names and Shabbat. The second edition has question prompts, is less expensive, and does not include the activities (or the codes). Both versions have vibrant pictures, and because Chaya Bluma was able to work so closely with the illustrator, the boy looks like her grandson, and the grandmother looks like...Chaya Bluma.

Chaya Bluma has also published an adorable coloring book for girls -- Girls' Names from the Hebrew Bible. On the left of each double spread is a "modern" girl dressed modestly, and on the right is her biblical counterpart: Sarah, Rivka, Leah, and more. She has developed a card name based on the soup book, and is working on several children's picture book manuscripts. 

It was a pleasure meeting Chaya Bluma and learning about all her creative projects.

A Visit to the National Library of Israel

 

Creative Commons license

Many were anticipating the gala, grand opening of the new campus of the National Library of Israel, but with the current "matsav" (situation), it's been kind of a "soft" opening, with a limit on how many people can be in the library for security reasons. We joined one of the daily tours of the facility, and the world "cool" came to mind throughout the tour. 

As you can see from the photograph, the building is supposed to look like an open book. You don't really get that close up, but it's still an interesting shape. It is also a "green" building, so several aspects are mindful of the environment, including the landscaping. Our tour guide pointed out that while across the street (to the right in the photo), the Knesset building is heavily fenced, the library has no gate or fence, so everyone has access.

To preserve the quiet of the library, the tour guide had a microphone, and all the tour participants had head sets connected to the tour guide's output, so she could speak quietly and everyone could hear what she was saying. The building is built from Jerusalem Stone, a light-colored limestone. Even though it is called "Jerusalem Stone," the limestone for the building was quarried in Mitzpe Ramon, about 115 miles south in the Negev.

As part of the green concept, there is a huge skylight above the main reading rooms:

Besides the main reading room, there are several rooms for special collections and exhibits. There are offices, a synagogue and a prayer room.

What if the material you want isn't on the shelf? They it has to be retrieved from "the stacks," another really cool aspect of the library. In the storage area, the air is maintained at a very low oxygen level (like being on Mount Everest), so that nothing can catch fire. It also means that humans cannot breathe in the area, so it is all automated. The boxes are barcoded, and a computer directs the machinery.

Outside, there is a big area for gatherings, and a rock sculpture representing letters:

REAL ISRAEL

We usually finish up with a look at "The Real Cats of Israel." This segment originated because there were so many books about cats in Israel that gave the impression that they are all cute and cuddly and people love them, when, in fact, they are feral, often sickly, and are very unpopular, often dubbed "Israel's squirrels."

So we'll end with REAL ISRAEL and dedicate this to the memory of Lavi Lipshitz, a 20-year old killed in battle on October 31st. Besides being a talented photographer, Lavi was an avid reader. May God avenge his blood.

The Beauty of Israel

I cannot help but wonder at the irony of my blog when Israel is being attacked on all sides by her enemies. But I think this is an important post. We in Israel basically want to live in peace and enjoy our beautiful homeland.

 Jewish librarians have lamented that there are very few books for children about Israel that are just positive, good books -- no politics, no agenda. This season, there are three excellent children's books and a "coffee table book" that highlight the beauty of Israel, its diverse plants and animals and their ecosystems, and the wonder and miracle that is the Land of Israel.

Hava Divon's Barefoot in the Sand (Green Bean Books, 2023) is a story about making dreams come true. From the time he was a boy and heard stories about an amazing place, Saul longed to go to the Land of Israel and put his bare feet in the sand. When he grows up, he charts the way there from his home in Romania. Walking many miles, then taking a train, then taking a boat, he finally arrives in Tel Aviv. He then takes off his heavy boots and dances barefoot in the sand, joyfully singing Psalm 114 - “When the Jews left Egypt – a place so strange to Jacob and all his descendants – the Land of Israel became their haven and their home.” But wait! As Saul is reveling in being in Israel, another man, who has dark skin and is holding his sandals, is also barefoot and completes the verse from the Psalm. He is Solomon, and he has ridden a donkey all the way from Yemen. Rotem Teplow's illustrations complement the text, and they capture the dream and yearning of Jews to be in Israel in the past and today.

Thank you to the folks at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for an advance copy of Martin Lemelman's The Miracle Seed because as I read this book, I keep saying "Cool!"

Graphic novel - cool

Archeology in Israel - cool

Discovering a 2,000-year-old date seed - very cool

Planting the seed and growing a date palm - really cool

And harvesting the dates - super cool

The graphic novel format is perfect for the combination of history and science. I can hardly wait to visit the Arava Institute in southern Israel and see the trees for myself!

Wikipedia Commons

A Feather, a Pebble, a Shell (Kar-Ben, 2024) is written and illustrated by Miri Leshem-Pelly, the author and illustrator of over a dozen children's books, including Chloe's Nature Journal and Penny and the Plain Piece of Paper. Based on her childhood experiences, Leshem-Pelly captures the beauty and diversity of Israel. From north to south, there are so many interesting and wonderful places. I was pretty excited to see the Twins Cave, also known as the Bat Cave included in the book because my family has often hiked there. It always amazes me that there are lush green parks in the center of Israel, and about two hours' drive south, the landscape is dry and stark, with totally different animals and plants. 

Unlike the girl in the book, who leaves the feathers, pebbles and shells she discovers for other people to find, I love having a little souvenir of my visit:

In My Israel: Seventy Faces of the Land (Gefen Publishing, 2023), "seventy prominent Israelis write movingly about their own special corner of the Land of Israel." Compiled by Nechemia (Chemi) J. Peres (son of Shimon) and Ilan Greenfield (Gefen's publisher), the book is divided into five sections: Zionist History: Sacrifice for the Homeland, Nature: The Land of Milk and Honey, Social Equality: Coexistence and Unity, Spirituality: History of the Jewish People, and Culture and Leisure: Life in Israel. Full disclosure: we like looking at pictures better than reading essays, although the one by Miriam Peretz, which describes why Samuel's Tomb is significant to her is touching (her sons Eliraz and Uriel "fell in battle during their service in the IDF"). Other contributors include Israeli executives, rabbis, and IDF officers, who describe their connection to places like Akko, Ben Gurion Airport, military cemeteries and historical sites like the Atlit Detention Camp, the Western Wall, and Habima National Theater. The mayor of our fair city (running for re-election, by the way) talks about Tel Beit Shemesh archeological site and the challenge of preserving it in the midst of a growing city. Our favorites: the dramatic landscapes of the Ramon Crater and the Negev and the gorgeous beaches at Arsuf Kedem and Tel Aviv.

As for the Real Cats of Israel, the ones are the Jerusalem Zoo are definitely a part of the beauty of Israel:

Happy Reading!

Elul 5783

 Wow! It's that time of year when we review the previous months and the books that have made an impact. Whether they have provided food for thought or good advice for the coming year, our list, much like our library, contains a variety of genres and subjects and fall into three categories: self improvement, enlightenment, and enjoyment.

SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones by James Clear.

The perfect book to read before Rosh Hashanah, when many Jews resolves to do things better or differently in the coming year. It reminded me of one of the classic Jewish books on character development, and Clear's advice is straightforward and easy to implement. 

Body & Soul: The Torah Path to Health, Fitness and a Holy Life by Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld & Dr Daniel Grove, MD.

We pray for health and healing, and this book is an interesting combination of Torah sources, suggestions and information to put you on the path to more meaningful living. With advice from rabbis and scholars and a medical advisory board, the book begins with a list of Torah luminaries and what they did to promote health and wellness, including diet and exercise. The authors assert that you are doing twenty mitzvot at the same time when you are exercising, and suggest ways to meet the challenge of staying healthy while partaking in lavish holiday meals, particularly in the month of Tishrei. There are "quiz questions" between the chapters, a food calorie guide, extensive endnotes, and a detailed index. 

ENLIGHTENMENT

Can The Whole World Be Wrong?: Lethal Journalism, Antisemitism and Global Jihad by Richard Landes. 

This book could also have been titled "Can the Whole World Be Crazy?" Amazing and meticulously researched. I learned so much about the mainstream news media and so many terms that pinpoint the zeitgeist of the 21st century: moral schadenfreude, Y2K Mind, oikophobia. Enlightening and at times funny, it is also a warning. I particularly like the "Astoundingly Stupid Statements Discussed in This Chapter" at the end of several chapters because of their irony.

ENJOYMENT

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Loved, loved, loved this book. It reaffirmed the joy of reading. Amazing, complex characters, strong sense of time in the 1960s and the challenges for women to be taken seriously, respected and appreciated. So much interesting information about chemistry and rowing. Although there was tragedy and sadness, there was also humor and lots of love -- the kind you build with the family you choose.

Packing My Library: An Elegy and Ten Digressions by Alberto Manguel

It's always nice to discover a kindred spirit, especially when it comes to books and reading and what a treasure it is to enjoy both. I loved reading about Borges, about Kabbalah, and about the joys of a physical book. It also reminded me of my boxes in storage, which, in the coming year, I hope to unpack.

With the high heat in Israel, the Real Cats have spent a lot of time sleeping in the shade, so, instead, with the New Year, Life Is Like a Library brings you the Beauty of Israel:

The Judean Hills near Beit El

May you be inscribed for a good year!

Happy Reading!

The Joys of Summer Reading

Between the extended hours of daylight, perhaps a lighter schedule, and some scheduled vacation, summer has always been an opportune time to read. We have fond memories of the Summer Reading Program at the local public library with special membership cards and charts and prizes, which included a game of bowling and a free frozen yogurt. We've always thought such incentive programs would work well for adults, but maybe with some more "mature" prizes.

Libraries and bookstores promote "beach reads." Interestingly, The Guardian did research and found that the term gained popularity in the 1990s. Over time, it began to describe a certain type of book, something that will have mass appeal and isn't particularly intellectually stimulating.

Our summer reading thus far does not fall into the "beach read" category:

First off, a recommendation for Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros (Inkyard, October 2023). We were lucky enough to get an advanced copy of the latest book by the author of The City Beautiful - winner of the 2022 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Young Adults. We were totally blown away by this book about a female golem that takes place in Lithuania during the Holocaust. Interesting characters, strong sense of place and time, and a denouement (fancy word for how the whole story is wrapped up) that kept us on the edge of our seats, refusing to put down the book until we were finished. Run out and get this one immediately! 

Another highlight has been Possession by A. S. Byatt, a 1990 Booker Prize Winner. Our friend Jennifer recently organized "The Long Book Club." For those who many be intimidated by a book that is over 300 pages, she decided the group would read a long book - 500+ pages, but that we would meet every two weeks to discuss about one hundred pages. It feels a little like taking a course and doing homework, but with this book, it is well worth the time and effort. No Jewish content, but tons of references, fancy words, interesting places, and mythology and marine biology. As we read, we marvel at the genius of Byatt for weaving it all together in a story of a Victorian romance and a contemporary one.

And then there's a children's Passover book - Workitu's Passover (Green Bean Books, 2023). It is "a story from Ethiopia" about the custom of Ethiopian Jews to break up their clay kitchenware before the holiday, "blend the fragments with more clay, and then create new containers from the mixture." Great illustrations complement the text, where Workitu is not happy because the family will break their dishes, but in the end, is happy to help her Auntie with the new creations.

Finally, the Real Cats of Israel have been trying to stay cool in the heat:

Happy Reading!

Can the Whole World Be Wrong?

 At Life is Like a Library, we love trifectas. And we got a great one recently. Thank you to Pomeranz Books in Jerusalem for hosting an event promoted as

Lethal Journalism and the Oslo Debacle: A Panel About Media Bias Against Israel

Three authors spoke about the topic:

Eliezer Tauber, author of The Massacre That Never Was (The Toby Press, 2021);

Richard Landes, author of Can the "Whole World" Be Wrong?: Lethal Journalism, Antisemitism and Global Jihad (Academic Studies Press, 2022);

and David Bedein, author of Roadblock to Peace: How the UN Perpetuates the Arab-Israeli Conflict (Israel Resource Agency, 2014)

Also in attendance:

 Jonathan Pollard, a former US intelligence analyst who was convicted of "conspiracy to deliver national defense information to a foreign government" and given a life sentence. He was paroled after 30 years and moved to Israel shortly after his parole expired. He sat on the panel with the authors;

and Leo Dee, whose wife and two of his daughters were murdered in a terrorist attack on April 7, 2023. He had much to add to the discussion in terms of how his family members' murders were reported by the media.

Pomeranz is one of our all-time favorite bookstores on many levels. It is a nice big store full of an eclectic mix of Jewish books (and some secular self-help books). It is located on Be'eri Street in Jerusalem, up the street from Froumine House on King George, which was the temporary home of the Israel Knesset from 1950 to 1966. And best of all, the staff is knowledgeable, courteous, and helpful. And, obviously, they host interesting and engaging book events.

Each author spoke, and then the panel interacted and later fielded questions from the audience. Professor Tauber is "a world expert on the emergence of the Arab nationalist movements, the formation of the modern Arab states, and the early phases of the Arab-Israeli conflict. He is currently the director of the Menachem Begin Institute for the Study of Underground and Resistance Movements." He spent four years researching his book and one year writing it. The notes comprise about a third of the book, and Tauber's sources includes archival records, typescripts of interviews, and many memoirs. 

True to its subtitle, Tauber debunks "the myth of Deir Yassin." On April 9, 1948, Etzel and Lehi members attacked the village of about 1,000 residents west of Jerusalem as part of a larger Haganah operation to make the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway safe and break the siege of Jerusalem. About 100 villagers were killed, including women and children, as well as five of the attackers. Most of the villagers escaped to a neighboring village and the reminder were taken prison and moved to eastern Jerusalem. But the battle was exploited to enflame the Arabs against the Jews. The number of casualties was highly inflated, and false reports of rape and other atrocities were spread. Rather than encouraging the Arabs to fight, they fled. Hopefully Tauber's excellent research and presentation will finally put this myth to rest.

Professor Landes was trained as a medievalist and taught history at Boston University. His book "documents how a radical inability of Westerners to understand the medieval mentality that drove Global Jihad prompted a series of disastrous misinterpretations and misguided reactions that have shaped our so-far unhappy century." Another meticulously researched book with extensive footnotes, a comprehensive bibliography and detailed index,  one Amazon reviewer calls the book "frighteningly brilliant and brilliantly frightening." One of our favorite aspects of the book is Landes' terms to describe the current "journalistic" environment, including "Masochistic Omnipotence Syndrome," "Moral Schadenfreude," and "Humanitarian Racism." At a hefty 486 pages of text, it is a fascinating and worthwhile, if challenging read.  

David Bedein established the Israel Resource News Agency and serves as the director of the Center for Near East Policy Research. He also created and maintains the website Israel Behind the News. His book details how the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) blocks peace and supports the teaching of hate and terror in Arab schools. It keeps the refugee issue alive and "avoids any permanent solution to the plight of the refugees from the 1948 war."

Bedein spoke about current efforts to "report Israel's reality to the media," and efforts to stop Palestinians terrorists and their families from receiving stipends for killing Israelis.

As for the Real Cats of Israel, this guy was wandering around the Adamit National Park in Northern Israel, probably more interested in what the picnickers were eating than the amazing views and the Keshet "Cave": 

Keshet "Cave" at Adamit Park

Happy Reading!