The Unfinished Corner - Interview with Writer Dani Colman

 Finally, finally. Almost as a reward for wading through "less than ultimate" review books, I have been blown away by an amazing graphic novel, and I will have to keep checking my thesaurus for different words for "amazing."

Published in 2021 by Wonderbound, The Unfinished Corner creators are

Dani Colman - Writer

Rachel "Tuna" Petrovicz - Artist

Whitney Cogar - Colorist

Jim Campbell - Letterer

The graphic novel is such a great format for an adventure story like this one. The combination of illustrations and text, the different formats -- panels, double spreads, etc., and the mythical characters, will hold the reader's attention.

As a fan girl, I could go on, but I had the privilege of asking writer Dani Colman some of my questions.

I want to be very careful not to reveal spoilers, because I know readers will be delighted when they encounter some of the amazing (stunning? astounding?) things in the graphic novel.

LILAL: I will give a hint that there is a scene which to me was a combination of the television show “Glow Up” and Mirka, of Hereville fame, versus the dragon. There is also a vehicle which reminds me of either The Magic School Bus or the Mystery Machine van from Scooby Do. Have others noticed this?

Dani Colman: The book is absolutely full of references for the eagle-eyed! I very much wanted to pay tribute to Hereville; there are very few proudly Jewish graphic novels for younger readers, and the Hereville books are so witty and adventurous and fun. Reading them was huge to me in proving that yes, this kind of story can be done. There are also references to many of the stories that influenced me growing up, from The Iron Giant to The Land Before Time to Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Part of this is just a love letter to the stories that made me: I wouldn't be the writer I am without all of these wonderful influences. But I was also conscious of the fact that, as a millennial, some of the parents reading this book to their kids will be around my age, and will have grown up with the same stories. Nostalgia is such a powerful force, so I hope that including these little shoutouts to meaningful stories will help these parents and other adult readers tap into that childhood sense of wonder and adventure as they read.

LILAL: My short summary would be: Miri Feigenbaum, a talented art student, is swept into a bat mitzvah vision quest to save the world from demons. What’s yours?

Dani Colman: The way I pitch it to new readers is this: "It's a fantasy adventure based on Jewish mythology, in which four children are kidnapped by a rogue angel who wants them to finish the corner of the Universe that G-d forgot." What I've found works really well about this description is that it has three moments of surprise in it: three moments where I can see a potential reader's eyebrows go up with intrigue:
"...based on Jewish mythology..."
"...rogue angel..."
"...corner of the Universe that G-d forgot."
By the time I get that third eyebrow raise, they're usually reaching for the book!

LILAL: There is so much Jewish content: Kabbalah, Midrash, folklore, Jewish prayer. Two questions:
How did you research the graphic novel?

Dani Colman: I started by just reading everything I could get my hands on: books, articles, poorly-researched reddit posts - you name it! It's been a long time since I attended cheder, and I also knew I wanted to explore parts of folklore and the non-canonical texts that weren't part of my Jewish Studies curriculum as a teen, so I just absorbed as much as I could. Over time, I zeroed in on a couple of books that collected the kinds of stories that felt right for a fantasy adventure. Howard Schwartz is a renowned folklorist who's spent decades exploring Jewish mythology, so several of his books became foundational texts for The Unfinished Corner. From these foundational texts, I'd pull on threads I found interesting; sometimes they led to more of the same, but just as often I'd find some obscure piece of arcane text that gave the stories additional dimensions or context. One of the things I love about Judaism is that it's a culture of interpretation: the Talmud is literally the product of years of scholars debating the meaning of every line of the Torah! That means that for any given folktale or piece of commentary, there are tens of different versions and hundreds of different interpretations. There's very little "right" or "wrong": there's "doing the best you can to find a meaning that makes sense and upholds Jewish values".

LILAL: How did you weave it all together – across time and space?

Dani Colman: I knew where the story had to start, and I knew where the story had to end, and I knew that one stop in the middle was non-negotiable from the outset - I won't spoil it here, but it's a rare Jewish folktale that's very familiar to many non-Jews as well, so including it would instantly make the book more accessible to a wide variety of readers. From there, it was a question of which of the stories I'd researched would help the children in their journey: who's going to give them new information, or a way to traverse something impassable? Which characters will get in the protagonists' way, but in a way that forces them to be creative and learn something new? Which pieces of mythology can I draw on to exploit the specific strengths of my characters, or trip them up in interesting ways? Some folktales lent themselves really well to the epic journey nature of the story, such as the travels of Bar Bar Hanna (a sort of Jewish Sinbad figure); others, as much as I loved and wanted to include them, just didn't mesh well with the story I was trying to tell, and got put in the "maybe for a sequel" folder.

LILAL: How do you think non-Jewish readers will react to the story?

Dani Colman: I knew from the get-go that this book had to function as a fun, engaging adventure first. Readers are sensitive (and rightly so) to soapboxing, so if the characters aren't relatable and the story isn't gripping, any attempt to teach readers a little about Judaism will fall flat. So far, the response from non-Jewish readers tells me the book has succeeded in that! Readers enjoy the fantastical adventures, and I've had more than a few people tell me they were inspired to go out and read more about Judaism after they finished reading The Unfinished Corner. Reading stories based in other cultures was a huge part of my upbringing, from folklore to other religions to stories based in parts of the world I'd never seen. Every time I read a book that introduced characters living lives that were unfamiliar to me, I was motivated to read more, learn more, experience more. I can only hope that The Unfinished Corner does the same for non-Jewish readers!

LILAL: Many characters that are usually villains or “the bad guys” in Jewish lore are portrayed somewhat sympathetically. For example, Lilith (my son told me not to say her name out loud!) seems pretty reasonable. Are she and the Nephilim (fallen angels) just misunderstood?

Dani Colman: Jews are traditionally quite good at seeing other people's point of view; we're generally not dogmatic. It's built into our liturgy and tradition, from the Noachide commandments for ethical living for non-Jews, to the mitzvahs of taking care of guests and not making non-Jewish household members or staff work on Shabbat, to stories of even our more traditional villains (like Achashverosh) being brought around by wisdom and lateral thinking. I had some conversations with my editor very early on about whether it would strengthen the story to include a more traditional "Big Bad", but at the end of the day, it just didn't feel authentically Jewish to do so. There's also the fact that Jews have been cast as villains in so many anti-Semitic narratives and we as a people are - of course! - much more complex than that. The vast majority of us are ordinary folks just doing our best; just like any group, we've also got truly good people and people who are...not. For any non-Jewish reader who's got a little unconscious anti-Semitism floating around in their brain, making sure the nominal antagonists of the story are complex and empathetic is a way of countering that bias.

LILAL: My library colleagues usually assign graphic novels to the “middle grade” section of the library, but as an adult, I appreciated so many references, for example, Hadassah singing “Three Little Maids” from “The Mikado” in the back seat, that I don’t think they would appreciate. Who do you see as your target audience?

Dani Colman: Our recommended reading age is 8-13, and we've had a pretty good response from that demo, even with the occasional Gilbert and Sullivan! That said, I feel strongly that "all ages" material should be truly for all ages. Younger readers will probably read this book with their parents, which means that there should be jokes and references for the parents to enjoy too. Speaking purely for myself, there's also something so satisfying about returning to a book I enjoyed as a kid, and finding something I could only appreciate as an adult - it's like the author left a gift for me. A book like Watership Down is meaningful to me because every year I've read it - and I've read it almost every year since I was eight or so - I've discovered or understood something new. That's the mark of good kids' or teens' literature for me: a story that grows and matures with the reader.

I also should probably mention that Miri's family is lovingly inspired by my own parents and siblings, and gathering around the piano with my dad to sing Gilbert and Sullivan was a proud family tradition. The bat mitzvah-scene rewrite of "Modern Major General" was directly inspired by my own siblings' b'nei mitzvah, in which - in lieu of speeches - I sang The Bat Mitzvah Rag to the tune of "Tom Lehrer's Vatican Rag," and my siblings sang The Rabbi Cometh to the tune of Flanders & Swann's "The Gas-Man Cometh."  It's just what the Colman kids do!
There's also a musical joke in the middle of the book that I expect exactly one person (outside the creative team) to get, and that's my dad. Hi, Dad!

LILAL: The Association of Jewish Libraries maintains a Jewish Values Finder. From that values list, I obviously saw Tikkun Olam/Repairing the World and Cleaving to Friends. What other values would you like readers to take away – both personal and communal?

Dani Colman: Lifnei Aver - inclusivity - is the big one. The four main characters are very different, and have unique strengths and weaknesses. In writing the story, I was very careful to make sure that for each character, there was at least one point where the story could not progress without them; that, without Judith's worldliness or Avi's studiousness or Miri's stubbornness or David's open-heartedness, the foursome would stop dead. This in turn plays into the broader theme of not just valuing each other's differences, but actively making space for them, and it helps the children come to the realization that those they think are the villains of the story actually have much more to offer.

T'shuvah and s'lichah - repentance and forgiveness - are also really important. Growing up is making mistakes, and these characters do that: they keep secrets, they behave selfishly, and they lash out when they're hurt. It takes acknowledging their failings, understanding how they've caused hurt, and willingness to forgive and be forgiven for them to come together in strength and persevere.

LILAL: Any plans for a sequel or related graphic novel?

Dani Colman: There are so many places I want to take these characters! The stack of fun ideas I had to leave out for space is bigger by far than the stack of ideas that made it into the book. Given the opportunity, I could explore the infinite corners of Judaism with these characters for the rest of my career. Right now, though, this is a debut book from a brand new imprint, so we're still watching how it does out in the world. When the time is right, we'll be ready!

Thank you Dani.

And now, one of the best parts of the graphic novel world...

FREE SWAG!!!!!

Watch the trailer here.

Click here to download a preview of The Unfinished Corner.

Click here for free bookmarks.

Click here for a chat with Dani Colman and Wonderbound Managing Editor Rebecca Taylor

Some sad news from The Real Cats of Israel. One of our own Real Cats, JoJo, has ascended to Kitty Heaven. We saved JoJo when he was a kitten, and he was in our lives for five years. While this feisty Tom reminded us of a teenage boy -- run around, eat, sleep, he definitely crawled into our hearts.

Happy Reading!

Chocolate and Talmud

Life Is Like a Library has had a run of "less than ultimate" books. "Using our gift to only uplift," we try to stay positive in this space, so with the deadline looming, we were worried if we would have something to share for this month's Jewish Book Carnival. When all else fails, CHOCOLATE! Actually Green Beans, as we feature two recent books by this British publisher.

Babka, Boulou & Blintzes: Jewish Chocolate Recipes from Around the World (Green Bean Books, 2021) will be out later this month. Michael Leventhal compiled this collection of all things chocolate. The introduction discusses the history of chocolate and the Jewish connection. In the 1500s, Jewish traders in Spain "starting playing a key role in the creation and expansion of the chocolate market." These traders fled to France from the Spanish Inquisition, and Bayonne became the "chocolate capital of France." The recipes are organized by Cookies, Bars & Brownies; Cakes, Loaves & Tarts; Savory Dishes & Drinks, Hot & Cold Desserts; and Bonbons, Bites & After-Dinner Delights. Leventhal helpfully includes a glossary of UK-US terms and a note on measurements, so us non-Brits finally know that what the Brits call caster sugar is regular white sugar. Many talented people contributed recipes to the book, including Amy Krtizer Becker from What Jew Wanna Eat, foodie Joan Nathan, and Orly Ziv. Even better, all sales of the book help raise money for Chai Cancer Care.

Most of us have our go-to recipes for things like brownies and chocolate chip cookies, so this responsible reviewer decided to try something new: boulou. Boulou is a sweet bread or cake that Jews of North African (Libya, Tunisia) origin traditionally eat during the month of Tishrei. One taste tester thought they were mandelbrot, but they are sort of, kind or, but, not really. The dough is laid out in logs on a baking sheet and then sliced after the logs have been baked and cooled. They come out like a firm cake, not hard like mandelbrot, and they are perfect for dipping in coffee.

I made one almond, one raisin, and one chocolate chip, but next time, I will try making my boulou with a combination of all three. Here's the recipe (shared with permission of Green Bean Books):

BOULOU

from Fabienne Viner-Luzzato (www.fabienneshomecooking.com)

Makes 3 boulou (each one will cut into several slices; number of slices depends on thickness)

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

2 large eggs (2 extra-large eggs in the US)

150 g/5 1/2 oz/3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

125 ml/4 fl oz/1/2 cup vegetable or sunflower oil

about 500 g/1 lb. 2 oz/ 3 3/4 cups self-raising flour (extra for dusting)

100 g/3 1/2 oz/2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

50g/ 1 3/4 oz/ 1/3 cup raisins

50 g/1 3/4 oz/1/3 cup flaked almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/180 degrees Celsius fan/400 degrees Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 6. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.

2. Place the eggs, both sugars and the vegetable or sunflower oil in a mixing bowl and mix together using a fork. Start adding the flour slowly, mixing with your hands to form a dough. Mix the flour in well, avoiding leaving behind lumps of flour. Add enough flour to make a soft dough -- the consistency of the dough needs to be soft, easy to touch but still slightly sticky.

3. On the work surface, divide your dough into three equal portions to make three different flavored boulou. Add the chocolate chips to one portion of dough, the raisins to another and the flaked almonds to the final portion of dough, kneading each flavoring into the dough until evenly distributed. Cook's Tip: If you prefer, you can mix all the flavoring ingredients together (the chocolate chips, raisins and almonds), then simply divide this mixture into three and knead one portion into each portion of dough.

4. Roll the flavored portions of dough into three equal-length logs (you might need to dust the work surface with a little flour first) and then flatten each one into a rectangle about 5 cm/2-inch wide and 15-20 cm/6-8-inch long, then place on the lined baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until they become golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack, then leave to cool completely. Once cool, cut into 2 cm/3/4-inch thick slices to serve (or you can cut them into thinner slices, if you prefer).

6. Store the baked logs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days, and slice them, as needed. They will keep for longer, but will dry a little -- but they will still taste amazing dipped in hot black coffee!

Besides chocolate, baking, and eating baked goods with coffee, one of our favorite things is Jewish children's books based on Talmudic stories, and Green Bean came through again with Naama Benziman's Lenny and Benny (Green Bean Books, 2021). Originally published in Israel as Noni and Noni-Yoteir (Morris and Morris-More), it is based on the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza (Babylonian Talmud - Gittin 55B). Lenny and Benny are two rabbits that started as friends, but became not so friendly. When Benny has his birthday party, Lenny is accidentally sent an invitation and shows up. Benny wants him to leave. Lenny, much like Bar Kamtza, offers to help with the party, but Benny refuses and kicks out the humiliated Lenny. In this children's book, the story ends happily and Lenny and Benny reconcile. In the Talmud, Bar Kamtza exacts revenge by spreading rumors about the party host and his guests, which ultimately leads to the destruction of the Second Temple. The blue and red illustrations provide a simple complement to the heart-felt text, and I love the double fold out of Benny's party.

While boulou are usually served in Tishrei, and the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza is usually told before Tisha B'Av, they are both appropriate all year long. Cake and coffee are always great, and, for as much as baseless hatred (sinat chinam) was responsible for the destruction of the Temple, unconditional love (ahavat chinam) (and maybe chocolate) will hasten the building of the Third Temple. May it be quickly and in our time!

Sad news from The Real Cats of Israel. Our kittens got sick and are no longer with us. We miss you Yuki, Stormy, and Clawdia!

Happy Reading!

Palestine

The main reason my interest in the history of pre-State Israel is so fascinating is because I can visit the places where history happened. Two recent books highlight two of the people involved in this history.

Laura S, Schor's The Best School in Jerusalem: Annie Landau's School for Girls, 1900-1960 (Brandeis University Press, 2013) chronicles the history of the school as well as the history of the State. Annie Landau moved from London to Jerusalem in 1899 to teach English at a girls' school. The school was started in 1864 by Moses Montefiore, and named the Evelina de Rothschild school when it was endowed by her husband in her memory. With Annie's strong personality and leadership skills, she soon became of the head of the school. During her tenure the number of students increased significantly, the fields of study expanded to meet the needs of the students and the community, and the school really did become know as the best school in Jerusalem. The school's history was entwined with Israel's history, as Evelina welcomed new immigrants, saw its graduates working in British Mandate offices, and continued providing instruction under challenging conditions in the War of Independence. The school is now in the Rechavia neighborhood of Jerusalem, but it was once on the corner of HaNevi'im and Shivtei Yisrael, located in Frutiger House, the home of a Swiss banker who went bankrupt.

Fruitger House in the early 20th century

The building is now known as Machanayim House, and it now occupied by the Ministry of Education. Or is it? I paid a visit, and I was not able to get close and take pictures. Could it be that the Evelina School is now occupied by the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic? Mosad? Shabak? Who knows!

Daniel S. Chertoff's father, Mordecai S. Chertoff, went to Palestine in 1947 and became a correspondent for the Palestine Post (now the Jerusalem Post). He corresponded with his family about his work and about what was going on: the danger, the elation of November 29th when the United Nations voted for partition, and the loss of friends to Arab violence. Daniel's book, Palestine Posts: An Eyewitness Account of the Birth of Israel: Based on the Letters of Mordecai S. Chertoff (Toby Press, 2019), is both historical and personal. The letters describe the convoys trying to break through the siege of Jerusalem, as well as Mordecai's love life. Mordecai gives an account of how the Israelis broke the blockade at Bab el Wad.

Bab el Wad in 1917

Bab el Wad saw fierce battles during the War of Independence (1947-1948). In Arabic, it means "Gate of the Valley," and now it is called Sha'ar HaGai ("Gate of the Valley" in Hebrew). The trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (that now takes less than an hour with no traffic) used to take three days. The Ottomans upgraded the road in 1867, which reduced the time of the trip to two days. The Ottomans built an inn in 1869, which was the only place along the road where travelers could stop for the night. The inn had some famous visitors, including Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungary, King Edward VII of England, and German emperor Wilhelm II. Abed Kouttainay's family lived in the Khan and ran the inn. He remembers serving British soldiers beer in this video.

Israeli soldiers fought long and hard to gain control of Bab el Wad. They took positions in the surroundings mountains, and held their posts for six days under heavy fire. It is now a National Memorial Site run by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Since it is a ten-minute drive from where I live, I went to take the tour. Films of eyewitness accounts dominate the presentation, but there are several artifacts inside and several vintage vehicles outside. I was thinking they will be bringing a lot of school tours, and as I was leaving, there was a big group of high school students. After watching all the films and walking around, the place that I pass on the highway has taken on new meaning.

I hoped to see some Real Cats of Israel wandering around, but there must have been hiding. Our friend Noga has grown quite a bit since we last saw her:

Happy Reading!

Elul 5781

 Wow! Again it is Elul and time to review the past year. Last year at this time, I decided to cut back significantly on book purchases and attack my TBR pile, which now takes up my office and my attic. I'm glad that I read a lot of these books. I did read some recently published books as well, and many of both the old and the new made it to this year's list of "Elul books" -- reading in the spirit of making positive changes in my life and in the world:

We'll start with a new book, endorsed by rapper Nissim Black as one that "will thaw you out and heat you up," The 40 Day Challenge by Rabbi Mark Wildes (Kodesh Press, 2021). Rabbi Wildes is the Founder and Director of the Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE), a "Jewish outreach and educational program that engages and reconnects unaffiliated Jewish men and women in their 20s and 30s with Judaism and the Jewish community." During the pandemic, Rabbi Wildes started a WhatsApp challenge that became the basis for this book. There is an entry for each day from Rosh Chodesh Elul to the day after Yom Kippur, followed by a challenge question to help you apply what you've learned. Of particular note is the reading for Day 33, "Fasting after Feasting," which gives a great explanation for the Fast of Gedaliah. Rabbi Wildes hits the right combination for a wide audience -- quotes from Jewish sources and rabbis without being preachy; and quotes from popular culture without trying to be "too cool" or let the secular outweigh the Jewish content. 

With short chapters and substance - "Are we sufficiently using the gifts and resources we have at our disposal or do we allow our challenges to keep us from being are best selves?" -- use this book to get ready for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and life in general.

Matt Haig's blockbuster, best-seller, award-winning The Midnight Library (Viking, 2020) is the kind of popular, feel-good book that I normally would not pick up, opting for something literary and not so happy. But I love books about libraries, especially when the librarian is the hero. No spoilers, but this is a good one for Elul and Rosh Hashanah, as Nora Seed "travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place." And, surprise, it's not being a rock star or an Olympic athlete.

Angels and Tahina by Tzippi Ross (Goat Path Publishing, 2020) was inspiring on many levels. As mentioned here previously (Angels and Tahina), Tzippi hiked the Israel Trail in 2009 to raise money for ALS research. So besides hiking over 600 miles, besides raising $40,00 for ALS research, and besides the challenge of being with family 24/7 (and not showering), or maybe because of this, it was also an experience of emotional and spiritual growth. As I started reading, I thought, "It would be so cool to hike the Trail. If I trained, I could probably this." After I finished the book, I realized I probably couldn't do it. Sleeping in a tent, finding food caches stolen, and carrying a backpack that allowed for only two pairs of underwear is not for me. But my admiration for Tzippi is infinite. The book is arranged by lessons, and my takeaway is that preparation and believing that there are good people in the world are two things I would like to work on in the coming year.

Eilat

y

We're big fans of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. This author and illustrator team has created such classics as Room on the Broom, Stick Man, The Snail and the Whale, and The Gruffalo. But The Smeds and The Smoos (2019, Alison Green Books) is a book that everyone needs to read now. The red Smeds don't like the blue Smoos and vice versa. But when Janet and Bill look past the surface of color and food preference, they enjoy each other's company. With great rhyming nonsense words, and the eventual purple baby that everyone loves, it is a colorful, fun read, with, of course, a good lesson.

On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kipper, we say "Unetanneh Tokef," a prayer that is central to the themes of the High Holidays, and the second paragraph always makes me cry:

On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur will be sealed – how many will pass from the earth and how many will be created; who will live and who will die; who will die after a long life, and who before his time; who by water and who by fire, who by sword and who by beast, who by famine and who by thirst, who by upheaval, and who by plague, who by strangling and who by stoning. Who will rest and who will wander, who will live in harmony and who will be harried, who will enjoy tranquility and who will suffer, who will be impoverished and who will be enriched, who will be degraded and who will be exalted. But Repentance, Prayer, and Charity annul the severity of the Decree."

As I age, death is striking me particularly hard. It reminds me of my own mortality, about all the things people want to do and places they want to go, how much more they had to give to the world, and how much they will be missed. Some people I knew very well and lost touch with over the years; some people I knew by reputation, and others I had met once or twice, but they definitely had an impact on me. 

So, to all of you, may you rest in peace, and may you continue to be strong advocates in the heavens for us:

My cousin, Salome Klein, the last of my mother's generation, Rabbi Fabian Schonfeld , Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski , Rabbi Shalom Povarsky, Janet Pollack , Lawrence Otis Graham , Meir Weingarten , Eric Carle, Rush Limbaugh, Christopher Plummer, Cicely Tyson, Cloris Leachman, Hank Aaron, Flory Jagoda

And finally, what a difference a year makes with the Real Cats from Israel. We met Socks II earlier in the year

And here she is with her kittens - Yuki, Stormy and Clawdia:

Happy Reading!

JEWISH BOOK CARNIVAL - AUGUST 2021

Life Is Like a Library is honored to host the August Jewish Book Carnival -- a monthly round up of links from across the blogosphere. It includes book reviews, author interviews, essays and other posts related to Jewish books. 

The purposes of the Jewish Book Carnival are to build community among bloggers who feature Jewish books and their blogs, and to promote Jewish reading and fields supporting this reading such as publishing and library services.

At Life Is Like a Library, in time for summer vacation, an interview with Tzippi Moss, author of Angels & Tahina: 18 Lesson from Hiking the Israel Trail (Goat Path Publishing, 2020)

It's Choc's Away at Green Bean Books, where two upcoming books explore the Jewish connection to chocolate. Be sure to take the quiz and test your knowledge of Jewish chocolate history.

Barbara Bietz at Jewish Books for Kids and Deborah Kalb at Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb both bring us interviews with Norman H. Finkelstein about his new book, The Shelter and the Fence: When 982 Holocaust Refugees Found Safe Haven in America (Chicago Review Press, 2021). 

The Book of Life Podcast features an interview with Nancy Werlin, author of Zoe Rosenthal Is Not Lawful Good, a story of a Jewish girl whose sci-fi fandom provides a way for her to grow into her true self.

A Jewish Grandmother reviews The Wisdom of Getting Unstuck, which gives wonderful advice on how to make your life better.

Each week, Erika Dreifus's My Machberet blog curates links from the world of Jewish books and writing. Here's one recent example: Jewish Literary Links. 

Mirta Ines Trupp delves into Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy as she interviews Valerie Estelle Frankel on her blog.

Check out this coloring page from author/illustrator Ann Koffsky!

Star Trek and the Jews features an interview with Judaica librarian Heidi Rabinowitz about Star Trek fiction with Jewish characters.

Shiloh Musings discovered The 40 Day Challenge: Daily Jewish Insights to Prepare for the High Holidays. This guide will help us improve our lives not just the 40 days before Yom Kippur, but all year long. 

The Association of Jewish Libraries will hold an online session "AJL Presents: Recommended Recent Jewish Children’s Books" on Sunday, August 29, 2021 at 9:30AM PT / 12:30PM ET / 7:30PM Israel Time. The creators of The Sydney Taylor Shmooze blog will share Jewish children’s/YA titles recommended for Judaic collections. This is a good way to learn about worthy titles beyond those recognized by the Sydney Taylor Book Awards. This event is sponsored by AJL’s SSCPL Division and is open to members and non-members.
Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpfuyorD4vG93f8ybwAogQ6YAswrIUkEeF

Ketiva V'Chatima Tova - May you be written and sealed in the Book of Life for a good year!

Angels and Tahina

 

The title of Tzippi Moss' book reflects two important things for hiking the Israel Trail: trail angels, who provide, food, water, accommodations and transportation; and tahina, a main staple of the "trail diet." But the subtitle, "18 Lessons from Hiking the Israel Trail," lets you know that her 2020 book (Goat Path Publishing) is about more than hiking. She calls it her "love letter to the country [of Israel]."

Moss hiked the entire 1000 kilometers (about 620 miles) of the Israel Trail with her husband Alan and her son Ezra. Besides the seeing the beautiful land of Israel and bonding as a family, they raised $40,000 for ALS research. Alan's mother had succumbed to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive nervous system disease, and the fund raising effort added purpose to the endeavor.

The book is not in chronological order; it is organized by lesson. The format succeeds for at least two reasons: there is a clear map at the front of the book, so the lessons can be put in context; and while she does refer back and forth, there is little repetition. 

Some of the lessons are common sense, which often is not so common. The beginning chapters about "Taking the First Step," "Commit to the Journey," and "Invest in Your Gear" detail the preparation for the hike, which included a trip to the US to get the right equipment, like hiking boots and walking poles. Other chapters discuss the importance of knowing when to eat and when to rest. Still others talk about going at your own pace and savoring the moment. Obviously, these lessons are not just for hiking, but for life as well. 

Tzippi's son at the trailhead in the North.
Photo by Tzippi Moss, used with permission.

As Moss reflects, "the challenge of finding and maintaining my own authentic, true pace, both as an individual and within our family unit, comprised, in a sense, a journey within our journey. Sometimes, constant, ridiculous comparisons with others and hectoring expectations of myself and my two men could impair me." She does not paint a picture that is totally rosy, candidly revealing frustrations (stolen food caches, flooding that forced them to walk long distances around the water), family tensions, and physical injuries. 

Tzippi and her husband on the trail.
Photo used with permission.

Tzippi was kind enough to answer some questions:

That quote from your book summed up a lot of things. How did you deal with this challenge on the trail?

It was hard and presented a constant challenge. Sometimes it was the simplest things that helped, like fatigue. That dropped me into my body and out of my thoughts.

How do you deal with this challenge now?

 A decade of growing older helped me to widen my perspective. So did the long drawn-out process of writing and editing the book. It demanded its own time. I could have published it much earlier but then it would have been a far different book- not necessarily "worse" but certainly something different. I realize that many important things take time and the times differ. I am more comfortable with those that need periods to "percolate," to ripen. I think COVID-19 presented many of us with the opportunity to slow down and forced us to accept a new reality. 

On the other side, for what things do you no longer have patience and tolerance?

Frankly, it's still hard for me to accept those that trash the trails. Folks don't understand that they are literally trashing our collective home, Mother Earth. I know it stems from a lack of awareness, so we need to do a better job of raising that awareness. Also, you may have noticed that the book is quite apolitical. I am not a political animal, but I would love our politicians to walk parts of the trail before they run for office so that they can better understand the beautiful diversity of both the land and people and so that they can better represent and protect all those different facets. 

Do you still hike, and which part(s) of the trail have you hiked again?

Absolutely, as often as I can. I have hiked parts of the coastal trail, parts of the first day in the north and the south, and quite often the areas just outside of Jerusalem.

What are your most favorite and least favorite section(s) of the Israel Trail?

That's like asking a parent, "Who's your favorite child?!" I can't do that. While I didn't relish the parts along the roads or highways, there are so many areas here that are beautiful and so very different in their beauty. The desert was the most challenging, but also the most profound for being so. 

What do you wish you knew before you hiked the trail?

That I would write a book. I was awful at taking notes on the trail, but if I had, I could have added more of the sensory experiences as well as captured more of the incredible dialogues I had with folks. But I was often just too exhausted to jot down my observations.

What are you glad you did NOT know before you hiked the trail?

How very smelly one's sock can get after a day of hiking. At the end of the day, when we removed our boots and all shared a tiny three-person tent, those odors could get quite overwhelming. Then again, that was an indelible part of the experience and one that makes me laugh, even to this day.  

Beautiful color photos in the book (taken by the family) enhance the text and make me wish I could take two months and hike the trail. Thank you Tzippi Moss for your wonderful book, and for taking the time to answer our questions. You can read more about Tzippi's experience at Hiking the Holyland.

And, the Real Cats of Israel has a new member. Please welcome Noga:

Happy Reading!

A Crack in the Earth

 In 2004, Haim Watzman traveled from Eilat to the Upper Galilee. His account, A Crack in the Earth: A Journey Up Israel's Rift Valley, was published in hardcover in 2007 (Farrar Straus Giroux) and in paperback in 2012 (Argo-Navis). The book is presented in three parts. The first describes the landscape of Southern Israel, and the geologic events that produced different rock formations, elevations and drops, and left fossils and other evidence of incredible activity over millions of years. Much like in Geology class, the different time periods and definitions (a graben is a valley with a distinct escarpment on each side caused by the displacement of a block of land downward (an escarpment is an area of the Earth where elevation changes suddenly, formed by either erosion of faulting)), went above my head, but the areas he talks about are amazing -- some say they could film the Star Wars movies in these desolate expanses.

Arabian Babbler

Mount Ayit - Vulture Mountain

Paran River

In Part Two, Watzman describes the area from the Dead Sea to Sha'ar HaGolan, just below the Kinneret. Driving up Route 90, his passes sites from ancient history (Masada, Qumran, Qasr al-Yahud) and more modern history (Beit HaArava). He passes small communities (Naama, population 165; Gitit, population 504; Hamra, population 173) until he comes to Tirat Tzvi (population 901) in the Beit She'an valley. This kibbutz was founded in 1937 and named after Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer, one of the fathers of the Zionist movement. The kibbutz has a meat processing plant, fish ponds, and is the largest date-palm grower in Israel. 

Hamra

Tirat Tzvi

Part Three is more personal, as Watzman revisits places in the Galilee he first encountered when he arrived in Israel, then 25 years prior:

A land becomes mythical in three ways. When it is distant in place or time, we imagine how it would be if we were there. If it is the land we live in, we attach to the places around us our stories about who we are, where we came from, and where we are going. And if we lived there once, we inscribe in it stories of the tribulations and exhilarations of our younger half-forgotten selves. (page 137)

Watzman's "tour" of the Galilee includes the grave of Rachel the Poetess, the Bedouin village of Tuba, Kfar HaNasi, Rosh Pina, and Hatzor HaGlilit. He also visited several archaeological site, including Kherbet Shura, the site of a ancient synagogue; the ruins of a 12th century Crusade fortress, Jacob's Ford, the site of one of Saladin's victories over the Crusaders in 1179, and the "Daughters of Jacob" bridge over the Jordan River, where there is evidence of human habitation from 750,000 years ago. 

grave of Rachel the Poetess

Kherbet Shura

View from Rosh Pina

"Daughter of Jacob" bridge over the Jordan River

Despite the restrictions because of COVID-19, through reading A Crack in the Earth, we were able to take a tour and read about the history and beauty of the Land of Israel.

As for The Real Cats of Israel, they are happy in the backyard:

Happy Reading!