New Book Review: I Loved My Mother On Saturdays

"I Loved My Mother On Saturdays" and Other Tales from the Shtetl and Beyond by Roslyn Bresnick-Perry

From Roslyn Bresnick-Perry's childhood in the shtetl to her immigration to New York and life into adulthood with a career in the fashion industry, this book cannot simply be considered a collection of short autobiographical stories, or even a transcript of the dynamic family history she has been relating orally to audiences for decades. Written mostly in the first person, which gives the reader a feeling like she is right there in your living room, a few major themes of Bresnick-Perry's stories include adventures in adjusting to Jewish life in America and ups and downs in her relationship with her mother (as illustrated in the book's title). As the captivated reader will discover once the author admits it to herself, the author's life is storytelling, which she eventually decides to make into her real career, and a very successful one it is. Recommended for all types of Jewish libraries.

New Book Review: jobnik!

jobnik! by Miriam Libicki

jobnik!, a compilation of the first six issues of graphic artist Miriam Libicki’s self-published comic series, captivates the reader with the story of an American girl’s adventures in the Israeli army during the 2000 Intifada (which appears to have been based on her own army experiences). Miriam does not quite fit into the mold of your “typical” chayelet—quiet, emotional, and forever romantic, but a good girl at heart—as well as still trying to find her place in life religiously and socially. Miriam’s storytelling style is honest and real and draws the reader in from the very first panel. This memoir is unique in that it is one of only a handful of Jewish-themed graphic novels in publication, but a format which hopefully other writers will take note of. The illustrations bring the reader into the story much more than simply putting words on a page can and they truly feel like they are experiencing it there with her. Highly recommended for all types of Jewish libraries in the adult section.

New Book Review: The Blessing of a Broken Heart

The Blessing of a Broken Heart by Sherri Mandel

Sherri Mandell was just another writer and mom trying to find meaning and happiness for herself and her family after making aliyah when in 2001 the unthinkable happened: her oldest child, 13-year-old Koby, was murdered by terrorists only half a mile from their home in Tekoa. With an amazing gift of eloquence and unshakeable faith in God, Mandell weaves stories of Koby's life together with musings on the powers of healing and religion in order to try to make some sense of the tragedy. Highly recommended for all types of libraries.

New Book Review: Approaching an Auschwitz Survivor

Approaching an Auschwitz Survivor: Holocaust Testimony and its Transformations by Jurgen Matthaus, ed.

Approaching an Auschwitz Survivor takes a unique approach to understanding the Holocaust. Instead of simply compiling stories of many survivors, this book takes the testimony of one survivor, Helen "Zippi" Tichauer, and has it analyzed by Holocaust scholars who have known her personally. Zippi's detailed testimony covers over fifty years, from her time in Auschwitz to meeting and marrying her husband in a DP camp, surviving the war and making a new life for herself in New York, but at the same time making sure that her story would never be forgotten. Five scholars who have interviewed Zippi independently of each other analyze different aspects of her story: order, death, and survival in Auschwitz, comparative humane aspects of camp life, translating and transforming Zippi's first testimony dating back to 1946, postwar Jewish life, and the role of survivors for classroom teaching. These scholars have put together a fascinating read about not only how survivor testimony better helps in the understanding of the Holocaust itself, but delving into the deeper meaning of collecting testimonies and their value in history. Highly recommended for all types of libraries.

New Book Review: The Jews of West Point

The Jews of West Point in the Long Gray Line by Lewis L. Zickel

The United States Military Academy at West Point, the institution which trains leaders of the American Army, is not a place one may think has much of a Jewish presence. Small in number (fewer than nine hundred alumni) since West Point's inception in 1802, the now-late Colonel Lewis Zickel writes in the first part of The Jews of West Point in the Long Gray Line about the history of Jews in the military. The impact has been tremendous that Jews have made on the Army as a whole, which is known to insiders as being very accepting of its Jewish members, and being part of a tiny minority has influenced their own religious outlook as well. Zickel tells his own story in the second part of the book, what led him to join the Army at the time of the Korean War and how he helped create the West Point Jewish Chapel. Mostly positive memories from Jewish West Point graduates of their time there make up the final part of the book, relating how the Chapel's activities brought its members together into a close and active group, even after graduation, and played a part in bringing some of them closer to Judaism. West Point graduate Steve Rotkoff summed it up best: "Judaism made me a better officer and the Army made me a better Jew." Highly recommended for all types of libraries.

New Book Review: Delivery From Darkness

Delivery From Darkness by Rabbi Baruch and Michal Finkelstein

After writing books about pregnancy and infertility, the Finkelsteins' Delivery From Darkness may be the first book of its kind, which is about postpartum depression (PPD), a disease that is little-known in general and even less talked about within the context of Judaism. It includes personal anecdotes from couples afflicted with PPD ranging from mild to psychotic, explanations of symptoms, causes, prevention and treatment options, as well as a chapter detailing how birth control is used halachically in situations of PPD and a chapter on PPD from the husband's perspective. Another section talks about dealing with PPD and depression/mental health in general within Jewish law and in the Jewish community—it's interesting to note that the chesed that is common in Jewish circles after a member has a baby, such as cooking meals and offers to help out with the other children, is something that is recommended in general as an effective treatment to reduce or eliminate milder cases of PPD. Highly recommended for all types of Jewish libraries.

New Book Review: Japan Took the J.A.P. Out of Me

Japan Took the J.A.P. Out of Me by Lisa Fineberg Cook

When her brand-new husband takes self-described Jewish American Princess Lisa Fineberg Cook from the comforts of posh Los Angeles to live in Nagoya, Japan, the dream of an exotic adventure quickly changes to frustration as she deals all at once with missing her old life and friends, the feeling of being different in a foreign culture, and the new lifestyle of marriage itself. Slowly, though, Lisa learns to become the wife she hoped she could be while finally fitting into this new world and making it feel like home.

Readers of this book will either love it or hate it: this is chick-lit at its finest and an engaging, enjoyable read. However, if you are looking to learn more about Japan's culture and language, or anything related to Judaism for that matter, not much will be found here – and most of the few references to either contained in the book are not even explained. Although the book's title is clever and attempts to convey the theme of Cook's time in Japan, it is a whinefest from beginning to end filled with clichés about L.A. princesses. Cook does become somewhat domesticated during the year and touches on a few real issues in the book like the treatment of women in the Japanese culture, but the end didn't find her much closer to being "de-J.A.P.-ed" than the beginning. A cute memoir, but not necessary for specifically Jewish collections.

New Book Review: Good For the Jews

Good For the Jews by Debra Spark

Award-winning novelist Debra Spark's Good for the Jews centers around Ellen Hirschorn, a young Jewish woman living in Madison, Wisconsin. The book has everything needed in a good novel: mystery, suspense, romance, politics and humor, all based on the story of the Book of Esther. Ellen (Esther) is an orphan who lives with Mose (Mordechai), her much-older cousin and guardian. Their lives get tangled up in anti-Semitism when Mose, an unconventional high school teacher, gets into a confrontation with the new principal, Hyman (Haman), which is further complicated by Ellen's relationship with Alex (Achashverosh), the Superintendent of Schools who also happens to be her boss Valerie (Vashti)'s ex-husband. Although many creative liberties were taken as far as details staying true to the "original", Spark's update was well-written and reflects that the familiar story of good vs. evil still holds true today. Recommended for libraries with Jewish fiction collections.

New Book Review: We Plan, God Laughs

We Plan, God Laughs: What to Do When Life Hits You Over the Head by Sherre Hirsch

It happens to all of us: as much as we dream of and plan how we want our lives to turn out at each stage, there will always be something getting in the way. Using an outline of ten steps, Rabbi Hirsch can help to change one's way of thinking of these life goals from a perspective of "it's the end of the world if things don't go my way" to one of faith in God, finding His presence in everything, and knowledge that He will guide everyone on the right path for them. These suggestions include being flexible in expectations while still being true to yourself, holding yourself in as high esteem as God does, and taking charge of life instead of passively living it. Hirsch's blend of examples from the Torah and practical Judaism with modern wit make this book hard to put down. Recommended for all types of Jewish libraries.

New Book Review: There Must Be a Better Way

There Must Be a Better Way: Life Coaching Strategies for Successful Living by Yossi Ives

The title of the book says it all: life coach Yossi Ives gives advice on making life better in all of its aspects, including improving your attitude, dealing with different kinds of people effectively from bosses to children, controlling stress and finances, and finding happiness. Although not many books have been written about life coaching from a Jewish perspective, when one thinks about it, the values are really all the same: what type of person you become being based on your actions is a concept taken straight from the Torah. The book's message of developing the motivation to take action instead of just complaining about life is refreshing and truly inspiring. Highly recommended for all types of Jewish libraries.

New Book Review: The Shidduch Crisis

The Shidduch Crisis: Causes and Cures by Michael J. Salamon

A must-read for singles, parents of singles and shadchanim, The Shidduch Crisis explores in-depth the reasons the “singles problem” has gotten so out of control in the past generation or so. The book talks about a value system gone horribly wrong in some Orthodox communities and overprotection of children leading to more divorces than ever, but also gives suggestions how dating in the religious world can get back on track. For those people who choose to ignore the advice given in the book, the appendix even includes the “right” answers to all the ridiculous questions shadchanim ask these days! Recommended for libraries with an Orthodox readership.

New Book Review: Hamas in Politics

Hamas in Politics: Democracy, Religion, Violence by Jeroen Gunning

An in-depth look at the internal structure and reasoning behind Hamas and what it stands for, author Jeroen Gunning’s impressive research includes many interviews with Hamas members as well as Hamas critics. He even spends time living in Gaza in order to understand the ideologies and political views that have caused decades of warfare and terror. Although a thorough analysis, as always when dealing with this type of subject, it would be a good idea for the Jewish readership to take with a grain of salt since it is yet to be determined if there is truly a way to report in a completely non-biased way.

New Book Review: Army Fatigues

Army Fatigues: Joining Israel’s Army of International Volunteers by Mark Werner

Not content to just sit on the sidelines watching the fate of the Jewish homeland, Army Fatigues author Mark Werner has written a captivating account of his experiences with the Israeli army through Sar-el, an organization that takes volunteers worldwide and puts them on military bases throughout Israel to work with soldiers and other volunteers. In journal format, this book takes the reader through Werner’s background as an American lawyer and son of a Holocaust survivor, living a comfortable life, to his personal experiences of volunteering for two to three weeks at a time in the Israeli Army and Navy during some of the hardest years in Israel’s history. The story relates an emotional journey, which keeps Werner and his fellow volunteers going back again and again, to continue reinforcing their connection to Israel, and also changing people’s perceptions of Israel back in their hometowns. Warning: Once you pick up this book you will find it impossible to put it down! Highly recommended for all types of Jewish libraries.

New Book Review: A Man's Responsibility

A Man’s Responsibility: A Jewish Guide to Being a Son, a Partner in Marriage, a Father and a Community Leader by Joseph Meszler

An exploration of what it means to be a Jewish man in today’s society, A Man’s Responsibility uses real-life stories to talk about the history of male roles in Judaism, and the stereotypes that go with them. Discussing the vast changes that have taken place for the typical Jewish male in the past generation or two, Rabbi Meszler goes on to examine the sources that define the ideal Jewish man throughout life as a son, husband, and father, and what his place is in the modern community. Questions at the end of each chapter are ideal to be used as a stepping-stone for men’s discussion groups as well as providing food for thought in individual study. Although slanted more towards a Reform/Conservative audience, this book is highly recommended to Jewish men of all affiliations.

New Book Review: Have You No Shame? And Other Regrettable Stories

Have You No Shame? And Other Regrettable Stories by Rachel Shukert

Have You No Shame? is a hilarious, shockingly honest look at a Jewish girl’s life as she grows up in Omaha, Nebraska—not exactly a place filled with Jews, or anything remotely resembling shock value, for that matter. More comfortable in her own little world than in reality and always feeling like an outcast, as a child Rachel worries about which non-Jewish friends will hide her in the next Holocaust and dreams of an imaginary boyfriend, Chris McPresbyterian. Her teenage years find her free from the confines of a Jewish school; she joins a youth group at the insistence of her mother, but at times ends up indulging in less-than-holy activities as a result. As an adult, Rachel takes her wild imagination to New York City trying to make her mark on the world, though along the way, life is not always for the better. Morbid yet witty, a collection of coming-of-age autobiographical stories that will have readers falling on the floor laughing, and is even complete with cross-shaped footnotes with explanations for non-Jewish readers and N-shaped foonotes for non-Midwesterners. Recommended, but not for the faint of heart!

New Book Review: The Day My Mother Changed Her Name and Other Stories

The Day My Mother Changed Her Name and Other Stories by William Kaufman

A master storyteller, ninety-three-year-old William Kaufman has eloquently transformed tales based on his childhood and that of his immigrant parents into his own, captivating audiences wherever he can find them and now making their way into print. With sharp wit, detail and a colorful life to draw experiences from, Kaufman has written a winner that epitomizes the oddities found in Jewish life. Recommended for all types of libraries.

New Book Review: Jewish Stories From Heaven and Earth

Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, ed.

Jews love telling stories, and Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, co-editor of Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul, has compiled an amazing collection of stories from all walks of Jewish life that are truly inspirational. Authors range from famous—Hanoch Teller, Elie Weisel, and Yitzchak Rabin to name a few—to your ordinary Jew wanting to share their out-of-the-ordinary tales of passion, devotion, faith, courage and achievement that eloquently personify Judaism’s core values, yet are universal enough that they can be enjoyed by anyone. Sections are included on the Holocaust and the state of Israel. A read that is impossible to put down and highly recommended for all types of libraries.

New Book Review: Anna's Shtetl

Anna's Shtetl by Lawrence Coben

Through hundreds of interviews conducted in the years before Anna Spector’s death in 1997, Dr. Lawrence Coben has created a fascinating account of Anna’s childhood in the shtetl where she lived in Korsun, Ukraine, spanning the years from her birth in 1905 through her immigration to America in 1919. This biography is especially rare because there are very few firsthand descriptions from this time and place written from a female perspective. With remarkable clarity and detail, Anna relates the relationship Korsun Jews and Christians had with each other, both in good times and later as she and her family become victims in several terrifying pogroms. The story of their long journey that finally takes them to America is a real page-turner that keeps the reader glued to the very end. In addition to the interviews with Anna, this book is highly well-documented using extensive outside sources. Highly recommended for all types of Jewish libraries.

New Book Review: 30 Minute Seder

30 Minute Seder: The Haggadah That Blends Brevity With Tradition

This book, more of a pamphlet than a full-sized Haggadah, claims to have “saved seders” by including only the highlights of a traditional seder yet keeping its meaning. It markets itself as “rabbinically approved” and appealing to “just about every” branch of Judaism, but from looking through the text it is obvious that it does not cater to the Orthodox. Its format, design and marketing as well as the text itself implies an almost desperation to convince minimally- or unaffiliated Jews that yes, your seder can be fun (as if the regular-sized four or five-hour seder was not fun!) and its introduction almost reads like a movie trailer. The book also advertises a link to the publisher’s website, www.30minuteseder.com, which contains songs to download, games and other things to make the seder interesting. There are a few assorted details about the order of the seder that are inaccurate, one example being the meal coming after the afikomen, when the afikomen, as the seder dessert, is supposed to be the last thing eaten. However, based on the simple yet meaningful and attention-grabbing way this Haggadah is written and laid out, it is very possible that someone who was not planning to make a seder at all would see this and decide that it wasn’t such a hassle after all. Recommended for Reform or general Jewish libraries and public libraries; also may be a good choice for children’s sections.