Resurrection and the Restoration of Israel Jon D. Levenson
Hitler, the Germans, and the Final Solution Ian Kershaw
Resurrection Kevin J. Madigan and Jon D. Levenson
The Bagel Maria Balinska Cloth
Treacherous Alliance Trita Parsi; With a New Preface by the Author
King's Dream Eric J. Sundquist Cloth
The Golem and the Wondrous Deeds of the Maharal of Prague Yudl Rosenberg, edited and translated by Curt Leviant
God’s Last Words David S. Katz Cloth
The Book of God Gabriel Josipovici
The Empty Men Gregory Mobley
1948 Benny Morris
Writing a Modern Jewish History Edited by Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett with essays by Arthur Hertzberg, Susannah Heschel, Barbara Kirshenblat...
Landmark of the Spirit Annie Polland; Foreword by Bill Moyers
In Queen Esther's Garden Translated and with an introduction and notes by Vera Basch Moreen Cloth
One State, Two States Benny Morris
Dateline Israel Edited by Susan Tumarkin Goodman, with essays by Susan Tumarkin Goodman, Andy Grundberg, and Nissan N. Perez
The Pentateuch Joseph Blenkinsopp
The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe Editor in Chief Gershon David Hundert
Chagall and the Artists of the Russian Jewish Theater Susan Goodman, with essays by Zvi Gitelman, Vladislav Ivanov, Jeffrey Veidlinger, and Benjamin Harshav
The Bible and the People Lori Anne Ferrell
Hitler's Professors Max Weinreich; With a new Foreword by Martin Gilbert
The Midrash on Proverbs Translated from the Hebrew, with an Introduction and annotations by Burton L. Visotzky
My Happiness Bears No Relation to Happiness Adina Hoffman
The Jewish Identity Project Susan Chevlowe; With contributions by Joanna Lindenbaum and Ilan Stavans
The Jewish King Lear Jacob Gordin; Translated by Ruth Gay, with notes and essays by Ruth Gay and Sophie Glazer
Fallen Angels Harold Bloom; Illuminations by Mark Podwal
Islamic Imperialism Efraim Karsh
The Ancient Synagogue Lee I. Levine
Divided Souls Elisheva Carlebach
Eva Hesse Elisabeth Sussman and Fred Wasserman, with essays by Yve-Alain Bois and Mark Godfrey
The Yale Book of Quotations Edited by Fred R. Shapiro; Foreword by Joseph Epstein
FROM THE JEWISH WOMEN"S RESOURCE CENTER:
The third day : poems /Jare, Karen.
The road to November : new & selected poems/ Spektor, Mira J
Love poems of a philanderer's wife / Wenkart, Henny
Thursday, May 28, 2009
REVIEWS BY JON
Jonathan Cohen is a Simmons College Graduate School of Library Science student and Temple Israel Library Intern, this summer. Here are his latest book reviews:
The Faith Club: A Muslim, a Christian and a Jew - Three Women Search for Understanding, by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner
The Faith Club is the story of three women, a Muslim, Christian and Jew, who meet together to discuss life and faith and try to better connect the different faiths with each other. The group, which functions like a mixture of a discussion group and a book club, was originally formed to write a children’s book but evolved into a long, open-ended discussion about various religious issues, life experiences and attempts to learn more about each other’s faith. In order to stay true to the experience of the discussion group, the book is organized as a discussion: instead of one long narrative, each member records their views and opinions and the others record their reactions in turn. Sometimes, actual dialogue from the group meetings is inserted as well. The book’s format is distinctive and does a good job of making sure the concerns and reactions of each member get equal space. The Faith Club makes a valiant effort, and mostly succeeds, in recreating the atmosphere of the discussion group for the reader.
The three members of the group talk and debate with each other about issues from their own lives as well as the differences among their faiths. Difficult issues such as stereotypes and politics, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, come into play. The best feature of the The Faith Club is that the three women are not academics; they are simply average people getting to know each other. This prevents the book from getting bogged down in minutiae and makes the women very relatable to the average reader, regardless of the reader’s faith. Each one struggles with feelings of doubt and alienation; Suzanne, a Christian, feels like an outsider in New York; Ranya, a progressive, non-conformist Muslim has difficulty finding a Muslim community that suits her; Priscilla, a Jew, suffers from anxiety and paranoia after 9/11, doubts her faith in God and struggles to cope with family problems. Their lives and humanity are extremely well documented. The book also does not try to smooth over their differences of opinion; rather, it tackles them head on. This leads to an honest atmosphere that deals with real issues rather than one of overblown niceties meant to gloss over conflict. In creating honest debate and exposing the humanity of the three women involved, The Faith Club succeeds admirably.
The greatest flaw of The Faith Club is the limited space given to each issue, done in the name of keeping a broader focus. Important issues are brought onto the table, and the dialogue is often interesting, but things are often not resolved as the members speed on to their next concern. This stood out in the discussion about Israel between the Ranya and Priscilla. The two put their different opinions on the table, and Priscilla eventually defers, but what could have been a long, deep and interactive discussion is not as comprehensive as it should have been. Since discussions are not moderated, they often become arguments between two members in which the third is excluded. When Priscilla and Suzanne debate the New Testament account of Jesus’ death, they both refuse to let Ranya even contribute to the discussion. When Ranya and Priscilla debate Israel, neither one listens to Suzanne.
One of the strengths of The Faith Club, showing the humanity and normality of its members, can also become frustrating. Priscilla, who notes that she suffers from anxiety problems, acts overly defensive sometimes. In one chapter, “The Crucifixion Crisis,” Suzanne reads a version of the New Testament account of Jesus’ death, and mentions “the wicked men who killed Christ” without specifying who they were. Priscilla interprets this as use of the “Christ killer” stereotype of Jews, although Jews were never mentioned. Suzanne leaves feeling resentful that Priscilla seemed to put words in her mouth. Later, the two study the historical reality of the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, and patch up their differences. In addition, the three women enter the group quite ignorant about the faiths of the others; Suzanne, and Priscilla are especially ignorant about Islam. Much of the book consists of Ranya dispelling their stereotypes. Priscilla, in the aptly titled chapter “Stop Stereotyping Me!” even denies the existence of stereotypes of Muslims before 9/11, which causes an angry outburst from Ranya.
Overall, The Faith Club is a good read for those interested in how average people of different faiths can build bridges and better interact with one another. It encourages readers to create their own “faith clubs” and even provides directions in English, Hebrew and Arabic on how to do so. Those looking for scholarly discussions about the religions involved should look elsewhere. However, The Faith Club succeeds at its goal of creating an interesting, interactive atmosphere and exploring the humanity of each of its members and their views.
One State, Two States, by Benny Morris
One State, Two States, written by eminent historian Benny Morris, discusses a topic that has been widely written - finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The book is organized into three sections, the first as a commentary on the reemergence of the idea of a one state solution, the second a history of one state and two state solutions and the third predictions and Morris’ own opinion on the problem. Morris’ history of the one state solution records the ideas of binationalists as well as Arabs who wish for a one state solution. The second section is a long history of the two-state solution. Morris records this idea’s tentative acceptance by both sides, with each seeing it as less than ideal.
It is in the third section of this book, Where to?, where Morris expresses his opinion and he eschews his normally balanced, nuanced approach. Morris blames Arafat for the failure of the peace process, expresses skepticism and mistrust towards Arab intentions and descends into generalities and stereotypes. Statements like “the Palestinian Arabs, like the world’s other Muslim Arab communities, are deeply religious and have no respect for democratic values and no tradition of democratic governance” (Page 170) are rooted in Orientalist stereotypes. For a book about solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Morris offers no real solution himself. He dismisses binationalism as a pipe dream that nobody wants and thinks that the two-state solution is nearing death. Due to his suspicion of the Arabs and skepticism about whether the two can peacefully coexist, Morris comes across as a pessimist. He raises the idea of a Palestinian state with parts of Jordan, but it is doubtful if the Palestinians would accept Jordanian sovereignty rather than a state of their own, which they were offered at Camp David in 2000. One State, Two States offers a vivid picture of the life of both one state and two state ideas, but when Morris’ objectivity falters and his skepticism about coexistence with the Arabs rises in the last chapter, the book suffers. Although the history is illuminating, those seeking objectivity and real solutions will be disappointed.
1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War, by Benny Morris
1948, which documents the first Arab-Israeli war, is a timely and complete work. Known to Israelis as the War of Independence and to Palestinians as al nakba, or “catastrophe,” the 1948 war is absolutely central to the narrative of each side and carries much emotional baggage. In writing about such an emotionally charged event, it is extremely difficult for any historian to be neutral. However, Benny Morris does a very good job of staying objective and keeping composure throughout the book. He keeps historical perspective and is careful to always note that in 1948, neither Israel nor the Arab nations were modern states with modern armies. This is important to remember when the most heavily debated questions arise, such as who started the war, and the question of Palestinian refugees.
1948 has two great strengths; it shines as a blow by blow documentary of the details of the 1948 war and debunks some of the sacred myths held by both sides. The book is an extraordinarily thorough account of every military engagement and political development of the war. Morris spares neither side in his critique of popular narrative about the 1948 war. He debunks the Arab belief that pre-1948 Palestine was a panacea of coexistence destroyed by Zionist aggression; in reality, both sides rarely interacted, massacred each other intermittently, and prepared for war by themselves. On the issue of refugees, Morris denies the Arab claim that there was a master plan by the Israelis to deliberately ethnically cleanse Palestinians but also refutes Israeli attempts to avoid responsibility for the Palestinian refugees. Morris notes that although most of the refugees fled on their own, they did so out of fear created by massacres perpetrated by right-wing Jewish militias, such as Irgun and the LHI (“Stern Gang”). Morris also notes that in many instances Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their villages, that such expulsions were often done under orders from Israeli command, and that all Palestinians refugees were denied the right to return home. Finally, Morris debunks the myth that heroic, vastly outnumbered and under-equipped Israelis beat off overwhelming Arab armies. Although both sides’ militaries were relatively primitive even by 1948 standards, the Arab armies, except for the Jordanian Arab Legion, were small and underequipped militias or the descendants of colonial police forces. Morris notes that the Israelis were better equipped, better trained, better led and, by the second half of the war, actually outnumbered the armies of the six vastly larger Arab states that they fought.
Nonetheless, 1948 has a few critical weaknesses. Despite unparalleled attention to detail, it lacks overarching analysis of the many events it describes so thoroughly. 1948 often focuses on blow-by-blow accounts of battles without describing their larger significance. Also, though it debunks many myths about the Palestinian refugees, especially those held by Israelis, 1948 does not have a comprehensive history of the creation of the refugee problem, preferring to stay within the realm of military history. Finally, the book’s sources are very disproportionately Israeli. This is somewhat understandable as the undemocratic Arab states grant little access to records, especially to an Israeli. For Morris, an Israeli, it is also next to impossible to actually go out and interview Arabs themselves. 1948 suffers from this lack of Arab primary sources. As a military and political history of the creation of Israel, 1948 shines and it will surely take its place among the more important histories of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
The Faith Club: A Muslim, a Christian and a Jew - Three Women Search for Understanding, by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner
The Faith Club is the story of three women, a Muslim, Christian and Jew, who meet together to discuss life and faith and try to better connect the different faiths with each other. The group, which functions like a mixture of a discussion group and a book club, was originally formed to write a children’s book but evolved into a long, open-ended discussion about various religious issues, life experiences and attempts to learn more about each other’s faith. In order to stay true to the experience of the discussion group, the book is organized as a discussion: instead of one long narrative, each member records their views and opinions and the others record their reactions in turn. Sometimes, actual dialogue from the group meetings is inserted as well. The book’s format is distinctive and does a good job of making sure the concerns and reactions of each member get equal space. The Faith Club makes a valiant effort, and mostly succeeds, in recreating the atmosphere of the discussion group for the reader.
The three members of the group talk and debate with each other about issues from their own lives as well as the differences among their faiths. Difficult issues such as stereotypes and politics, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, come into play. The best feature of the The Faith Club is that the three women are not academics; they are simply average people getting to know each other. This prevents the book from getting bogged down in minutiae and makes the women very relatable to the average reader, regardless of the reader’s faith. Each one struggles with feelings of doubt and alienation; Suzanne, a Christian, feels like an outsider in New York; Ranya, a progressive, non-conformist Muslim has difficulty finding a Muslim community that suits her; Priscilla, a Jew, suffers from anxiety and paranoia after 9/11, doubts her faith in God and struggles to cope with family problems. Their lives and humanity are extremely well documented. The book also does not try to smooth over their differences of opinion; rather, it tackles them head on. This leads to an honest atmosphere that deals with real issues rather than one of overblown niceties meant to gloss over conflict. In creating honest debate and exposing the humanity of the three women involved, The Faith Club succeeds admirably.
The greatest flaw of The Faith Club is the limited space given to each issue, done in the name of keeping a broader focus. Important issues are brought onto the table, and the dialogue is often interesting, but things are often not resolved as the members speed on to their next concern. This stood out in the discussion about Israel between the Ranya and Priscilla. The two put their different opinions on the table, and Priscilla eventually defers, but what could have been a long, deep and interactive discussion is not as comprehensive as it should have been. Since discussions are not moderated, they often become arguments between two members in which the third is excluded. When Priscilla and Suzanne debate the New Testament account of Jesus’ death, they both refuse to let Ranya even contribute to the discussion. When Ranya and Priscilla debate Israel, neither one listens to Suzanne.
One of the strengths of The Faith Club, showing the humanity and normality of its members, can also become frustrating. Priscilla, who notes that she suffers from anxiety problems, acts overly defensive sometimes. In one chapter, “The Crucifixion Crisis,” Suzanne reads a version of the New Testament account of Jesus’ death, and mentions “the wicked men who killed Christ” without specifying who they were. Priscilla interprets this as use of the “Christ killer” stereotype of Jews, although Jews were never mentioned. Suzanne leaves feeling resentful that Priscilla seemed to put words in her mouth. Later, the two study the historical reality of the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, and patch up their differences. In addition, the three women enter the group quite ignorant about the faiths of the others; Suzanne, and Priscilla are especially ignorant about Islam. Much of the book consists of Ranya dispelling their stereotypes. Priscilla, in the aptly titled chapter “Stop Stereotyping Me!” even denies the existence of stereotypes of Muslims before 9/11, which causes an angry outburst from Ranya.
Overall, The Faith Club is a good read for those interested in how average people of different faiths can build bridges and better interact with one another. It encourages readers to create their own “faith clubs” and even provides directions in English, Hebrew and Arabic on how to do so. Those looking for scholarly discussions about the religions involved should look elsewhere. However, The Faith Club succeeds at its goal of creating an interesting, interactive atmosphere and exploring the humanity of each of its members and their views.
One State, Two States, by Benny Morris
One State, Two States, written by eminent historian Benny Morris, discusses a topic that has been widely written - finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The book is organized into three sections, the first as a commentary on the reemergence of the idea of a one state solution, the second a history of one state and two state solutions and the third predictions and Morris’ own opinion on the problem. Morris’ history of the one state solution records the ideas of binationalists as well as Arabs who wish for a one state solution. The second section is a long history of the two-state solution. Morris records this idea’s tentative acceptance by both sides, with each seeing it as less than ideal.
It is in the third section of this book, Where to?, where Morris expresses his opinion and he eschews his normally balanced, nuanced approach. Morris blames Arafat for the failure of the peace process, expresses skepticism and mistrust towards Arab intentions and descends into generalities and stereotypes. Statements like “the Palestinian Arabs, like the world’s other Muslim Arab communities, are deeply religious and have no respect for democratic values and no tradition of democratic governance” (Page 170) are rooted in Orientalist stereotypes. For a book about solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Morris offers no real solution himself. He dismisses binationalism as a pipe dream that nobody wants and thinks that the two-state solution is nearing death. Due to his suspicion of the Arabs and skepticism about whether the two can peacefully coexist, Morris comes across as a pessimist. He raises the idea of a Palestinian state with parts of Jordan, but it is doubtful if the Palestinians would accept Jordanian sovereignty rather than a state of their own, which they were offered at Camp David in 2000. One State, Two States offers a vivid picture of the life of both one state and two state ideas, but when Morris’ objectivity falters and his skepticism about coexistence with the Arabs rises in the last chapter, the book suffers. Although the history is illuminating, those seeking objectivity and real solutions will be disappointed.
1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War, by Benny Morris
1948, which documents the first Arab-Israeli war, is a timely and complete work. Known to Israelis as the War of Independence and to Palestinians as al nakba, or “catastrophe,” the 1948 war is absolutely central to the narrative of each side and carries much emotional baggage. In writing about such an emotionally charged event, it is extremely difficult for any historian to be neutral. However, Benny Morris does a very good job of staying objective and keeping composure throughout the book. He keeps historical perspective and is careful to always note that in 1948, neither Israel nor the Arab nations were modern states with modern armies. This is important to remember when the most heavily debated questions arise, such as who started the war, and the question of Palestinian refugees.
1948 has two great strengths; it shines as a blow by blow documentary of the details of the 1948 war and debunks some of the sacred myths held by both sides. The book is an extraordinarily thorough account of every military engagement and political development of the war. Morris spares neither side in his critique of popular narrative about the 1948 war. He debunks the Arab belief that pre-1948 Palestine was a panacea of coexistence destroyed by Zionist aggression; in reality, both sides rarely interacted, massacred each other intermittently, and prepared for war by themselves. On the issue of refugees, Morris denies the Arab claim that there was a master plan by the Israelis to deliberately ethnically cleanse Palestinians but also refutes Israeli attempts to avoid responsibility for the Palestinian refugees. Morris notes that although most of the refugees fled on their own, they did so out of fear created by massacres perpetrated by right-wing Jewish militias, such as Irgun and the LHI (“Stern Gang”). Morris also notes that in many instances Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their villages, that such expulsions were often done under orders from Israeli command, and that all Palestinians refugees were denied the right to return home. Finally, Morris debunks the myth that heroic, vastly outnumbered and under-equipped Israelis beat off overwhelming Arab armies. Although both sides’ militaries were relatively primitive even by 1948 standards, the Arab armies, except for the Jordanian Arab Legion, were small and underequipped militias or the descendants of colonial police forces. Morris notes that the Israelis were better equipped, better trained, better led and, by the second half of the war, actually outnumbered the armies of the six vastly larger Arab states that they fought.
Nonetheless, 1948 has a few critical weaknesses. Despite unparalleled attention to detail, it lacks overarching analysis of the many events it describes so thoroughly. 1948 often focuses on blow-by-blow accounts of battles without describing their larger significance. Also, though it debunks many myths about the Palestinian refugees, especially those held by Israelis, 1948 does not have a comprehensive history of the creation of the refugee problem, preferring to stay within the realm of military history. Finally, the book’s sources are very disproportionately Israeli. This is somewhat understandable as the undemocratic Arab states grant little access to records, especially to an Israeli. For Morris, an Israeli, it is also next to impossible to actually go out and interview Arabs themselves. 1948 suffers from this lack of Arab primary sources. As a military and political history of the creation of Israel, 1948 shines and it will surely take its place among the more important histories of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Reviews by Amanda!
Faraway Home, by Marilyn Taylor
Faraway Home is about a boy named Karl, who is 13, and his sister Rosa, age 7, in World War II. They escaped from Austria on a “kindertransport”, a program that took Jewish children to non-Nazi occupied countries. Karl escaped to work on a farm in Northern Ireland, with other refugees, while Rose was adopted by an Irish family. On the farm, Karl makes new friends like Danny and Eva. However, he is worried about Rosa, who is unhappy with her new family, and the rest of his family in Austria, or Ostmark, its new name.
Even though Karl and Rosa escape from the Nazis, they don’t escape from the war. Because of this, Karl has lots of scary and fun adventures, such as almost getting arrested by the Irish police, for spying, when all he did was walk on the beach. I recommend this book to boys and girls who like historical fiction and adventure stories.
Confessions of a Closet Catholic, by Sarah Darer Littman
Confessions of a Closet Catholic, is about Justine “Jussy” Silver, an eleven year old Jewish girl, who decides to give up being Jewish for Lent. She learned about Lent from her friend, Mary “Mac” Mcallister, a Catholic.
Justine goes to confession in her closet, to her teddy bear, Father Ted. She does communion with grape juice and matzah. On her dad’s side, she has a Bubbe (grandmother), a survivor of Auschwitz, who keeps kosher and is a very strict orthodox Jew. On her mom’s side, her grandparents go to a Jewish country club that serves shellfish and lobster. Along with this, Jussy worries about her appearance, and her belief that her parents love her siblings and dog more than her.
Confessions of a Closet Catholic, is about Justine “Jussy” Silver, an eleven year old Jewish girl, who decides to give up being Jewish for Lent. She learned about Lent from her friend, Mary “Mac” Mcallister, a Catholic.
Justine goes to confession in her closet, to her teddy bear, Father Ted. She does communion with grape juice and matzah. On her dad’s side, she has a Bubbe (grandmother), a survivor of Auschwitz, who keeps kosher and is a very strict orthodox Jew. On her mom’s side, her grandparents go to a Jewish country club that serves shellfish and lobster. Along with this, Jussy worries about her appearance, and her belief that her parents love her siblings and dog more than her.
This book is sad and funny at the same time. It teaches you to figure out how to be yourself. It would appeal to anyone who ever wondered how to be Jewish.
Amanda is a fourth grader in our Education Program
Amanda is a fourth grader in our Education Program
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