Hadassah Magazine's Guide to Jewish Literature - January/February 2019

Young Adult fantasy for the whole family! A terminally-ill relative recovers. A living uncle possesses his own death certificate. When her brother Daniel disappears, eighteen-year-old Corinne wonders if these inexplicable incidents are connected. As she researches her Jewish ancestry, a surprising link to a medieval “sorcerer” makes everything clear: Corinne must find Daniel and defeat his captor, or her family may be erased from existence.

“A laughter-inducing novel of nostalgia and self-discovery…rooted in love, family connections, and comedic dysfunction.” —Foreword Reviews. David Melman is a successful thirty-five-year-old celebrity brander with deep affection for the 1977 Cadillac he inherited from his grandfather. But everyone in his life agrees that he needs some help in the relationship department. When David’s sister, Marcy, suggests a screenwriting class, he tentatively agrees, and readers are treated to the story of Slip and Estelle, David’s grandparents and characters in a real-life soap opera that is Jewish senior living in 1970’s Miami.

Leaner and lighter Mediterranean cuisine. A collection of Mediterranean-style Kosher family recipes handed down from mother to daughter from Esther Salem, Sarina’s grandmother, the first Syrian Jewish caterer in Brooklyn. These authentic, traditional salad recipes are beautifully photographed and have easy to follow directions. Each has a glorious blend of Middle East flavors. Sarina has adapted some recipes to accommodate modern thinking about healthy eating. Perfect for beginners and vegetarians.

Explore the Global Journey of Sephardic Jews. Branching Out From Sepharad outlines the 1492 Expulsion from Spain, Jews who moved to Syria and later to the Americas. Chapters include Sephardic naming practices, genealogy in the Torah, and a 100-year history of Brooklyn’s Syrian community. Selected dynasties are traced from Spain to the Americas.

Three generations torn apart by war struggle to find love and connection. A hidden suitcase is the impetus for the author’s spiritual journey to know his grandmother, his father, and himself.  As he travels to shadowy places, Bein makes an important statement about the darkness that lies beneath the hearts of men.

“Magnificent… a novel of epic proportions that tells of three strong women, a nun, a rabbi and a minister as they face the struggle for legitimacy and recognition…”—Rabbi Stephen L. Fuchs. A Catholic Sister wants to become a priest. One of the first women rabbis and one of the first women Presbyterian pastors must choose between their lovers and their careers. When the three attend a dinner to receive an award, each recalls fifty years of her life and journey to forge a path-breaking career and find her voice, and each makes the decision that will forever change her life.

In 1905, when Rebecca leaves her shtetl in Ukraine to join Samuel in Milwaukee and Ingrid leaves Norway to become the Picture Bride of Lars, a farmer in North Dakota, by mistake officials at Ellis Island send them to each other’s destination. Lost in alien cultures, they struggle to return to their fiancés. But the love that blossoms between Rebecca and Lars threatens their plans.

In Tel Aviv, under daily missile attack during Operation Desert Storm, when every heart seeks comfort and companionship, complex affairs and a world of crisis bring conflicts of love, betrayal and unforeseen commitments. A young charismatic nurse lives and works by her own code of honor in a strict Orthodox hospital—until one day a married doctor emerges with a campaign of seduction that could endanger her livelihood, reputation and self-respect. “…a powerful first-hand look at what everyday life was like in Israel when most Americans were watching Shock and Awe on the 24-hour news channel.”—Mike Ball, Erma Bombeck award-winning author.

Reflections is a book of original poetry about love, loss, and friendship.  Poems chronicle the author’s journey and experiences as an educator, cantorial soloist, and family member. Writing from an early age, poetry became an avenue of expression for her as she gained understanding, joy, and often healing. While the book speaks about her life experiences, readers will identify, finding themselves with the pages.

“Excellent and useful”—Jewish Book Council. Provides the award-winning tools and understanding you need to create a conscious, more meaningful Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience. Award-winning, innovative approach reduces stress while teaching the building blocks of a mitzvah-centered life through connections to family, friends, community and heritage. Also available: Workshops for communities and B-Mitzvah Specialist Training.

What happens when a young company comptroller with Indian roots takes his boss’ wife to India, asking her to help him find an ideal marriage partner? The heart-warming, humorous account has some unexpected revelations. Finding a Bride, based on Ellen Goldberg’s 1982 journal, is the unique story of her first trip abroad and the adventures that ensued.