Category: Book Reviews

The Book of Jewish Knowledge- A multifaceted exploration of the teachings, observances, and history of Judaism by The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute

Raise your hand if you remember The Book of Knowledge or the Encyclopedia Britannica. The Book of Knowledge, in its little two shelf oak bookcase, sat in my bedroom, well read with covers well worn. It provided esoteric facts for those dreaded assigned essays on the important export crops of Bolivia (not sure why I needed to know that), or the demise of the British Commonwealth of Nations, or dog breeds (not assigned but useful in our houseful of pets- canaries (“Birdbrain”- self explanatory), cats (“Loopy”- ditto), and dogs (too numerous to mention)). It taught me “touch typing” on an old, manual, clickety clackety typewriter. Continue reading “Book Review: The Book of Jewish Knowledge”

It’s All the Same To Me- A Torah Guide to Inner Peace and Love of Life by Moshe Gersht

“What we will discover together is that the most important thing you can bring to the world is your true self, with all its colors- not the image that has been created by your social network, not the projected thoughts of your parents or friends.” In his book It’s All the Same to Me, Moshe Gersht colors his pages with positivity, Torah wisdom, and new and ancient philosophical teachings, guiding the reader to a better understanding of how we see the world and ourselves. Continue reading “Book Review: It’s All The Same to Me”

Unmatched- An Orthodox Jewish Woman’s Mystifying Journey to Find Marriage and Meaning by Sarah Lavane

“Once upon a time,” as the ubiquitous fairy tale states, a young girl begins a search for her prince, or in Sarah Lavane’s case, her beshert, her intended. A lovely story then unfolds, with the young lass encountering obstacles on her journey to love and marriage…and then “they lived happily ever after.”  Continue reading “Book Review: Unmatched”

The Great Game of Kashrut- Demystifying Kashrut in a Fun and Engaging Way by Rabbi Don Channen and Rabbi Yaakov (Jon) Goldman 

“Welcome to the Kashrut revolution- an exciting journey in learning the most interesting and relevant concepts in Kashrut. The Great Game of Kashrut allows readers to quickly and easily engage with concepts and halachot which were, until now, locked behind the complex Hebrew texts of the Shulchan Aruch and its commentators.” Continue reading “Book Review: The Great Game of Kashrut”

The Redhead of Auschwitz by Nechama Birnbaum

Once upon a time, in the small town of Crasna in 1944, a little girl with red hair who loved to dance heard drums. “It is those Hungarians again. They are always trying to assert their control over our small town…on the border between Hungary and Romania…the two countries fight for us like toddlers fighting for a toy.” Continue reading “Book Review: The Redhead of Auschwitz “

Resilience- A Jewish Guide to Facing Adversity, Fostering Strength, and Living Your Best Life by Leslie M. Gutman, PhD

“Resilience, which involves utilizing our strengths in order to effectively cope with and learn from life’s challenges, may…be considered one of our most important tasks…We are not born resilient, we are made resilient…Resilience is an active practice that we engage in every day through the choices we make for ourselves and through our relationships with others.”  Continue reading “Book Review: Resilience – A Jewish Guide to Facing Adversity, Fostering Strength, and Living Your Best Life – Leslie M. Gutman, PhD”

10 Really Dumb Mistakes That Very Smart Couples Make – A Torah-Based Guide To A Successful Marriage by Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier

“Even before we were put into This World, Hashem preselected the perfect partner for each of us. Your bashert is perfect for you. Together, you become a complete unit. There’s only one problem…Reality.”  Continue reading “Book Review – 10 Really Dumb Mistakes That Very Smart Couples Make- Rabbi Ben Tzion Shafier”

Hadassah- An American Story by Hadassah Lieberman

“This book is Hadassah’s extraordinary life story. It goes from her birth in Prague, Czechoslovakia, to parents who survived the Nazi Holocaust; to her childhood far away from Europe as the daughter of a rabbi in a small New England city…to her emergence in her own right during our 2000 vice presidential campaign.” Senator Joseph Lieberman introduces his wife’s story; the rest of the book chronicles her journey in her own words. Continue reading “Book Review – Hadassah An American Story”

AFTER: The Obligation of Beauty by Mindy Weisel

“A long time ago, I stopped wishing for a different past. One where the mother and father were not Holocaust survivors. When I started writing this book, over ten years ago, perhaps I would have emphasized my parents’ stories more than my own….I have been living a life in search of beauty.”  Continue reading “Book Review – AFTER: The Obligation of Beauty”

Creating a Life That Matters: How to Live and Love with Meaning and Purpose by Manis Friedman and Rivka Goldstein

“God tells us, ‘Six days of the week you should work, but on the seventh day, on Shabbos, do no labor.’ What he means is, for six days do whatever you need to do to make your existence easier. If something is broken, fix it; if it’s raw, cook it; if it is torn, sew it; if it’s too cold, heat it up…But one day out of the week, leave your existence alone, take a break, and turn your attention to life.” In this book, Manis Friedman and Rivka Goldstein offer a tutorial on living life and navigating our way through relationships with our family, friends, God, and even ourselves, using teachings “derived, whether directly or indirectly, from the Chabad Chassidic wisdom tradition.” Continue reading “Book Review – Creating a Life That Matters”