Library Corner

Rescuing Freud

November 30, 2022

By Robin Jacobson.  With 20/20 historical hindsight, it can be unbearable to read stories of European Jews in the 1930s who turned down opportunities to flee Europe.  If only we …

Scientist in the Shadows

October 21, 2022

By Robin Jacobson.  My pharmacist dad reveled in books about epic breakthroughs in medicine and science. On my bookshelf, I found his copy of The Double Helix (1968), a memoir by …

Snapshots of Israel

October 12, 2022

By Robin Jacobson.  Israeli author Omer Friedlander, only 28 years old, made a stunning entrance onto the literary stage this past spring. Big-name publisher Random House published his debut short …

While the Pope Stood Silent

October 1, 2022

By Robin Jacobson. Early Shabbat morning, October 16, 1943, Nazi soldiers stormed Jewish neighborhoods in Rome, rounding up terrified Jews. They imprisoned them for two days in a military college near …

When the Poet Went to War

September 1, 2022

By Robin Jacobson.  On October 6, 1973, air raid sirens shattered the solemn quiet of Yom Kippur afternoon in Israel.   Egypt and Syria had launched a two-front surprise attack. Within …

Remembering the Cold War

July 1, 2022

By Robin Jacobson. As I write this, Ukraine remains under siege. News programs feature a nightly parade of diplomats, retired generals, and political historians speculating about a new global world …

The Sleazy Side of Life

April 26, 2022

By Robin Jacobson.  Here are two unusual – and terrific – crime thrillers to jumpstart your summer. For a comic, warmhearted romp, try The Prison Minyan by Jonathan Stone. Want …

Our Parents’ Choices

April 26, 2022

By Robin Jacobson.  Every day, children benefit or suffer from their parents’ choices. Such is life, and such is the stuff of literature, especially when a parent’s options are radically …

Passover Picks

March 2, 2022

By Robin Jacobson.  When it comes to Passover children’s books, you could cover a Seder table many times over with wonderful choices. Here are five favorites, a mix of new …

Beneath the Earth: Archaeological Adventures in the Land of Israel

February 10, 2022

Inhabited for millennia, Israel sits atop layers upon layers of a rich, buried past – long irresistible to archaeologists. For a lively, colorful history of archaeological expeditions, read Under Jerusalem: …