Library Corner

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: …

Revelations in Children’s Books

January 20, 2022

By Robin Jacobson. The Jewish book world is celebrating a bumper crop of excellent nonfiction picture books for children. My three personal favorites are: Dear Mr. Dickens by Nancy Churnin, …

Abraham Joshua Heschel: An American Prophet

November 30, 2021

By Robin Jacobson.  On Bloody Sunday – March 7, 1965 – Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel watched in horror as violent images from Selma, Alabama, flooded his TV screen. Police brutally …

Quirky Novels

November 30, 2021

By Robin Jacobson. Two new novels, Antiquities by Cynthia Ozick and The Vixen by Francine Prose, are well worth reading, even if they leave you shaking your head. Antiquities is …