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(C) Copyright 2008-2009 by Washington Hebrew Congregation. All rights reserved. |
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Washington Hebrew Congregation |
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Jewish people are known as the “People of the Book.” The Torah is our revered book which is read and studied every week by Jews everywhere. Our love for books extends to all areas in the publishing world. We love to study sacred text, read a variety of books on Jewish subjects, and it would seem by recent titles published that we love to read books about books. The following are recommended:
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People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. (Hurston F Bro) Hana Heath, a rare book expert, is given the opportunity to study the beautiful Hebrew manuscript created in 15th century Spain know as the Sarajevo Hagaddah. When examining closely, she finds insect fragaments, a wine stain, salt crystals and a white hair. The book unravels the mystery behind each of these items which seem very mysterious at first. The book is all these things-historical fiction, a love story, and an insight into the work of book archivists and conservators. Brooks writes, “Parchment, especially, I love. So durable it can last for centuries, so fragile it can be destroyed in a careless instant.” 
The Genizah at the House of the Shepher by Tamar Yellin. (Hurston F Yel) This novel spans 130 years and describes a changing Jerusalem. It is written in beautiful prose and very descriptive. Describing a house and yard in Jerusalem, Yellin writes, “The wall at the corner of the plot had fallen, and the cactus plants stood shriveled, half-dead, their black limbs strewn like snakes across the broken path.” At the center of the story, there is the search for valuable a manuscript know as the Shepher Codex. Shula, who returns from living in England, is caught in a web of relations as she searches the city for the codex.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak (Selinger Library and Tauber Library F Zus) The setting of the story is Nazi Germany, and the main character is Liesel Meminger. At the age of nine, Liesel is taken to live with a foster family. She has to cope with a tyrannical stepmother, but life is made tolerable by the affection of her stepfather. As a late reader, she becomes fascinated with books and become a “book thief” acquiring books from many different people. The portrayal of a Jewish man that they hide in their home is sad and haunting. Appropriate book for young adults and also a favorite of many adults who have read it.