Friends of the Brodsky Library E-Newsletter: Sept/Oct 2015
Dear Friends:
This month at @Brodsky we have a few important highlights to share…Lorraine enjoyed searching
forand then adding new books to the collection (see the listing within the newsletter). We also switched
out the 4 community computers with “newer” versions; this has increased our speed a bit resulting in
some smiles from the regulars. We have rethought the coffee program, we are now offering less variety
(one type of caffeinated coffee and one decaf along with several types of tea) the cost has been reduced
to 50 cents a cup.
It was hard to say goodbye to Miriam Roth this summer, but we are happy to announce that Nancy
Dubman, long time CAJE employee, as joined the staff to cover some of the hours that Miriam worked.
She’d love to have the chance to meet you in person, on Wednesdays from 9 -1 and Fridays from 9 – 1.
So…come read a journal, check out a new book or DVD and have a cup of coffee. We’d love to see you!!
We hope that many of you will join us for the 2 upcoming programs:
Community member and friend of the Brodsky library, Elsie Roth, will share the story of her long
journey to “righting a wrong” as she fought for the military honor that he deserved, the Metal of Honor;
her story to gripping, the journey fascinating and the outcome powerful. Please plan to attend the
Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, October 13th.
Professor Howard Schwartz will be @Brodsky on Tuesday, November 17th. Howard’s masterful story
telling will create a very special and engaging evening as he shares special memories and reads
selections of the work of Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai.
We are beginning to make plans for winter programming…we will keep you posted.
Ketiva v’chatima tova, on behalf of Lorraine, Michael, Nancy and myself…May you and your family be
blessed with a year of good health, prosperity and only good.
B’shalom,
Cyndee Levy, Interim Coordinator of the Brodsky Library
My Long Hard Journey to the Medal of
Guest Speaker: Elsie Roth
Tuesday, October 13th @ the Brodsky Library
11:30 – 1pm
Please bring a brownbag lunch.
We will provide drinks and a sweet treat.
Elsie will share her story of strength and conviction that led to the
“Righting of a Wrong” that was long overdue.
Through narrative, photos and artifacts Elsie will bring to life the story of her
father, Sgt. William Shemin, of blessed memory, who served as a member of
Company G, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division,
American Expeditionary Forces, during combat operations against the enemy on
the Vesle River, near Bazoches, France during WWI.
While serving as a rifleman from August 7-9, 1918, Shemin left the cover of his
platoon's trench and crossed open space, repeatedly exposing himself to heavy
machine gun and rifle fire to rescue the wounded. After officers and senior noncommissioned officers had become casualties, Shemin took command of the
platoon and displayed great initiative under fire, until he was wounded, Aug. 9.
For the injuries he sustained during combat, Shemin received the Purple Heart. He
was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for battlefield valor, Dec. 29,
1919.
As a result of an antisemitism, William Shemin was not recommended at the time
for the honor that he so rightly deserved the highest honor for military service, the
Medal of Honor.
Save the Date:
Howard Schwartz Presents…“An Evening with Amichai”
Tuesday, November 17th, 7pm @the Brodsky
Master storyteller Howard Schwartz will create a lively evening of reflection
through stories about his friend Yehudah Amichai woven with favorite selected
poems. Come sit among the stacks, stretch out and enjoy an evening of stories
and poetry.
We Are All Invited
2015 St. Louis Literary Award
An Evening with David Grossman
Wednesday, September 30, 2015 | 7 pm | Sheldon Concert Hall
Free & Open to the Public | For information, please call 314-977-3100 | to register,
please visit: http://lib.slu.edu/about/associates/literary-award/grossman
Please join us immediately following the award program for a reception with the author
in the KETC / Nine Network’s Media Commons, just behind the Sheldon.
Rabbi James Stone Goodman and friends will perform traditional music to accompany
the SLU Library Associates celebration of arts and culture.
Signed copies of David Grossman’s books will be available for purchase from Left Bank
Books.
SLU Library Associates | St. Louis Literary Award
What’s New: Books and Movies
A dozen new books have been added to the collection. They are ready and
waiting to be read…
New Books
Judaism’s 10 Best Ideas by Arthur Green In an age of fluid identity, many people are honestly asking
the question "Why be Jewish?" What in this religious and ethnic legacy is worth preserving? Does
Judaism have something unique to offer a contemporary seeker free to choose a way of life and a
system of values? Here is the answer of a leading spiritual teacher who has faced these questions in
conversation with generations of students.
Stir: my broken brain and the meals that brought me home by Jessica Fechtor At 28, Jessica Fechtor
was happily immersed in graduate school and her young marriage, and thinking about starting a family.
Then one day, she went for a run and an aneurysm burst in her brain. She nearly died. Jessica's journey
to recovery began in the kitchen as soon as she was able to stand at the stovetop and stir. There, she
drew strength from the restorative power of cooking and baking.
The Best Boy in the United States of America: a memoir by Ron Wolfson Hilarious and heartfelt, Ron
Wolfson's inspiring memoir is filled with stories of growing up in a warm family, encountering colorful
characters like the merchants of Omaha and the famous Warren Buffett, navigating adolescence and
learning never to underestimate his mother.
The Marriage of opposites a novel by Alice Hoffman From the New York Times bestselling author of
The Dovekeepers and The Museum of Extraordinary Things: a forbidden love story set on the tropical
island of St. Thomas about the extraordinary woman who gave birth to painter Camille Pissarro—the
Father of Impressionism.
KL: the history of the Nazi concentration camps by Nikolaus Wachsmann Dr Nikolaus Wachsmann is
the first historian to write a complete history of the camps. Pulling together a wealth of in-depth
research, official documents, contemporary studies and the evidence of survivors themselves, The
Camps will be a complete but accessible narrative.
Run you down: a novel by Julia Dahl In the sequel to her Edgar Award finalist Invisible City, Julia Dahl
has created a taut mystery that is both a window into a secretive culture and an exploration of the
demons we inherit.
In the unlikely event: a novel by Judy Blume In the Unlikely Event is vintage Judy Blume, with all the
hallmarks of Judy Blume’s unparalleled storytelling, and full of memorable characters who cope with
loss, remember the good times and, finally, wonder at the joy that keeps them going.
All who go do not return: a memoir by Shulem Deen A moving and revealing exploration of Hasidic life,
and one man's struggles with faith, family, and community
Roads taken: the great Jewish migrations to the new world by Hasia R. Diner Hasia Diner tells the
story of millions of discontented young Jewish men who sought opportunity abroad, leaving parents,
wives, and sweethearts behind.
Jewish Olympics: the history of the Maccabiah Games by Ron Kaplan The Jewish Olympics details the
history of the Maccabiah Games, including how they began, how they have grown in popularity, how
they have impacted the Jewish community worldwide, and much more. The Jewish Olympics is a
detailed and fascinating history that will interest any sports fan, as well as individuals interested in
cultural events.
The English spy by Daniel Silva #1 New York Times bestselling author Daniel Silva delivers another
stunning thriller in his latest action-packed tale of high stakes international intrigue featuring the
inimitable Gabriel Allon.
New Cookbook:
The Community table: recipes and stories from the JCC in Manhattan & beyond by
Katja Goldman et al Fantastic recipes and beautiful photos.
New DVDs
WELCOME TO KUTSHER'S: THE LAST CATSKILLS RESORT (documentary)
Kutsher's Country Club was the last surviving Jewish resort in the Catskills. One of the legendary Borscht Belt
hotels during its heyday, Kutsher's was family-owned and operated for over 100 years. Exploring the full
Dirty Dancing-era Catskills experience through a close up look at Kutsher's rise and fall, this award-winning
documentary captures a last glimpse of a lost world as it disappears before our eyes.
24 Hours When Ilan Halimi is kidnapped for ransom because Jewish and supposedly rich, his
family and the police start a race against time to save him from the tortures of the "gang of
barbarians".