In its on-going search for new and better ways to
help meet the educational needs of our congregation, the Adult Education
Committee will be publishing a series of brief reviews of books on topics
that may be of particular interest to our membership.
Book Discussion Group
September 2006 - Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska
BREAD GIVERS Discussion Guide
1. Hester Street is a real street in the Lower East Side of New York. How did Yezierska’s description of the neighborhood compare with other impressions that you have of the Lower East Side in its heyday? What are the sources of your other impressions?
2. Many reviewers have noted Yezierska’s Yiddish-inflected prose? How did that style affect your reading of the book?
3. What does the title Bread Givers mean?
4. In her introduction to the Bread Givers, Alice Kessler Harris writes, "[Yezierska] saw her rebellion against her father as an attempt to be like him: to search for a vocation as strong as his." In what ways was Sara Smolinsky aware of her desire to be like her father even while she distanced herself from him?
5. Describe each of the sister’s marriages. Did their married lives match their childhood roles within the family? How did their marriages compare to that of their parents? Do you think their lives would have been better had they been allowed to choose their husbands?
6. The dean at Sara’s college told her that her place is with the pioneers. "All pioneers have to get hard to survive." In what ways was Sara hard? Do you think pioneer is a fitting description? Contrast Sara’s hard edges with those of her sisters and mother.
7. When Sara graduated from college, she had what she called her "honeymoon with herself." When she constructs this new "beautiful aloneness," how is she achieving long-held dreams?
8. What did Sara give up as she worked to integrate herself into American society?
9. Some critics have described Yezierska’s works as overly autobiographical. Did you assume that the work was autobiographical? Does that distract from recognizing the ways in which she crafted the story?
10. In what ways does the story of the Bread Givers remind you of your own family’s experiences? The book ends with, "But I felt the shadow still there, over me. It wasn’t just my father, but the generations who made my father whose weight was still upon me." What is your relationship to that shadow?
By MARION PITKIN
"The Red Tent" by Anita
Diamant "The Red Tent," by Anita Diamant
This is the story of
Dinah. In the Book of Genesis, her life is merely touched upon as part
of what is related to her father, Jacob, and his twelve sons. The book
expands upon what the author imagines Dinah's life would have been like
in those times.
As narrated by Dinah, we learn the traditions of
ancient womanhood, as part of the world of the red tent. Dinah's story
tells of her mothers - Leah, Rachel, Zilpah and Billah - the four wives
of Jacob. Although Leah gave her life, Dinah was raised by all four
of Jacob's wives. Each, in turn, gives her gifts that sustain her throughout
her life - her youth, a calling to midwifery, her trials as a wife and
mother and her home in a foreign land. The novel, although fiction,
combines storytelling from a remarkable period of early history to allow
us to see a new view of women's society in Biblical times.
Anita Diamant is an award winning journalist and
author who lives in West Newton, Massachusetts.
By LEONARD
MOSS
Finding
Darwin's God, by Kenneth R.
Miller (HarperCollins, 1999)
Do
religion and science have a common ground? Trying to bridge the age-old
gap between science and Judaic-Christian religion, biologist Kenneth
Miller finds a connection not in their wisdom but instead in their lack
of wisdom! He points to the recent emphasis, in physics and biology,
on the "indeterminate nature" of the universe. According to quantum
theory, details of the future are not strictly fixed by present reality,
just as details of mass and energy are not fixed by mechanical measuring
tools. For example, the location of an electron around an atomic nucleus
can be determined only approximately by a "probability wave." Similarly,
chance (random distribution) plays a part in biology, according to Darwin's
theory of evolution. This uncertainty or lack of final knowledge, Miller
claims, is equally relevant to religion when we try to obtain knowledge
about God. We (like Job) can never fully predict or describe divine
power or justice. Yet we can function coherently with what we do know,
as we do in the sciences, as long as we accept that religion, like biology
and physics, will always remain to some extent limited by the unfathomable.
God is not totally bound by "preordained laws" in the manner of a robot.
And neither are we. We share with God the freedom to act with independence
and originality in a world that is not completely predictable.
BY RON WEISBERGER
Bruce
Feiler. Walking the Bible: A Journey Through the Five Books of Moses,
William Morrow, 2001.
How
real is the narrative found in the Bible? Some view the Five Books of
Moses as literal truth; others as mythology. Bruce Feiler, an award
winning author and journalist, sought to gain clarity on these questions
by traveling over 10,00 miles "retracing the Five Books of Moses through
the desert."
Drawing
on his own research along with the expertise of traveling companion
Avner Goren, a renowned Israeli archaeologist, Feiler visits the numerous
sites mentioned in the Bible. Traveling through Turkey, Israel, the
Palestinian territories, the Sinai and Jordon, he comes face to face
with the geography as well as the people of this incredibly beautiful
as well as harsh area of the world. As Feiler and Goren attempt to connect
text and place, they come up with surprisingly fresh answers to the
age old question about whether the Bible is "true or not". At the same
time they raise new questions for the reader to ponder over.
Walking
the Bible is in many respects an original piece of work. It can be read
as history, archaeology, theology, adventure as well as a personal spiritual
journey. While it certainly won't answer all questions, it can provide
an important context to our ongoing study of Torah. At the same, it
can serve as an inspiration to continue our own quest to understand
our faith and those of others who share the legacy of our historical
and spiritual tradition.
ROBERTA'S BOOK REVIEWS
3
Books on the Holocaust Drucker,
Malka and Halperin, Michael, Jacob's Rescue. Bantam Books, 1993.
Schnur, Steven, The Shadow Children, Morrow Junior Books, 1994.
Dillon, Ellis, Children of Bach, Charles Scribner, 1992.
These three stories
about the Holocaust are appropriate for older elementary school and
middle school students. Each explores the Holocaust from a different
perspective. Jacob's Rescue is the true story of two young Polish boys
who find sanctuary with a sympathetic couple. This is an excellent story
about two mitzvah heroes who are later honored for their selfless love
and devotion to children.
The Shadow Children
is a compelling story of war and remembrance, set in a small town in
France after World War II. Find out what the villagers want to forget
in this well written, intuitive story.
In Children of Bach,
you will be introduced to three resourceful children who live in Hungary
during the Nazi occupation. Do they learn how to survive and overcome
all odds? This is a thrilling adventure story of inner strength and
courage. Letters from Rifka, by
Karen Hesse, Holt, 1992
Based on a true story from the author's family, Letters
from Rifka recounts the events of how Rifka overcame all odds and managed
to settle in America.
The story takes place in 1919 in Russia, where anti-Semitism was commonplace.
If anything was wrong, Jews were often the scapegoats. The Jewish people
were not permitted to have businesses or to own very much, and young
men had to serve in the Russian army. Jews in Russia dreamed of coming
to America, which to them was the Land of Opportunity or The Golden
Land. Rifka escaped from Russia by hiding in a boxcar and then by getting
into steerage on a ship; but when she finally reached America, she was
denied entry because of a health condition.
Letters from Rifka is an excellent book on the immigration of Russian
Jewry and is suitable for children in grades four through middle school.
Jewish Tales from the
Heart, by Betty Lehrman
"Meshka the Kvetch," is a folk tale about a woman
who is always complaining. How she learns to change her ways is related
in an interesting and humorous story with a valuable message.
This and other stories in Jewish Tales from the Heart reveal Betty to
be an excellent storyteller, and all her tales have Jewish themes. She
is a member of The League for New England Storytellers, and she performs
for synagogues and libraries.
Aleph Bet Boogie, by Rabbi Joe Black, is a collection
of lively original songs related to Judaism in mambo, rumba, and rock
and roll rhythms. Among the titles are, "Afikomen Mambo", "Downtown
Dayenu," "To Be a Torah," and "Build a Sukkah".
Give a Little Back, by David Paskin and Rock Tov
consists of local entertainers from Canton and the South Shore areas
performing songs in Hebrew and English set to Jewish melodies with original
lyrics.
Both tapes may be obtained from "The Book and Cup"
in Sharon or from "Davidson's Hebrew Book Store" in Randolph.
Herschel
and the Hanukkah Goblins, by Eric Kimmel,
Holiday House, 1985.
Herschel of Ostropol was tired and hungry and was
looking for a village that would be warm and friendly to him. He wanted
to celebrate Hanukah by spinning the dreidel, lighting the menorah,
and eating latkes. Herschel stopped at a village where the people were
being invaded by goblins that wouldn't let them observe their holiday.
The mean goblins frightened the townspeople. Herschel has some brilliant
ideas on how to stop the goblins by simple trickery. Does he stop the
goblins and save Hanukah? Have your child read this exciting book--or
read it to your child--and find out!
The Magic Dreidels,
by Eric Kimmel,
Holiday House, 1996.
Goblins once again enter Eric Kimmel's holiday story.
In this book, Jacob drops his dreidel into a well and meets up with
a goblin. Instead of returning his dreidel to him, the goblin hands
him a magic one instead. This magic dreidel spins out more latkes than
you can eat! On the way home, Jacob meets up with Fruma Sarah, the town
busybody. Fruma Sarah tricks Jacob out of his magic dreidel. There will
be no latkes for Jacob's family. Read this delightful book to find out
how Jacob gets even and what happens to Fruma Sarah and Jacob. This
is a rich family tale for preschoolers and lower elementary aged children.
Hanukkah,
Festival of Lights, by Jeff O'Hare,
Boyds Mill Press, 2000.
To help children get into the true spirit of Hanukah,
Jeff O'Hare's book provides information on games such as Macabee Bowling,
traditional songs, and Hanukah recipes. It contains information on the
menorah and dreidel and also includes holiday arts and crafts. This
book provides lots of ideas for engaging in fun and traditional family
holiday activities.
The
Sabbath Lion,
retold by Howard Schwartz and Barbara Rush.
Harper Collins, Publishers.
This story is about a miracle that happened when
Josef, a little boy from Algeria, would not break the Sabbath law even
though it meant going through unbearable circumstances. Josef and his
family, who were very poor, were left money by a distant relative,.
He had to travel many miles on a desert caravan to obtain this inheritance.
The caravan left him stranded in the desert when he refused to travel
on Saturday. An enormous lion came to his rescue and helped Josef claim
the fortune for his family.
This book reinforces the idea that we sould hold
onto our beliefs no matter what happens. The Sabbath Lion is recommended
for gades one through three. It has beautiful illustrations to go along
with the text.
When
Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street, by Elsa Rael.
Simon & Schuster, Publisher.
Zeesie, an eight year old girl, was afraid of her
grandfather. He was a very cold person and never said much toher. Her
mother had just had a new baby and sent Zeesie to spend some time with
her zaydeh. Zeesie saw a change take place over her grandfather when
he took her to his old shul and introduced her to the warm and friendly
congregation. It was Simchas Torah and he explained everything about
the holiday to her, including getting her to participate in the service.
She even saw her zaydeh dance—a rare sight, indeed!
This is an excellent picture book about Simchas
Torah, Jewish familylife and Yisshiskeit. It contains colorful illustrations,
and even gives a recipe for making cookies. It is very appropriate for
grades two and three.
Shaye J.D. Cohen, The Beginnings
of Jewishness. Boundaries, Varieties, Uncertainties (Berkeley: University
of California, 1999)
Most members of our congregation undoubtedly carry
around some notion of how one is able to recognize whether someone is
Jewish or not. However, what characteristics people believe should determine
who is eligible to be called Jewish and who is not have changed over
the course of history. Shaye Cohen, a professor of Jewish Studies at
Brown University, shows that the formation of "Jewishness"
has been a very tangled story.
In modern times, various Jewish groups have argued
over whether Jewishness is a function of ethnicity (membership in a
descent group, a function of birth), nationality (citizenship in a state,
a function of politics), religion (membership in a group characterized
by various beliefs and practices), or of al three. This book concerns
the early history of the formation of "Jewishness." In this
widely acclaimed study, Cohen shows that these issues were already present
in late antiquity, that is, in the centuries just before and after Jesus
became transformed into Christ. Cohen shows the complexity involved
in trying to unravel how ethnic, political, and religious elements were
understood and applied in the construction of Jewish identity by Jews,
by gentiles, and by the state.
The period Cohen covers was characterized by flux
and negotiation over the location of the boundaries between Jew and
non-Jew, and over how permeable those boundaries ought to be. What did
it mean to be called a "Jew"--or to call someone a "Jew"?
What was involved in being or becoming Jewish? To demonstrate the complexity
of the story, Cohen first turns to language: he traces the lineage of
terms that Greeks and Romans, Jews and non-Jews, used to refer to "Jews,"
and to being "Jewish," and the different things that people
meant when they used these terms. He reminds us that the so-called normative,
formative, or rabbinic Judaism with its definition of who belonged and
who did not was not only slow in coming but was never left unchallenged.
Cohen next focuses on a single personality, Herod the Great, who problematic
identity with respect to Judaism further serves to illustrate the twists
and turn involved in the story of the emergence of Jewishness. Finally,
Cohen turns to certain contemporary social and religious rites and practices.
He spends considerable time discussing religious conversion to Judaism,
an important way for Jews to delineate the differences between themselves
and non-Jews. The determination of the status of offspring of intermarriage
also helped to establish the limits of Jewishness. Finally, he discusses
the implications of matrilineal descent. Using a vast array of seldom
used historical sources, Cohen explores these and other issues that,
if he were working on modern Judaism, would be subsumed under the rubric
"Who is a Jew?"
This is a scholarly rather than a popular work. Some
may find it too academic, its arguments too inaccessible, and too detailed.
However, members of our congregation who are interested in the historic
role of language, politics, intermarriage, conversion, religious practice,
community, and the rise of rabbinic institutions in defining the early
boundaries of Jewishness will find this book fascinating and informative.
