Reading a good Jewish book?

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If you are reading a good book with Jewish content, we want to know. The subjects can be very diverse.

For instance, a few of us have read a newly published book that explains why the majority of foods in American supermarkets have symbols indicating they are Kosher, yet Kosher meat is still expensive and controversial. It explains why some Kosher wines are more popular among African Americans than among Jews, delves into how products like Coca-Cola and Jell-O became Kosher, and why animal-rights advocate Temple Grandin is a strong supporter of Jewish slaughtering practices. The controversies that Roger Horowitz discusses in “Kosher USA” are sure to amaze you.

Judge Richard Licht, the first chairperson of the Jewish Alliance, is reading a book by Conor Cruise O’Brien, who represented Ireland in the United Nations, sitting between Iran and Israel. “The Siege: The Saga of Israel and Zionism” has become a heartfelt classic about Israeli and Zionist history.

His successor as chairperson was Sharon Gaines. She is reading “Let There Be Laughter: A Treasury of Great Jewish Humor And What It All Means.” Michael Krasny, whom you may know from NPR, includes in his book jokes and stories that span the range of topics and themes that Jews have found humorous. However, the beauty of the book is how it puts his selections into a context and analyzes them without destroying their enjoyability.

Mitzi Berkelhammer, the current chairperson of the Jewish Alliance, is reading “Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish.” Abigail Pogrebin, who was a producer of “60 Minutes,” has collected sketches and comments by 62 prominent American Jews about what being Jewish means to them and how they express their Judaism. She includes several entertainers such as Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman and Gene Wilder, but also many other people, such as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Shawn Green, Tony Kushner, Eliot Spitzer and Mike Wallace.

In our last issue, we featured books by local authors and asked for recommendations. Someone recommended “From God To Verse,” a faithful line-by-line translation of the Five Books into verse. Seth Brown has modernized the language for greater accessibility and set it to rhyme.

Reading a book with Jewish content is part of a new initiative where members of the Greater Rhode Island Jewish community are invited to choose to read a single book over the course of three months. The books should be non-fiction. We will celebrate how we have broadened our knowledge with a special event in January.

This program is sponsored by the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island, Kollel: Center for Jewish Studies, PJ library, and Project Shoresh.

For recommendations of books, and to register, go to www.jewishallianceri.org/read, or feel free to call your rabbi or neighbors. Make sure to sign up at  this website so that we know how many are participating and to receive notices related to the reading program.

We would like to hold book conversations for those who are interested. A community that learns together grows together!

LARRY KATZ is director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Jewish Alliance

Jewish books, community