In a Nice Jewish Books first – I won’t be speaking with the author of the book From the Jewish Provinces, Fradl Shtok, but rather her translators, Jordan Finkin and Allison Schachter. Fradl Shtok was born in the Austro-Hungarian empire and started her writing career there. She later moved to New York and continued her writing career. Although better known for her poetry, Shtok also wrote short stories. Jordan Finkin and Allison Schachter, both long-time Yiddishists, collaborated on translating her stories in this collection, From the Jewish Provinces.

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Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

In this historical novel based on both their families’ histories, I speak with author's Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman. In the novel, we follow two couples. Jacob and Lilly are a Jewish couple living in New York while Stella and William are both slaves in New Orleans. Both men are fighting for the Union and they bond over their love of music.  Both women use their sewing skills to help the war effort. But while their lives should have run parallel to each other, they diverge in some shocking ways.

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Check out the website www.thethreadcollectors.com

Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

Journo (journalist) Shanna Regan was researching historical plaques for the town news magazine when she encounters fake plaques. Instead of praising a former residents, the plaques told of a person's malicious actions and a statement this if they don't repent, that they will never rest in peace. With a stalker, a murky family history, and new plaques appearing, will Shanna be able to sort everything out before another person is murdered? Join me for a conversation with Victoria Goldman about justice, revenge, and murder.

Follow along on the transcript.

Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

 

Aviva Rosner is a rock star, committed to speaking about truth of her life, even if, or especially if, it makes other people uncomfortable. She has a happy marriage, and loyal fans. What she doesn’t have is a baby. In Human Blues, by Elisa Albert, we follow her through 9 months of her cycles of hope, grief and frustration.

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Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

 

17th century Venice is fascinating time and place in history; especially for Jews. Join me for a conversation with Nina Wachsman about her latest book, A Gallery of Beauties. Her protagonist, Diana, daughter of the chief rabbi of Venice, must decide if she wants her life to remain centered in the Jewish Ghetto, or to become a protege of a famous Venician courtesan. Of course, above all else, she must avoid becoming the next victim of the local poisoner.

Here's the link to her website to get the free 6 chapter download: https://venicebeauties.com/

Learn more about Nina's efforts to connect peopel with rare diseases with treatments and clinical trials at: https://knowrare.com/blog

 

Follow along with the transcript.

Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

 

Sarah can't help being a match-maker; she sees a mystical light between people who are meant for each other. But can she stand up to the local male matchmakers who are angry at her for taking their business? And what is her granddaughter Abby to make of her journals? Join me for my talk with author Lynda Loigman about love, soul-mates, and pickles and herring!

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Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

Join me for a wider ranging talk with Derek Miller about the mystery of Sheldon's father's death, Jewish life in rural America, and Yankee ingenuity. How to find your way in the Dark is the winner of the 2022 Association of Jewish Libraries' Jewish Fiction Award.

 

Follow along with the transcript.

Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

 

What connects a Warsaw Holocaust era orphanage and a 1970's West Bengal village? It is a play, the Post Office, written by Rabindranath Tagore, and performed in both places. Jai Chakrabarti skillfully weaves together 1940s Warsaw and 1970s New York and India and discusses the role of the arts in healing and inspiring people.

Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Read the transcript.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

After reading Chaim Potok's early works, author Maggie Anton wondered, "where were the women?" In her latest novel, The Choice: Love, Faith, and Talmud, Maggie imagines what life might have been like for women living in Potok's world.

To find out more about Maggie Anton and her work, check out her website.

Read the transcript.

Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.

Mathemetician/nuclear physicist Anna, is briefly launched into the future when the Chernobyl nuclear power plant melts down. She sees her estranged daughter, Molly dying from a violent injury. Now Anna has to figure out a way to travel to the past to reconnect with her daughter and hopefully save her life. Join me for a fascinating talk with Rachel Barenbaum about family, time travel, and who gets to decide who lives or dies.

Support the author, AJL, and independent book stores by buying their book here.

Follow along with the transcription.

Thanks to:

• The Association of Jewish Libraries
• Heidi Rabinowitz, podcast mentor
• Dee Yan Key for use of their Freylekh (downloaded from https://freemusicarchive.org/home)

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also like the AJL sister podcast, The Book of Life, a podcast about Jewish kidlit, mostly.