Without addressing the issue of children’s books by Christian publishers for use in Jewish libraries I offer a simple answer to the simple question below:
No, there are not enough children’s books from Jewish sources. And certainly there are not enough good ones (and very few great ones). The many members of AJL who have worked on the Sydney Taylor Book Awards have made valiant efforts to remedy that situation, but I think they would agree that the need is still great. The low quality of many of the books distributed by PJ library is testament to what a struggle it is to serve this need (may they go from strength to strength). All the best, Henry Hollander From: Michael Kahn Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2017 7:30 PM To: Lisa Silverman Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ha-Safran] Christian content in bible stories Aren't there enough books by Jewish authors? MIchael Kahn On Wed, Aug 2, 2017 at 6:44 PM, Lisa Silverman <[email protected]> wrote: Rachel, Sinai Temple owns the David, Noah, Daniel, and Moses titles in the “I Can Read” series of Bible stories by Dennis Jones, and when I was there we considered them ok for a conservative synagogue. I would guess that certain ones by Zondervan are also ok, because the Sperber Library owns one by him called “Jonah and the Big Fish”. They have very few words to a page and are for just beginning readers, and the pictures are quite colorful. However, there are many authors in the series, and they repeat subjects, so you have to see each one. Most of these books have a preview available to click on through Amazon to get a general view, although of course you can’t see the whole thing. The one I do know not to recommend would be on the subjects of creation, Adam and Eve, and often stories of King David. I think they fill a void though, and kids like them. Lisa ____________________________________ Lisa Silverman Library Director, Burton Sperber Jewish Community Library Address: 15600 Mulholland Drive, Los Angeles, California 90077 Phone: (310) 440-1264 Email: [email protected] Website: http://library.aju.edu From: Hasafran [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2017 1:36 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [ha-Safran] Christian content in bible stories Dear Hasafranim, Does anyone know if books by Dennis Jones, such as Noah and God's Great Promise: Biblical Values (I Can Read!) or by Zondervan have obvious Christian content that would make them objectionable in a Conservative synagogue library? Thanks, Rachel Haus Library Director Congregation of Moses Fisher Library Kalamazoo MI __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
__ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) ================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [email protected] To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: [email protected] Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list [email protected] https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
