Dear Friends,
I would like to recommend a recent publication of Yad Yithak Ben Zvi, ' Nitzolim,' Survivors, by Aliza Aurbach. Some might call it a Holocaust coffee table book. Others will see it for the first person eyewitness documentation that it also unquestionably is. The book is a collection of life stories, accounts of Holocaust survivors. Short bio's describing their families and lives before WWII and during and after the Sho'ah. The stories are told with clarity and simplicity and bear witness to the awful truths of the Sho'ah, particularly, the local fascist nazi activists and actions in each and every country of Europe and beyond. The stories are testimonies of real people, real victims, in Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, France, Tunisia and Libya and stories of miraculous and/or random survival. These people rebuilt their lives here in Israel. The book is replete with portraits, family photos, even documents and articles of clothing, which are memories of the old life or the Sho'ah. This book should be acquired by and studied by anyone interested in the Sho'ah, Jewish History and the vitality of life as reflected in the lives of survivors. Isbn 978-965-217-302-7 Cat. 73113 $ 48.00 In the realm of Hebrew literature Lea Goldberg's, Avedot must be mentioned. The Union of Hebrew Writers in Israel and Dani Sefarim, a Qiryat Gat publisher haveproduced the Historic Lexicon of Hebrew Writers in Israel 1948 Present. This book is an encyclopedia of the Modern Hebrew writing. It includes authors, researchers, critics,playwrites, poets, journalists and more. It includes a bio on each individual as well as a list of their publications. There was such a book published by the Igud Ha-Sofrim the aforementioned, 'Union,' in 2006, entitled, 'Lexicon ha-Sofrim ha-Ivri'im be-Hove,' however, the editor, Moshe Granot, specifies that that was merely an 'experiment,' as opposed to this much wider, complete work. This book is monumental and naturally, intertwines Jewish and Israel History with Hebrew Literature. The work, which was supervised by an advisory board of Professors: Hillel Barzel, Dorit Orgad, Yakov Barzilaiand Menachem Falk, continues the vision of the Hebrew Writers Union to maintain a dialogue with the classic, Hebrew Literary past and the present and future through the modern Hebrew word. Cat. # 72876 $ 59.00 I have just examined the recent two volume publication, 'Zera Yisrael,' with its compaionvolume 'Mekorot Yisrael. The serious important work of modern Halakha focuses on the critical and controvercial sbject of 'Converts and Conversion.' While this topic has always been important in Jewish Law it is of increased importance in today's Israel where there are many immigrants whose status, identity and integration are tied to these matters. The book reaches a remarkably simple and clear conclusion regarding the basic requirements for conversion. What is equally important is what is not required but nevertheless specifically expressed. For example, in the 4 point guideline listed by the author, Number #3, "there is no necessity at the time of the conversion that (we understand that) the convert intends to fulfill all the commandments, or that he/she, the convert expressly commit to do so." While upholding the requirements of Jewish Law there are nevertheless multiple ways of interpreting and implementing them. It is imperative that scholars, Rabbis and political figures recognize this and opt for the more moderate approaches. Even the haskamot to the book are important. The haskama, rabbinic approbation, of R' Shaar Yeshuv which discusses the need 'kiruv' in Judaism, bringing closer, ie- inclusion rather than rejection is significant. The author, R'Amsalem is a member of Knesset (MK) and my sources tell me that he is connected to theMazuz Rabbinic leaders of Tunisia. Volume two is entitled Makor Yisrael and contains a comprehensive collection of all the sources which include centuries of Responsa. Cat. # 73229 $ 79.00 "Perspectives on Jewish Law" has been published by the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies. It is an important work of modern Responsa by R' Wayne Allen, which is relevant, enlightened, comprehensive and halakhic. It covers topics of the shulkan arukh, the Orah Hayim, ritual law, for example, a minyan / quorum of nine, or women as Gabbai / sextant or readers ofMaftir. There are sections on Yore De'ah, regarding body piercing, tattoos, conversion and burial. Even Ha'ezer, which encompasses personal status, covers marriage related issues like Women's rights in the Ketuba, wedding contract, headcovering and Gay Rabbi's. Hoshen Mishpat, Jewish Civil Law includes, commercial and moral issues of fair competition and privacy. The powerful subjects are analyzed with logic and wisdom and cite Talmud and many other treatises onHalakha. Hard cover, 437 pages, isbn 978-965-7105-64-1. This work is another example of modern scholarly examination of Jewish Law and thereby, dynamic Jewish Life and Custom in the tradition of Professors Louis Finkelstein, Saul Lieberman and David Weiss Halivny and continued in the work of Prof. Shama Friedman and Rabbi David Golinken. This work will serve as a resource for future scholarship and a reference for all those studying Talmud, Jewish Law as well as Jewish Philosophy in the 21stCent. CE. Cat. #73014 $ 25.00 Wishing all of you a Happy and Healthy Purim and Pesah from all of us at Jerusalem Books ltd. Sincerely, Jeff PS- Two more important titles from the Schechter, Masorti movement are Ve-Ani Tefilati, an Israeli (egalitarian) prayer book and Taking the Plunge, Miriam Berkowitz on ritual bath, 2ndedition, 978-965-7105-48-1. All this is in stark contrast to Torat ha-Melekh, by YitzhakShapira and Yosef Elizur, which is fundamentalist ultra-nationalist Jewish Law on War. Wendy Weiss Simon Jerusalem Books Ltd. POB 26190 Jerusalem, 91261, Israel (Tel) 972-2-642-6653/6576 (Fax) 972-2-643-3580 www.jerusalembooks.co.il --- 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: hasaf...@osu.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
