Take a lovely, innocent Jewish girl, her uncle, and an anti-Semitic authority figure – put them together and you have…the Purim story. You also have the outline for a contemporary spin on the Purim story, Debra Spark’s new novel, Good for the Jews. The Jewish heroine of the story is Ellen, an innocent young woman living in the Midwest. Her uncle, Mose, is a talented but unconventional high school history teacher. Mose gets into trouble with the anti-Semitic school principal, Hyman. Meanwhile, Ellen is attracted to school superintendent Alex, a divorced and much older man. The characters’ names and the broad outline of the plot are not the only aspects of the book that mirror the Purim story; many of the themes are similar, too. While this is a fun, steamy novel, it explores such serious issues as anti-Semitism and the ways in which people negotiate with authority figures.

In a very different vein, Joseph Kanon’s new novel, Stardust, is set in Hollywood in the mid 1940s. Ben Collier has just arrived from war-ravaged Europe, and finds that his brother has died under mysterious circumstances. Determined to learn the truth about his brother’s death, Ben enters the word of the studio system and learns about the darker aspects of the movie business. He also learns disturbing facts about his own family’s past. It’s the glory days of the movie business, but also the beginning of Communist “witch hunts” in Tinseltown. Historical background is emphasized, with the author giving lots of information about Jewish emigrants who fled to Hollywood at the start of WWII. Mystery, romance, politics…that’s a wrap!

And on the subject of WWII, switching over to non-fiction, we have Francine Prose’s Anne Frank; the Book, the Life, the Afterlife. Prose, an accomplished writer of fiction and non-fiction, explores Anne’s Diary as a work of literature. She explains that at age 15, Anne began revising the Diary she began when she was 13, intending to have it published someday. Prose derides the stage and screen versions of the Diary, which she deems “silly and shallow.” Prose exhorts readers not to reduce Anne’s message to one of only goodness, hope and inspiration, but to engage more fully with the text and understand the nuances of Anne’s thoughts and feelings. Anne Frank would have turned 80 this year; reading Prose’s excellent analysis of the Diary is a thoughtful way to remember this remarkable young woman and gifted writer.

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Todah rabah to the Early Childhood families who made a very generous donation to the Library in memory of Phil Redelheim. We have used this gift to purchase a new bookcase as well as a beautiful, framed print of Noah’s Ark for our “children’s corner.” We will also use this donation to purchase additional decorative items to enhance the children’s section of the library.

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Our annual Jewish Book Month fundraiser is still in progress at this time. Many congregants have already participated, dedicating books in honor or in memory of loved ones. Here are the donors to date; additional names will appear in the next issue:

Sharon and Elliot Atkins

Gloria and Ira Back

Donna and Rich Bell

Jay M. Hammel

Phyllis B. Hecsh

Sharla and Mort Kanovsky

Ann and Bernie Miller

Hedda and David Morton

Frimi and Irvin Orel

Adrienne Polonsky

Sue E. Rose

Elaine W. Samson

Harriet S. Schulman

The Sokolow Family

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The Library’s Short Story Discussion Group will meet on Thursday, February 25, 1:30 – 3:00 in the conference room. We will discuss “Die Grosse Liebe” by Aryeh Lev Stollman. Refreshments will be served. We will also meet on March 25 (same time and place). Please note these dates on your calendar and plan to attend! For more information, call the Library (675-1166, ext. 503).