Sue's Bookshelf

March 2024

By Sue Littauer

I’m clearly a big fan of reading and promoting Jewish books and authors while building community through the love of reading. I’m able to keep up with new books and authors by visiting the Jewish Book Council’s website to gain insight into what’s new in the field of Jewish literature. (www. jewishbookcouncil.org)

And for the past several years, I’ve been facilitating a book club through the Center for Jewish Education (CJE) which has enabled me to build community through reading and discussing Jewish books.

The newly renovated and beautifully designed Levine-Sklut Judaic Library is a real gem among the many institutions and organizations in our Jewish community. For those of you who love to read, I hope that you will take full advantage of this resource. You will find computers for your use, educational materials, a children’s library, and many, many hardcover books to check out for your enjoyment.

Most important to me personally is the extensive number of e-books to download to my iPad from the Libby App. I’m signed onto both the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and the Center for Jewish Education sites. I scroll through the over 230 e-books in the Center for Jewish Education listings to see what’s available, then “borrow” or “place a hold” on the books I’m interested in.*

Just glancing at the “currently available” e-books on CJE’s site, I can recommend several books, and one advantage of getting them from CJE over Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is that they can be checked out for three rather than two weeks. Some of my favorites are:

- “First Ladies” by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

- “Signal Fires” by Dani Shapiro

- “Kissing Kosher” by Jean Meltzer

- “Mary Jane” by Jessica Anya Blau

- “Ms. Demeanor” by Elinor Lipman

- “The Song of the Jade Lily” by Kirsty Manning

- “The Most Likely Club” by Elyssa Friedland

- “Metropolis” by B.A. Shapiro

- “The Fun Widow’s Book Tour” by Zoe Fishman

- “Dirty Wars and Polished Silver” by Lynda Schuster

- “Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl” by Renee Rosen

- “Once We Were Home” by Jennifer Rosner

These recommendations are a small selection of the books available for you, and clearly the list of “currently available” is fluid. I’d love to hear from you about the books you are currently reading and would like to recommend.

All community members are welcome to join our CJE Book Club. All participants must be signed up as members of the Center for Jewish Education Judaic Library, and you may do so by visiting the library or by calling us at (704) 944-6783.

For more information about the CJE Book Club, please contact sueb.littauer@jewishcharlotte.org

*If you need technical assistance with Libby, please contact lisa.garfinkle@jewishcharlotte.org.