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Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater & Simon Family JCC’s Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival 2022-2023
The Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival is held in coordination with the Jewish Book Council, the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature.
By the Grace of the Game The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream Dan Grunfeld Wednesday, November 2, 7:30 pm
Forty years after basketball was first played at the Olympics in Nazi Germany, a young Hungarian-Jewish refugee, who was the child of Holocaust survivors, became a gold medalist in basketball playing for the United States in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.
Dan Grunfeld, himself a former stand-out player at Stanford, shares the incredible story of his famous father, Ernie Grunfeld, and his family’s journey from Auschwitz to the NBA.
Traversing the spectrum of the human experience, the family’s story shows how perseverance, love, and legacy can survive through generations – all carried on the shoulders of the game of basketball.
In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
Doctor On Call Chernobyl Responder, Jewish Refugee, Radiation Expert Alla Shapiro, MD Monday, November 7, 12:00 pm
$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $32 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends October 31.
April 26, 1986, will forever be etched in the memory of Dr. Alla Shapiro.
Dispatched to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in Ukraine, Shapiro recalls the eerie silence as she treated traumatized children amid an emerging nuclear nightmare. Forced to participate in what she refers to as a government-perpetrated misinformation campaign and after enduring years of antisemitism in her workplace, she and her family fled the Soviet Union.
After a harrowing journey to the United States and the complicated process of becoming a doctor for the second time in a new country, Shapiro is now one of the world’s leading experts in the development of medical countermeasures against radiation exposure.
A personal account of one of the world’s largest modern disasters, her story is almost beyond belief.
In partnership with Jewish Family Service of Tidewater.
Book of the Month Shanda A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy Letty Cottin Pogrebin Thursday, November 17, 7:30 pm
Shanda / shan · da / Yiddish (noun): Shame, disgrace
Marital misery, abandoned children, religious transgressions, sexual identity, radical politics, and supposedly embarrassing illnesses are revealed through Letty Cottin Pogrebin’s exploration of the hidden lives of her parents and relatives.
By unmasking their charades and disguises, Pogrebin showcases her family’s remarkable talent for reinvention in a narrative that is by turns touching, searing, and surprisingly universal. Everyone’s family harbors secrets, but Pogrebin’s story may make you question why some are secrets at all.
Letty Cottin Pogrebin is a cofounder of Ms. Magazine and a nationally acclaimed writer, activist, and public speaker. She is the author of 12 books and numerous articles and essays. She is a cofounder of the National Women’s Political Caucus and the Ms. Foundation for Women, a past president of the Authors Guild, and the recipient of numerous honors and awards.
Cooking Alla Giudia A Celebration of the Jewish Food of Italy Benedetta Jasmine Guetta Wednesday, December 5, 7:30 pm
Milan-born food writer and photographer Benedetta Jasmine Guetta’s mission is to tell the story of how Jews have impacted Italian food.
Did you know that deep-fried Roman artichokes, Venetian sweet and sour sardines, Apulian orecchiette pasta, and Sicilian caponata—some of Italy’s best-known dishes —are Jewish in origin?
From the comfort of your own kitchen, Guetta will help you prepare a traditional dish as she discusses Italy’s Jewish history, her goal to preserve the recipes dear to the hearts of Italy’s Jewish families, and the stories behind the extraordinary dishes they prepare.
Cook along with Benedetta. Registrants will receive the recipe and grocery list in advance.
LEE & BERNARD JAFFE FAMILY JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL
Watch from Home The Matchmaker’s Gift Lynda Cohen Loigman Tuesday, December 6, 12:00 pm
Is finding true love a calling or a curse? This heartfelt and magical story explores two extraordinary women from two different eras who defy societal expectations.
Learn more at JewishVA.org/Loigman.
Book of the Month / Watch from Home The End of Bias, A Beginning How We Eliminate Unconscious Bias and Create a More Just World Jessica Nordell Thursday, December 8, 7:30 pm
Unconscious bias: Persistent, unintentional prejudiced behavior that clashes with our consciously held beliefs.
It exists everywhere: in medicine, the workplace, education, policing, and beyond. When it comes to uprooting prejudices, we still have a long way to go. With nuance, compassion, and years of immersion in the topic, Jessica Nordell, award-winning author, science writer, and speaker, will explain how minds, hearts, and behaviors can change. Nordell will provide the tools needed to spark that change to begin to remake ourselves, our community, and the world.
In partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Jewish Family Service of Tidewater, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, and Virginia Wesleyan University’s Robert Nusbaum Center.
And How are the Children? Timeless Lessons from the Frontlines of Motherhood Marjorie Margolies Wednesday, December 14, 12:00 pm
$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $29 for lunch and signed book Special pricing for lunch and book ends December 7.
Marjorie Margolies’ father always said everyone should aspire to change another’s life. From an early age, she was determined to apply that concept to her own family, and she did—many times over.
Prior to serving in Congress, Margolies adopted two girls from Vietnam and Korea. She married Congressman Ed Mezvinsky, who had four daughters. Together, they had two sons and sponsored a Catholic refugee family from Vietnam, bringing the number of kids under their roof to 11.
They kept a Jewish home while instilling in all their children respect for all faiths. The family celebrated Hanukkah and Christmas, spent Sunday mornings at Catholic and Jewish religious schools, held Passover seders, and attended Catholic masses. It was an organic way to make everyone feel included and respectful of other belief systems.
Margolies will share the story of this journey, and the wisdom, life lessons, advice, and inspiration that came along with it.
A Play for the End of the World Jai Chakrabarti Tuesday, January 17, 12:00 pm
Torn between guilt and love, a Holocaust survivor must decide how to honor both the past and the present, and how to accept a happiness he is not sure he deserves.
Learn more at JewishVA.org/Chakrabarti
In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
Book of the Month / Watch from Home Why Do Jewish? A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood Zack Bodner Thursday, January 19, 7:30 pm
Insisting that taking action is what matters most, Zack Bodner proposes a creative new framework for “doing Jewish” based on an acronym from the Yiddish word TACHLIS, which means “getting down to brass tacks.”
T – Tikkun Olam (repairing the world)
A – Art and Culture
C – Community
H – Holidays and Rituals
L – Learning
I – Israel
S – Shabbat and Spirituality
Through a combination of personal stories, insights from some of the world’s greatest teachers, and contemporary analysis, Bodner provides an accessible guide for anyone looking for answers to life’s most important questions.
Bodner is the CEO of the Oshman Family JCC and the former Pacific Northwest regional director for AIPAC. He’s a seeker, writer, storyteller, community organizer, and above all else, a doer.
In partnership with the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s Konikoff Center for Learning.
NEW: Arts & Ideas Book of the Month
Get involved with the Lee & Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival by participating in the Book of the Month. The Festival has chosen seven authors with a collection of books with intriguing topics, characters, and stories for book-club-style conversations that will allow engagement with some of this season’s most exciting authors.
Opportunities include Dr. Alla Shapiro’s discussion about her experience being dispatched to Chernobyl at the Simon Family JCC and New York Times bestselling author Lisa Barr’s discussion on the international art scandal in her novel Woman on Fire, at the Chrysler Museum of Art. Other Book of the Month discussions will take place online. Have questions? Contact Hunter Thomas, director, UJFT’s Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-965-6137
LEE & BERNARD JAFFE FAMILY JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL
New Year, New You Voices to help you achieve your New Year’s resolution Presented by Simon Family JCC’s JFit. Wednesday, January 25, 12:00 pm The Whole Body Reset Your Weight-Loss Plan for a Flat Belly, Optimum Health & a Body You’ll Love—at Midlife and Beyond Heidi Skolnik
$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $38 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends January 18.
Gaining weight while aging is not inevitable. It’s avoidable and even reversible. In fact, it’s possible to help stop—and even reverse— age-related weight gain and muscle loss.
Learn more at JewishVA.org/Skolnik.
The Great Age Reboot Cracking the Longevity Code to Be Younger Today and Even Younger Tomorrow Michael F. Roizen, MD Wednesday, February 15, 12:00 pm
How can current science and technology revolutionize our ability to live longer, younger, and better? How will longer life spans improve our culture, our economy, our work lives, and our finances?
Learn more at JewishVA.org/Roizen.
Watch from Home The Joy Choice How to Finally Achieve Lasting Changes in Eating and Exercise Michelle Segar Wednesday, March 15, 12:00 pm
$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $37 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends March 8.
Discover the easy, flexible, and three-step joy-infused decision tool that works with the chaos of daily life, guiding readers to achieve eating and exercise goals once and for all—and enjoy doing it!
Learn more at JewishVA.org/Segar.
Madam The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age Debby Applegate Tuesday, February 7, 12:00 pm
Acolorful and unusual history of Jewish life told through the perspective of a “good Jewish girl” from a Russian shtetl who immigrated to Brooklyn and rose to become “the Female Al Capone.”
Learn more at JewishVA.org/Applegate.
Book of the Month / Watch from Home. Chrysler Museum of Art Woman on Fire Lisa Barr Tuesday, March 21, 12:00 pm
Woman On Fire is a gripping tale of a young, ambitious journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece—forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth.
After talking her way into a job with the leading investigative reporter in Chicago, Jules Roth is given an unusual assignment: Locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years earlier, legendary Expressionist artist Ernst Engel’s most famous work, Woman on Fire.
Lisa Barr is a New York Times bestselling author of three novels. In addition, she served as an editor for The Jerusalem Post, among other publications, and has been featured on Good Morning America and Today. Actress Sharon Stone is set to produce and star in the upcoming film adaptation of Woman On Fire.
In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Chrysler Museum of Art Book Club.
Sponsored by Klein, Rowell, & Shall, PLLC, Attorneys at Law.
Book of the Month One Hundred Saturdays In Search for a Lost World Michael Frank Tuesday, May 9, 12:00 pm
The remarkable story of 99-year-old Stella Levi, the vibrant world of Jewish Rhodes, the deportation to Auschwitz that extinguished 90 percent of her community, and the resilience and wisdom of the woman who lived to tell the tale.
Learn more at JewishVA.org/Frank.
In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
GO TO JEWISHVA.ORG/BOOKFEST
LEE & BERNARD JAFFE FAMILY JEWISH BOOK FESTIVAL
Book of the Month / Watch from Home Ticking Clock Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes Ira Rosen Wednesday, May 17, 12:00 pm
$12 (lunch included) • $6 for 55+ • $27 for lunch and signed book. Special pricing for lunch and book ends May 10.
Two-time Peabody Award-winning writer and producer Ira Rosen reveals the intimate, untold stories of his decades at America’s most iconic news show. His story is a 60 Minutes story on 60 Minutes itself. When producer Ira Rosen walked into the 60 Minutes offices in June 1980, he knew he was about to enter television history. His career catapulted him to the heights of TV journalism, breaking some of the most important stories in TV news. But behind the scenes was a war room of clashing producers, anchors, and the most formidable 60 Minutes figure: legendary correspondent Mike Wallace.
Rosen has won every major award in broadcast journalism, including 24 national Emmy Awards, placing him in the top 10 all-time news Emmy winners in broadcast history. His report on who is responsible for the opioid epidemic won more awards for 60 Minutes than any segment in the show’s 52-year history.
The Postmistress of Paris Meg Waite Clayton Tuesday, June 6, 12:00 pm
This haunting novel revisits the dark early days of the German occupation of France, both a love story and a tale of high-stakes danger and incomparable courage.
Learn more at JewishVA.org/Clayton.
In partnership with the Holocaust Commission of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
Book of the Month / Watch from Home To Boldly Grow Finding Joy, Adventure, and Dinner in Your Own Backyard Tamar Haspel Wednesday, June 14, 12:00 pm
Journalist and self-proclaimed “crappy gardener” Tamar Haspel shows that raising or gathering our own food is not as hard as it seems. Haspel takes readers and audiences on a journey as she goes from cluelessness to competence, learning to scrounge dinner from her surroundings and discovering that a connection to what we eat can change the way we think about food— and ourselves.
Haspel writes the James Beard Awardwinning Washington Post column “Unearthed,” which tackles food from every angle: agriculture, nutrition, obesity, the food environment, and DIY. She has also written for Discover, National Geographic’s The Plate, Vox, Slate, Eater, Fortune, and Edible Cape Cod.
Unless otherwise noted, all events are FREE and open to the community and take place at the Simon Family Jewish Community Center on the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community. Pre-registration is required for all events.
For more information about the festival, or to sponsor or volunteer, contact Hunter Thomas, UJFT’s director of Arts + Ideas, at HThomas@UJFT.org or 757-965-6137. To learn more or to register for events, visit JewishVA.org/BookFest.
Watch from Home Leon Family Gallery Conversations with authors + illustrators
In partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, Simon Family JCC, and community partner’s Israel Today Series and the UJFT Konikoff Center for Learning.
Malkah’s Notebook A Journey into the Mystical Aleph-Bet Mira Z. Amiras & Josh Baum Tuesday, November 29, 12:00 pm
Malkah is a child when her father tries teaching her to read Torah. As Malkah studies, she embarks on a lifelong journey in search of her beginnings—into Jewish mystical texts, far-off places, archaeological digs, ancient gods, and ultimately into the nature of existence itself. With highly evocative illustrations, Malkah’s Notebook is a love letter to the Hebrew alphabet that unlocks life’s greatest mysteries.
On exhibit November–December 2022.
Watch from Home
Evolve A Children’s Book for Adults Jean-Pierre Weill Tuesday, January 31, 12:00 pm
Who am I? With this question as its guide, Evolve takes readers on a philosophical and pictorial adventure into the nature of the self. Through the artistic exploration of three foundational biblical stories, Evolve interlaces words with pictures that delve deep into the emotional core. It is a modern midrash told with imagery.
On exhibit January–February 2023.
Watch from Home
