Shop Online, and Earn Money for Ha-Sifriyah in the Process!
Ha-Sifriyah has become an Amazon Associate!

Fundraising has never been so easy.
Shop at Amazon, your favorite online store, and 4% of every purchase (6% for gift certificates)
will be directed to Ha-Sifriyah (at no cost to you!) to help us maintain and build our collection.

Just click on the Amazon logo above, and bookmark it. Then use the bookmark whenever you buy something from Amazon.

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Book Reviews

A Coming Evil, by Vivian Vande Velde
Reviewed by Claire Breger-Belsky

The year is 1940. Lisette Beaucaire is furious when she is sent from Paris to live with her aunt in the Dordogne Valley of France. She has to leave her friends and put up with “wretched cousin Cecile.” When her father takes her to her aunt’s house, Lisette is shocked to learn that she’s not the only visitor: three young Jews and two young Gypsies are sheltered there. For Lisette, caring for the children, and learning what to do when the Germans come, is just the beginning of her adventure. Lisette meets an ancient ghost, and their friendship may be of more value than it seems.

People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks
Reviewed by Paula Breger

A wonderful novel for the Passover season, People of the Book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks intertwines the stories of Australian book conservator Hanna Heath and of the rare book she has been asked to analyze: the recently-rediscovered Sarajevo Haggadah, an illuminated Hebrew manuscript created in medieval Spain that disappeared during the siege of Sarajevo. As Hanna examines the historic document and the secrets it reveals, she traces its journey back through time, visiting Sarajevo during the Siege, World War II, 19th century Vienna, Inquisition-era Venice, and pre-expulsion and medieval Spain. Brooks’ saga moves thoughtfully between the contemporary world and European history as the Haggadah survives the turbulence of the ages.

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May

Thanks for everyone’s continued support of our fundraising efforts. Since we began the Amazon Associates program last fall, our Amazon purchases have earned the library over $200! This is a year-round program, so please keep the link handy (or access it from our webpage www.templeemanu-el.org/library) and tell your friends and family.

Ha-Sifriyah’s webpage is continually changing. Please visit often for library news and book reviews.

New books in Ha-Sifriyah this month include:

The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, by Michael Chabon
Suite Francaise, by Irene Nemirovsky
A Changed Man, by Francine Prose
Friendly Fire, by A.B. Yehoshua
Open Heart, by A.B. Yehoshua

Stop by Ha-Sifriyah and check out what we have to offer!

 

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April

Thanks to everyone who’s supported our fundraising efforts through purchases from Amazon.com! Since the beginning of the year, our Amazon purchases have earned the library an additional $45. This is a year-round program, so please keep the link handy (or access it from our webpage www.templeemanu-el.org/library) and tell your friends and family.

WiFi has come to Ha-Sifriyah! Our wireless network is available in the library and immediately- surrounding areas. Information on how to access the network, as well as the Temple’s WiFi usage policy, is available in the library.

We’ve recently received a donation of three computers, which will replace some of the out-of-date machines in the reference section of the library. Some of our computer accessories are incompatible with our new machines, so if anyone has any spare USB keyboards or PS2 to USB adapters, they would be most appreciated. We are also looking for ink cartridges (HP 27 and 28) for our ink jet printers. Please contact Paula Breger at library if you have any you wish to donate.

Thanks to the Slepian family for their recent donation to our children’s collection, How Yussel Caught the Gefilte Fish, A Shabbos Story, by Charlotte Herman.
Thanks also to members of the Temple Brotherhood for their assistance in removing labels from shelves in the children’s room.

In addition to our collection of books, Ha-Sifriyah has a growing collection of DVDs and videotapes available for check-out. Thanks to Rabbi Korinow for his recent donation of the following titles:

The Counterfeiters
Defiance
The Syrian Bride
Ushpizin
Waltz with Bashir

Please visit our webpage for library news and book reviews. This month, we review People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks, a tale of the historic Sarajevo Haggadah, and A Coming Evil, by Vivian Vande Velde, a middle reader melding fantasy with the story of a young girl sent to the French countryside during World War II.
Stop by Ha-Sifriyah and check out what we have to offer!

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March

We’ve had a busy couple of months at Ha-Sifriyah! Our membership in the Amazon Associates program is off to a terrific start. During the holiday season, our Amazon purchases earned the library just over $100, all of which will be used to enhance our collection. Thanks to everyone who used our link when making their purchases! This is a year-round program, so please keep the link handy (or access it from our webpage www.templeemanu-el.org/library) and tell your friends and family.