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Timely Traditions

New Jewish Book-of-the-Month
Club is launched.

= recent survey has shown that the Jewish market
for books is fertile ground. Fifty-four percent of
U.S. Jews bought books in the past 12 months,
compared with 43 percent of the general popu-
lation. Accordingly, AOL Time Warner and Bertelsrnann
have launched Traditions, a Jewish book club.
Jewish-themed books aren't just for Jews anymore.
Evangelical Christians also purchase Jewish .books, says
Arthur Goldwag, Traditions' editor.
"There are so many books written by and about
Jewish people" that someone needs "to pre-select the
best books on different topics," said Michelle Berger,
vice president of new product development for Bookspan,

A

the direct marketing company that operates the club.
Traditions follows a format similar to the Book-of-the-
Month Club. Members join with an introductory offer of
three books for $3 and a fourth book at 50 percent off the
list price, then must buy two books at regular club prices
during the next year. The books offered run the gamut of
Jewish publishing.
The regular catalog features 120 titles. There also is a
column in which Jewish thinkers and club members can
voice their opinions. There will be bulletin boards on the
Web, where club members can form virtual communities.
Every other month, the catalog will highlight a different
charity, and a contribution will be made to that organization.
The aim, Berger said, is to choose books that are "cen-
tral to what peoples' lives are, close to their hearts, the
community they grew up in, cooking, culture."
— Sivan Rabinowitz, JTA

Traditions can be found on the Web at
www.jointraclitionsbookclub.com .

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DETROIT =rum NEWS

MAYS AT:

6/22
2001

70

INTERNATIONAL
NEWS PLUS

372 Oullette Avenue • Windsor, Canada

challengers of rabbinic
STAYING TUNED
Dodi," the Hebrew words
Judaism, who are recognized
By Daniel Schorr
sung to a tune he hadn't
(Pocket Books; 345 pp.; $26.95)
heard before.
z)taviraz
.......... as Jews in Israel although
their rabbis are not recog-
Inside, a young man in a
etroit doesn't hold much
nized as rabbis; a group of
long white robe was leading
space in Daniel Schorr's
Peruvians who discover
the services, while several of
autobiography, Staying
Judaism in the biblical text
the older men were barefoot.
Tuned, but it does hold an
and undergo conversions;
Separating the men and a
important
place.
Daniel Schorr' descendants of North African
group of colorfully dressed
In recounting the dramatic experi-
Jews who moved to the
women, a long table held a
ences in his journalism career, Schorr
Amazon 100 years ago to
metal wine decanter next to
tells about covering the 1980
pursue the rubber trade; and
Sabbath candles and a fra-
Republican convention held down-
a group in India who believe
grant braided challah.
town and the turning point it repre-
they are descendants of
This was the beginning of
sents as he helped launch the Cable
Manasseh, son of the biblical
Shabbat with the Abayudaya
News Network (CNN).
Joseph.
— the word for Jew in their
That convention, which nominated
Others have written about
native Luganda language.
Ronald Reagan for president, actually
dispersed, isolated communi-
Like many of the scenes Ross
turned out to be rather tame com-
ties of Jews, but the stren
depicts in Fragile Branches:
pared to other described events and
of Fragile Branches is Ross'
Travels Through the Jewish
encounters from Schorr's 60-plus years
narration. He tells the stories
Diaspora, this East African serv-
in the news business, many as a corre-
of these six communities with
ice is at once strange and famil-
spondent for CBS. Understanding the
immediacy and color, with the pressures of his work gives readers a
iar. The Abayudaya, founded
journalist's eye for telling details.
in 1919, are descendants of a tribal war-
review of 20th-century history.
In each chapter, he focuses on a-par-
rior-statesman who discovered Judaism in
Now a semi-retired news analyst for
the Hebrew Bible and taught the laws and ticular member of the community and
National Public Radio, Schorr looks
that person's history, and then shifts
customs to his followers.
back on — and tells about — his cov-
between his observations and a historical
He and his sons and male relatives
erage of Russia when Sputnik was sent
account that places the group in some
were circumcised, and they built a syn-
into space, Germany when the Berlin
context and explains any controversies.
agogue. While at first their rituals were
Wall went up, the American South
Fragile Branches brings interesting dimen- when school desegregation was insti-
something makeshift, in the ensuing
sions to the question of "Who is a Jew?"
years, based on contact with visiting
tuted and Washington when the
Ross' view is inclusive; his is a
Jews, they have adopted more
Watergate scandal erupted.
Judaism with expanding borders," he
Orthodox practice. In the 1970s, they
One of his most dramatic experiences
endured the anti-Semitism of Idi Amin. says. "I'd like to believe that people
was broadcasting an early release of
who identify themselves as Jews and
Ross also travels among a group of
Nixon's enemies list and reading on air,
Marranos in Brazil who are descendants are sincere about it have a right to be
without any warning, his own name.
considered as Jews."
of Spanish and Portuguese refugees —
"I managed not to gasp, although
Ross believes that this kind of diver-
and are now worshipping in the open
the impulse was there," he writes.
sity is part of Jewish history, and
for the first time in 500 years.
"And then I broke into a big sweat.
writes about the "ongoing reinvention
The other groups — all of whom
This was the most electrifying
of Judaism through the ages" with var-
"desperately want to be accepted and
moment in my career."
ious sects leaving their mark.
recognized as Jews" — include mem-
Other high-voltage episodes
— Sandee Brazvarsky
bers of the ancient sect of Karaites,

D