Jewish Book Fair
Golden Year
Detroit celebrates the 50th anniversary of Book Fair
with a blockbuster lineup of authors and special events.
DEBRA B. DARVICK
Special to the Jewish News
T
he Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit's 50th Annual
Jewish Book Fair, the nation's first and
largest, affords book lovers the opportuni-
ty to hear and meet authors who have written some
of the year's blockbusters and sleepers, the novels, the
cookbooks, the forays into history, memoir and more.
During the 11-day celebration, a parade of special
events will complement presentations by 37 authors
who have published new books during the past year.
The annual Patron Event, scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10, raises funds to support Book Fair.
This year, the by-invitation-only dessert reception
features Allan Gerson, an authority on international
law who has just co-authored a book on terrorism.
At 8:45 p.m. that evening, Gerson will speak to
the general public about his book, The Price of
Terror: One Bomb. One Plane. 270 Lives. The
History-Making Struggle for Justice After Pan Am 103.
Although the Patron Event is Book Fair's official
kick-off, it's Preview Night, at 7 p.m. Wednesday,
Nov. 7, that is a perennial favorite, giving all comers
an advance look-see at the hot books for sale.
The event is set up as a forum during which Book
Fair volunteers present their picks and reviews of
their favorite titles. Books will be available for pur-
chase as well.
"Preview Night gives everyone the opportunity to learn
about the books being offered," says Maine Schonberger,
Book Fair director. "Our volunteers are very knowledge-
able about the books and will be on hand, not only giv-
ing reviews, but to chat one-on-one as well."
The next evening's special event gives mah jongg
players a chance to bam, crack and play their tiles
with other lovers of the age-old game. Book Fair's
Second Annual Mahj Maven Night begins 7 p.m.
Thursday Nov. 8, with a short movie, Gefilte Fish,
the story of three generations of women and their
radically different gefilte fish recipes. After the film,
the mahj playing will get under way.
Katie Marcus, who helped create the program
last year, says tables will be set up and classes
offered for those who don't know how to play.
Book Fair staff will also help if someone wants to
be paired up with players.
"Last year we had a whole family at one table,"
Marcus remembers. "The mom and dad played and
they decided to come and teach their two children
how to play. It was great to see people of all ages
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2001
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Other authors readers will want to meet include
Ahuva Gray, whose spiritual journey has been long
and circuitous. In her memoir, My Sister, the Jew,
Gray, an African American, recounts the trials and
tribulations of reinventing herself from a Christian
minister to an Orthodox Jew.
Now living in Israel where she works as a lecturer
and a tour guide, Gray's story is one of love for the
Jewish people and devotion to the State of Israel.
What do you do after you make your first million at
the age of 21? If you're Craig Hall, you write a book.
The Responsible Entrepreneur, in which Hall rede-
fines the concept of what it means to be an entrepre-
neur, is an entertaining collection of stories drawn
from the lives of those who strive to make a difference.
Hall, a highly successful businessman, civic leader
and lecturer, shows that by being a responsible
entrepreneur, one can truly change the world.
The Internet has revamped the world of finance,
communication and politics. According to M. Gary
Neuman, a rabbi and marriage counselor, it has also
given infidelity a new place to blossom.
In his book Emotional Infidelity, Rabbi Neuman
explores the way that hanging out on the Internet with
members of the opposite sex is a form of infidelity to
one's spouse. Rabbi Neuman's book is a controversial
guide to keeping one's marriage on solid ground.
Noted food columnist and author Joan Kekst will
whip up some samples from her book, Passover
Cookery: In the Kitchen with Joan Kekst. The book,
which features old Passover favorites and twists on
traditional fare, also includes a six-week countdown
guide to preparing for the holiday.
Faye Levy, author 1,000 Jewish Recipes, has turned
her meticulous attention to the novice cook. In her
book Jewish Cooking for Dummies, Levy seeks to
demystify Jewish cooking, kashrut and cooking tech-
niques. A cooking demonstration will be part of her
speaking appearance.
As its tide suggests, Eileen Goltz's kosher cookbook,
Perfectly Pareve, is a unique collection of creative, easy-to-
follow pareve recipes for everything from exotic salads to
fancy desserts. At her cooking demonstration, she'll
Meet The Authors
nterviews with the following authors can be found reveal the Ten Commandments of Jewish Cooking.
Paula Peterson's son was 11 months old when she
in the pages of this special Jewish News preview
was
diagnosed with AIDS. Her moving essays, col-
honoring the 50th anniversary of Book Fair:
lected
in the book Penitent, With Roses: An HIV+
Edwin Black; Lily Brett; Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins;
Mother Reflects, take Peterson's readers through the
Allan Gerson; Carole Glickfield; Susan Isaacs; Eric
birth of her son and her diagnosis, the attempt to
Kimmel; Stanley Klein, Ph.D.; Rabbi Harold
notify a former lover of her condition, and her expe-
Kushner; Madeline Rosten Lee; Dr. Alan Maisel;
riences as 2 n activist and hotline volunteer.
Iddo Netanyahu; Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen; Frank
Were Ponce de Leon still alive, he'd have a thing or
Rich; Sam Roberts; and Jeffrey Toobin.
playing together and enjoying themselves."
Players should bring their own sets. Refreshments
will be served, and there will be ample opportunity
to peruse and purchase books-.
Adults aren't the only ones who love to read. Book
Fair organizers have scheduled many events with
children in mind. Families with children ages 6 and
up are invited to a presentation of Otherwise Known
as Sheila the Great, a musical based on the Judy
Blume book of the same name. The show takes
place 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, at the JPM Building.
At 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, bring your youngsters
to the JCC in West Bloomfield for a truly unusual
interactive program. Shema and Sweet Dreams, for
preschoolers, their parents and grandparents, gives
adults and children the opportunity to explore and
create new rituals to make bedtime a Jewish activity.
Children's book authors Eric Kimmel and James
Gelsey will attend Book Fair 10:30 a.m. Sunday,
Nov. 11, and 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13, respectively.
For kindergartners-5th graders, Gelsey, author of
the best-selling series of "Scooby Doo" mysteries, is
back with two more: Scooby-Doo and the Caveman
Caper and Scooby-Doo and the Rowdy Rodeo. Those
who attend his program can help him write the next
in the series, a Scooby Doo Chanukah mystery.
Kimmel, author of Hershel and the Hanukkah
Goblins and Jar of Fools, will read from his latest
book, Zigazak! A Magical Hanukkah Night.
The Local Author Fair, itself an important com-
ponent of Book Fair, has grown in proportion to
the local talent committed to writing. From 11
a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, local authors will be
on hand in the Janice Charach Epstein Gallery to
talk about their work and sign individual copies of
their books (see page 102).
Also on Nov. 11, visitors will have the opportunity
to attend lectures by four local authors: Rabbi Herbert
Yoskowitz, at 11 a.m. (related story: page 57);
Wendy Rose Bice, at noon; Judith Levin Cantor,
at 1 p.m.; and Rabbi Paul Yedwab, at 2 p.m.
I