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Arts, Ideas & Jewish Life

Jewish Book Series

Adult Programs

The Jewish Book Series brings peo­ple togeth­er for mean­ing­ful dis­cus­sions about Jew­ish life, iden­ti­ty, and cul­ture through a lit­er­ary lens. 

A stock image books against a blue background.

Overview

Selections for the series are made locally in Cincinnati from the collection of the Jewish Book Council, the longest-run­ning orga­ni­za­tion devot­ed exclu­sive­ly to the sup­port and cel­e­bra­tion of Jew­ish lit­er­a­ture. Jew­ish learn­ing embod­ied in the print­ed word has played a cru­cial role in the devel­op­ment and strength­en­ing of Jew­ish com­mu­ni­ties through­out the world. 

Participants are encouraged to read the chosen selection, independently or with your established book club, then attend a live virtual discussion. Hear writers’ personal stories and their literary perspectives. Authors will discuss their inspirations, processes, and books.

Haven’t read the book? We invite you to join in the discussion anyway! 

The Jewish Book Series presents books that broaden and challenge perspectives, entertain, and appeal to a wide audience base. The views and opinions expressed in the books and events in the Series are those of the speakers. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Mayerson JCC, staff, board, sponsors, facilitators, or volunteers. 

Need a Book?

We encourage you to purchase your copy of the book through our online Bookshop. It’s a convenient way to order your book online and support local bookstores at the same time.

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Schedule

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Arts, Ideas & Jewish Life

Virtual Jewish Book Series: "The Singer Sisters" by Sarah Seltzer

Virtual
Two generations of a folk-rock dynasty collide over art, love, longing, and family secrets in this captivating and poignant debut. Author Sarah Seltzer will join us virtually to discuss her novel. It’s 1996, and alt-rocker Emma Cantor is on tour, with her sights trained on a record deal. Emma’s got no lack of inspiration for her music — chiefly her mother Judie, a 1960s folk legend whose confessional songs made her an icon before her mysterious withdrawal from the public eye. Emma is baffled by Judie’s coldness, and is deeply shaken when she learns a long-kept secret about their family. When Emma uncovers more about her mother’s past, she is vaulted to new heights as a performer. But the knowledge she gains also propels her toward a musical betrayal that further fractures her relationship with Judie. Increasingly famous, but fragile and isolated, Emma grapples with her mother’s legacy and what it means for her own future. With the richness of a beloved folk song, The Singer Sisters moves between ’60s folk clubs and ’90s music festivals, chronicling the ups and downs of stardom while asking what women artists must sacrifice for success. For more than a decade, Sarah Seltzer has been a feminist journalist and cultural critic. Her lively writing for publications including The New York Times, TIME, Jezebel, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, The Nation, and many other places has shaped the discourse on subjects ranging from Hollywood casting, to abortion rights, to Jane Austen and beyond. A native and lifelong New Yorker, Sarah is currently the Executive Editor at Lilith Magazine. The Singer Sisters is her debut novel. Mature content, reader discretion advised. Purchase your copy of the featured books HERE. In partnership with the Jewish Book Council.
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Arts, Ideas & Jewish Life

Virtual Jewish Book Series: Stranger in the Desert by Jordan Salama

Virtual
Inspired by family lore, a young writer embarks on an epic quest through the Argentine Andes in search of a heritage spanning hemispheres and centuries, from the Jewish Levant to turn-of-the-century trade routes in South America. Author Jordan Salama will join us for a conversation, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. One Thanksgiving afternoon at his grandparents’ house, Jordan Salama discovers a large binder stuffed with yellowing papers and old photographs—a five-hundred-year wandering history of his Arab-Jewish family, from Moorish Spain to Ottoman Syria to Argentina and beyond. One story in particular captures his attention: that of his great-grandfather, a Syrian-born, Arabic-speaking Jewish immigrant to Argentina who in the 1920s worked as a traveling salesman in the Andes—and may have left behind forgotten descendants along the way. Encouraged by his grandfather, Jordan goes in search of these “Lost Salamas,” traveling more than a thousand miles up the spine of South America’s greatest mountain range. Combining travelog, history, memoir, and reportage, Stranger in the Desert transports readers from the lonely plains of Patagonia to the breathtaking altiplano of the high Andes; from the old Jewish quarter of Damascus to today’s vibrant neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. It is also a fervent journey of self-discovery as Salama grapples with his own Jewish, Arab, and Latin American identities, interrogating the stories families tell themselves, and to what end. Jordan Salama is a writer covering culture and the environment in the Americas. His essays and stories have appeared in National Geographic, New York Magazine, The New York Times and other publications. An American writer of Argentine, Syrian, and Iraqi Jewish descent, he is the author of Every Day the River Changes, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2021 and the 2022 Princeton “Pre-Read,” and Stranger in the Desert: A Family Story (2024). He graduated from Princeton University in 2019. Mature content, reader discretion advised. Purchase your copy of the featured books HERE. In partnership with the Jewish Book Council.
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FREE with RSVP

Meet the Team

The Jewish Book Series discussions are facilitated by the Mayerson JCC and include special guests including authors and content experts. 
Explore all Staff
Frances Kahan profile.

Frances Kahan

Programming Director
Arts, Ideas & Jewish Life
Eowyn Garfinkle Plymesser

Eowyn Garfinkle Plymesser

Manager of Arts & Culture
Arts, Ideas & Jewish Life

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