One of the most pleasant and surprisingly powerful things in life is opening a book and your mind by beginning the journey to another time, another place and another perspective. The Jewish Community Center of Louisville fosters this experience and cultural exploration with its annual Jewish Festival of the Book held in November.
Joel Chasnoff
Wednesday, November 3rd – 7:00 pm • Jewish Community Center
The 188th Crybaby Brigade
A Skinny Jewish Kid from Chicago Fights Hezbollah
Disillusioned with Ivy League post-graduate life, 24-year-old Joel Chasnoff makes real on his dream of giving back to Israel (and of being a badass gun-toting soldier) and voluntarily enlists in the Israeli Army. What follows is a hilarious coming-of-age tale in which Chasnoff takes readers into the barracks, over, under, and through political fences, and face-to-face with the absurd reality of life in the Israeli Army. Cost: FREE Click here to view poster
Nancy Garfinkel & Andrea Israel
Sunday, November 7th 1:00 pm • Private home
The Recipe Club
In childhood, “LillyPad” and “Valpal” vow to form an exclusive two-person club. Throughout the decades they write intimate letters in which they share hopes, fears, deepest secrets—and recipes, from Lilly’s “Lovelorn Lasagna” to Valerie’s “Forgiveness Tapenade.” Lilly and Val always find their way back together through their Recipe Club…until the fateful day when an act of kindness becomes an unforgivable betrayal. Now, decades later, while trying to recapture the trust they’ve lost, Lilly and Val reunite once more—only to uncover a shocking secret. Cost: $25.00 Click here to view poster
Melvin Urofsky
Wednesday, November 10th 7:00 pm • Jewish Community Center
Louis D. Brandeis: A Life
The first full-scale biography in twenty-five years of one of the most important and distinguished justices to sit on the Supreme Court – a book that reveals Louis D. Brandeis the man, in all of his complexity, passion and wit. Cost: $8.00 Click here to view poster
Kevin Salwen
Monday, November 15th 7:00 pm • Jewish Community Center
The Power of Half: One Family’s Decision to Stop Talking and Start Giving Back
Written in tandem by the father-daughter team of Kevin and Hannah Salwen, this is the story of one family’s life-altering decision and its unexpected results. The Salwens hoped that by selling their home and giving half of the proceeds to a worthy charity, they would allow them to make things better in a small corner of the world. Little did they expect how much they would gain themselves. Cost: $8.00 Click here to view poster
Carey Goldberg
Tuesday, November 16th 7:00 pm • Java Brewing Company, 4901 Brownsboro Rd
Three Wishes
Carey, Beth, and Pam had succeeded at work but failed at romance, and each resolved to have a baby before time ran out. Just one problem: no men. Carey took the first bold step towards single motherhood, searching anonymous donor banks until she found the perfect match. What she found was not a father in a vial, but a sort of magic potion. She met a man, fell in love, and got pregnant the old-fashioned way. She passed the vials to Beth, and it happened again. Beth met man, Beth got pregnant. Beth passed the vials to Pam, and the magic struck again. Cost: $15.00 Click here to view poster
Laurel Snyder
Sunday, November 21st 10:00 am • the Temple
Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher
While waiting at a bus stop one Friday afternoon, Baxter the pig overhears an old man recounting the joys of Shabbat dinner. Unfortunately, Baxter’s own attempts to join in the fun lead him on a wild goose-chase of ridiculous misunderstandings. Baxter begins to despair of ever becoming Kosher enough to be “part of Shabbat dinner.” Until a friendly Rabbi with a big book happens along to clear things up! With great humor, Baxter teaches young readers how a misunderstanding can lead to a mitzvah. Cost: FREE click here to view poster
For tickets call 502-459-0660
Tickets can be purchased in advance by phone or in the JCC Lobby
Jewish Community of Louisville
3600 Dutchmans Lane
Louisville, KY 40205
Sponsored in part by Mayer and Frances Shaikun Lecture Fund