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Miriam’s COAST-TO-COAST - Favorites
by Joanie Jacobson
If two’s company and three’s a crowd — what’s four?
Four is Nancy Rips, Susan Paley, Susie Drazen and Tippi Denenberg teaming up for the next Coast-To-Coast Book Club on Tuesday, May 4 from 7:30—8:30 CDT. They’re inviting women in the Omaha Jewish community and beyond to “Bring Your Favorite Book of Jewish Content” to share. A list of all the book titles presented will be compiled and, following the program, sent to all participants or anyone requesting the list.
Rips, Paley, Drazen and Denenberg have been individual guest facilitators for the Book Club since its launch last summer. They’re back with their own favorite book of Jewish content and here’s a sneak preview:
SUSIE DRAZEN: “Herman Wouk’s Inside, Outside is a masterpiece of storytelling and joyous memory. He weaves a tale about a Jewish family contemporaneous with my own family’s experience but in the Bronx, on Broadway and on radio!”
SUSAN PALEY: “The Amazing Adventures of Kavelier and Clay is one of the books I read with my dad. In addition to sharing great literature, we also loved Superman comics and superheroes in general. I had a huge comic book collection.”
NANCY RIPS: “I’m choosing the new book The Beauty of What Remains by Rabbi Steve Leder. I’m not saying it’s my all time favorite, but it’s my favorite now. I was intrigued when I saw him speak on a podcast about losing his father. He said death can give life a different meaning.”
TIPPI DENENBERG: “There are SO many Jewish content books that have made a difference to me at different times ergo it was difficult to choose. I picked Holy Brother because I read it at a time when the Judaism I grew up with no longer appealed to me — it seemed lifeless and sterile. This book spoke to me and drew me back in.”
The Coast-To-Coast Book Club is a project of The Miriam Initiative at Beth El Synagogue and open to all women in the Omaha Jewish community. The Club has enjoyed an average audience of 35 participants and a variety of subject matter. “It was so fun,” recalled Rips.“I got to see and chat with over 80 people from all over the country, when Zoom was new! They either lived in Omaha or had an Omaha connection.”
“It’s a joy to be able to connect through our shared love of books,” said Paley. “Always a delight,” added Drazen. And for Tippi Denenberg, “Preparing for the Book club reminded me how grounding, comforting, civilized and exhilarating tucking into a great read can be.”
Click here to register. A Zoom link will follow. Questions? Contact Robby at rerlich@bethel-omaha.org.
