We’ve turned the pages of our calendars to a new year. It’s winter with more time inside and more time to read.

We all know that reading can be instructive and relaxing, but reading has more benefits than just filling time.

Various research studies have come to the following conclusions about reading:

            1. According to a Yale University study, book readers live up to 20% longer than non-readers. Book readers have an advantage over magazine and newspaper readers, and fiction readers gain the most, suggesting that using one’s imagination might keep the mind active.

            2. Reading may slow memory loss in older people. One study found that reading was a protective factor for older adults of all educational levels.

            3. Reading can reduce stress and improve mental health. Reading fiction can have an immediate positive effect on mood and emotions. High schoolers who read stories were less stressed and anxious than non-readers.

            4. Because it is low energy and relaxing, reading can help with sleep. Some studies show that people who read hard copy books sleep better than those who don’t read.

            5. Reading boosts intelligence by exercising the brain.

Most American adults do not read enough. At least 23% of adult Americans read no books in over a twelve-month period. As with any new activity, start slowly; set a small, achievable reading goal. Reserve a time for reading just as you would reserve time to go to the gym. Find a comfortable spot to read or join a book club and make reading a social event. Finally, read something you like. Don’t make reading burdensome. You should look forward to your reading time.

Some suggestions for starting light are books by Daniel Silva or a classic like Up the Down Staircase. Many people like popular historical fiction, which combines lively storytelling with facts about an interesting person. Short stories are digestible and can usually be finished at one sitting. Even cookbooks like the ones by Joan Nathan make good reading.

In addition, look at what the young adult section has to offer. Even the children’s section has books that an adult will not find boring. Plotting in these books is strong; characters are well defined, and usually, the books are shorter than those in the adult section of the library. Don’t overlook the graphic novels, which have strong stories with great art.

Come into the library—public or synagogue—for suggestions. Librarians love to help readers find just the right book.

Here are some suggestions. Most can be found in our synagogue library; all are available at the public library.

Buchdahl, Angela. Heart of a Stranger is the autobiography of one of America’s most well-known rabbis.

Carner, Talia. The Boy with the Star Tattoo. Historical fiction, mystery, World War II, and a love story come together to make a quick read with a satisfying ending.

Finck, Liana. Let There Be Light; the real story of her creation. A new interpretation of Creation by a New Yorker cartoonist.

Geffen, Iddo. Mrs. Lilienblum’s Cloud Factory is a  comic novel about a tech startup that turns sand into rain clouds.

Gidwitz, Adam. Max in the Land of Lies. A World War II fantasy adventure. Anything by this author is good and also makes a good family read.

Kreitner, Richard. Fear No Pharaoh: American Jews, the Civil War, and the fight to end slavery. A serious but readable book.

Leegant, Joan. Displaced Persons: stories. The theme of these stories by an award-winning writer is displacement, home, and belonging.

When my husband Marc and I downsized about three years ago, we left behind the dining room table that fit 16, numerous pots and pans, tablecloths, and other accoutrements of hosting large groups. We thought that the days of entertaining large family gatherings were over, with no more deck and no more yard, and a large house to spread out in.

However, all the stars seemed to be aligned for a family Chanukah gathering with daughter Rebecca and her family coming from France to stay for a few days beginning on December 21st.

Oh, no!  They would not arrive until the evening. We’d have to celebrate on the ninth night of Chanukah.

I heartily advise improvising as we did. If Rebecca in France can celebrate Thanksgiving on the Saturday after its traditional date, we in Montclair can extend the spirit of Hanukkah to another night. Although we did not light an extra candle, we kept our electric menorah lit in the window, said shechecheyanu, and set up the latke bar.

The invitation read “Please join us at the Latke Bar on Monday, December  22, about 6 pm to celebrate the 9th night of Chanukah and enjoy a visit between our American and French families.” The Latke Bar, of course, was the kitchen counter. However, we all had a good laugh when one of the New Jersey cousins confessed to thinking that Latke Bar was a local restaurant. She googled the name because there was no address in the invitation.

Hmm… might be a good idea for a pop-up next Chanukah.

The granite counter groaned under the weight of the latkes and their trimmings. We had traditional applesauce and sour cream (creme fraiche for a richer taste and Tofutti for our vegan cousin); brie and fig jam for those with a continental taste; pico de gallo, avocado and cheddar for those who wanted a Tex-Mex flare to their latkes; whitefish and lox, capers and cream cheese for the deli-delite crowd; sweet potato latkes and chutney for a more exotic taste;  mozzarella, basil and tomato for a taste of Italy, and a few extra toppings to complete the bar along with vegan chili.

For the cooks out there, a latke bar is a fairly easy way to entertain. Except for the latkes, most items are ready to serve as is, and your imagination and supply of small serving dishes are the only limitations.

Everyone had a wonderful time, clean up was easy, and we discovered that even without our large table, we could fit at least 14 people in our home and still have room not to trip over daughter Melanie’s dog, Maru.

In the end, it was the people, not the place, that made the holiday special.

Related book: Erica Perl. The Ninth Night of Hanukkah. When Max and Rachel can’t find their Hanukkah supplies in their new apartment, neighbors help with creative substitutes. They create a special ninth-night celebration to thank everyone.

Vegetarian/Vegan Chili     
Serves 4-6 generously

Chili is a very forgiving dish. Feel free to change the proportions of ingredients, add more spice, and play around with garnishes.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 Tablespoons chili powder or to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1-28 ounce can or 2-15 ounce cans diced tomatoes with their juice
2-15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1-15 ounce can pinto beans , rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
1-2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, red wine, or lime juice, to taste

Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream or creme fraiche, grated cheddar cheese, etc., including vegan versions of sour cream and cheddar.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 7-10 minutes.
2. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano. Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minutes.
3. Add the diced tomatoes and their juice, the drained beans, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 30 minutes.
4. (optional) Remove chili from the heat and discard bay leaf. Transfer 1 1/2 cup of chili to a blender, making sure to get some of the liquid portion. Blend until smooth (watch out for hot steam), then pour blended mixture back into the pot.  Or blend briefly with an immersion blender or mash with a potato masher until it thickens.
5. Remove bay leaves if not done already. Add cilantro. Stir to combine and then mix in vinegar or lime juice to taste. Add salt to taste.
6. Serve in bowls with garnish of choice.

NOTE: If possible make a day ahead for best flavor. Holds in refrigerator for 4 days and can be frozen.

Adapted from Cookie and Kate Homemade Vegetarian Chili

The month leading up to Hanukkah is Jewish Book Month. This year, it began on November 15 and runs until the first night of Chanukah, December 14. Since 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of this celebration of Jewish books, the Jewish Book Council has done much to enhance the celebration.

Take a look at this list of the hallmark fiction books of the last 10 decades. How many have you read?

Jewish Book Week began in Boston when Fanny Goldstein, a Jewish librarian at the Boston Public Library decided to display Jewish books to showcase the Jewish culture of many of its branch library’s patrons. By 1940, the week morphed into a month, and the celebration was moved permanently to Hanukkah by 1943.

Fanny was not one note, however. Because she believed in exposing her patrons to other cultures, Fanny created displays about other groups who visited her library. In addition, as she rose through the library ranks and became better known, she spoke frequently on politics and social issues.

During World War II, Goldstein’s committee evolved into the Jewish Book Council, which sponsors this major celebration of Jewish books and authors. Visit the JBC site for more about Jewish Book Month, including a display of the beautiful posters created by some of the most well-known Jewish artists and illustrators, reviews of new books, interviews with authors, and essays about authors and books.

For more information on this remarkable, far-sighted, and open-minded woman, read Richard Michelson’s biography, Fanny’s Big Idea: How Jewish Book Week Was Born, or follow this link.

And come into our library to browse the shelves, which hold many treasures of Jewish literature.

At this time in our secular year, we are supposed to be thankful. Of course, we should be thankful all year round. Our Jewish tradition has almost endless ways to say thank you.

The book that I’d like to bring to your attention is not a specifically Jewish book, but its premise of thankfulness is very Jewish.

A.J. Jacobs has made a literary career of immersing himself in a topic: he’s spent a year living Biblically, which he describes in The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. He has attempted to live as the Founding Fathers did, which he writes about in The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning.  He’s tried to become a know-it-all by reading his way through an entire encyclopedia in The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World.

In 2018, inspired by a conversation with his then 10-year-old son, he decided to be thankful, and in Thanks a Thousand: A Gratitude Journey sets out to thank everyone associated with the cup of coffee purchased at Joe Coffee, his local coffee shop.

From the owner of the shop to the manufacturer of the cup to the farmers and distributors, Jacobs discovers how intricate the world of the simplest thing is. It is almost overwhelming but also illuminating as the reader realizes how interconnected our world and its bounty are. Jacobs says,” If we connected the world with threads signifying gratitude, the result would be as thick as a blanket.”

How grateful people are to be noticed and thanked.

You may not want to rush to the nearest coffee bar to say thank you, but as we approach Thanksgiving, you might be inspired to be more appreciative of whoever puts food on the table in your home.

As Rabbi Nachman of Breslov taught, giving thanks for even the smallest thing is important. For him, gratitude was a path to joy and connection with God.

Hello, Readers!

I am looking forward to the first Golden Pages Book Club on Thursday, November 6. There is one copy of Threadbare left in the library. The other two books in the “Gilded City” series are also available. All the books have recurring characters.

The following list is a group of books that you may enjoy if you like historical fiction, the same genre as Threadbare. Keep in mind that all these books are based on at least a kernel of history, and many are much closer to historical reality than we might believe.

This list only scratches the surface of historical fiction in the adult section of the library. In addition, there are crossover books in both the Young Adult and Juvenile sections.

Benedict, Marie. The Only Woman in the Room. Did you know that Hedy Lamarr was not only a beautiful movie star but also a scientist? This is her story filtered through the genre of historical fiction.

Blum, Jenna. Those Who Save Us. Set after World War II, this novel focuses on the main character’s inherited shame and guilt over her German heritage.

Cameron, Michelle. The Fruit of Her Hands. The story of Shira of Ashkenaz, the wife of famed Rabbi Mair of Rothenberg, is based on mere snippets of history, as are the lives of most medieval women. However, Jewish history comes alive as experienced by this extraordinary 13th-century woman.

Carner, Talia. The Third Daughter. Fourteen-year-old Batya and her family escape Russia’s pogroms, but instead of finding freedom in the United States, she is tricked into the promise of marriage and ends up being sold as a prostitute in Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, this sex trafficking really happened.

Edwards, Shaunna. The Thread Collectors. Talented Black seamstress Stella and New York Jewess Lily find themselves drawn together by the fates of their husbands, soldiers in the Civil War, and their stitchery. There is, indeed, power in women’s work.

Hertmans, Stefan. The Convert. In 11th-century France, Christian Vigdis Adelais, daughter of a celebrated knight, falls in love with David Todros, a yeshiva scholar. Can anything good come from this romance? Great local color as the characters travel through Europe seeking a safe haven.

Kadish, Rachael. The Weight of Ink. This is a novel of history, women, and Jewish identity. Using a split-screen format, the author tells the story of London Jewish life in the 1660s and scholarship in the early 21^st century. The story unites two remarkable women through some rediscovered 17th-century documents.

Picoult, Jodi. By Any Other Name. This is another split-screen plot, taking place in Shakespeare’s time and contemporary New York. Under consideration is who really wrote Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, as well as the value of women’s creative work. The title tells it all.

Zheutlin, Peter. Spin: a novel based on a mostly true story. In 1895, Bostonian (but Jewish immigrant) Annie Londonderry began an around-the-world bicycle trip. This jaunt was declared “ the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman.”  Whoever dreamed that Annie Cohen Kapchovsky could and would do such a thing? Zheutlin is a descendant of Annie.