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Getting a read on the JCC’s Festival of Books and Authors
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BY: ARLENE FINE Senior Staff Reporter
“Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.”
Albert Einstein
There has been a whole lot of the “lazy habit of thinking” going on for the 1,000 people who have already attended the Mandel JCC Festival of Jewish Books and Authors, Nov. 5-19.
“Our festival attendance has been the best yet,” enthuses Deedra Dolin who co-chairs the festival along with Jill Katz. “We have achieved our goal of bringing in stimulating, articulate authors who can spark intellectual discussion and debate. Their books ranged from fictional stories to non-fictional topics involving Israel, politics, spirituality, the Jewish mother and genetics.”
Along with showcasing renowned authors like Walter Isaacson (Einstein: His Life and Universe) and Nathan Englander (The Ministry of Special Cases), the festival also provides a forum for fledgling Jewish authors. This year, readers can hear literary newcomers like Maggie Anton (Rashi’s Daughters) and Cynthia Kaplan (Leave the Building Quickly).
“Eight years ago, our festival featured Nathan Englander and Stephen Dubner, who went on to achieve great literary acclaim,” says Dolin.
Last June, Julie Frayman, book festival coordinator, and Dolin attended the annual Book Expo of America in New York. Under the auspices of the Jewish Book Council, Frayman along with other JCC book festival representatives, heard pitches from over 200 Jewish authors.
‘“It was “like the Gong Show,”’ says Frayman. Authors gave a three-minute spiel about their books. At the end of their talks, each JCC representative bid on the authors they wanted. “Since our festival is among the most prestigious in the country and because Cleveland is known as a great book town, we often got our top picks.”
This year’s book festival opening speaker, Walter Isaacson, drew a maximum crowd of 375 people. “Walter only picked four cities, and we were one of them,” says Dolin.
The reason Jewish authors opt to appear at JCC book festivals is often to get a reaction from a live audience and to sell their books, says Dolin. “Writing is a lonely activity; getting immediate feedback for their work is gratifying and insightful.”
One of this year’s authors came from Dolin’s personal contacts. “I know the sister of Jeff Gerth (Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton), and she told me about her Cleveland-born, Pulitzer Prize-winning brother. Through her help, we brought him to the festival.”
Over the years, through Dolin’s committee’s efforts, the Mandel JCC has also brought in Mitch Albom, Carl Bernstein (of Woodward and Bernstein fame) and Dennis Prager.
Helping authors feel comfortable during their brief stay in Cleveland is Fran Bulloff’s job. As chair of the hospitality committee, she makes sure the authors are picked up at the airport, settled in their hotels, and “we even round up friends and relatives in the area,” says Bulloff.
She also makes sure they are well fed. “I always ask authors ahead of time if they have any food restrictions,” says Bulloff. “This year Mitchell Bard (Will Israel Survive?) told me, ‘I am not a diva, but I would love a chocolate milkshake after my talk.’”
Bulloff also remembers when Elinor Lipman (The Pursuit of Alice Thrift) came to Cleveland, and she arrived too late in the evening to find a place to eat. “At 11 p.m. Elinor was sitting in my kitchen, drinking wine and eating chicken wings with us,” laughs Bulloff.
Another aspect of the festival is the wide assortment of Jewish books for sale in the JCC’s front lobby. “Along with books by featured authors in our festival, we bring in books that are not ordinarily available in local book- stores,” says Dolin. These include special cookbooks and coffee-table books.
Children’s literature is also an integral part of the book festival. A Berenstain Bears breakfast drew 300 people, and Kids’ Day, a book-making project, is on Sun., Nov. 18. There were also numerous children’s books for sale including Stephen Dubner’s Two Bellybuttons and Dave Horowitz’s The Five Little Gefiltes.
The Mandel JCC’s festival owes much of its financial support to Eugenia and Henry Green’s Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland and to other individual donors and sponsors.
“This is not a fundraiser,” says Dolin. “It is a community event. We even have presentations off-site that are free and open to the public. Jews are known as people of the book who encourage education, research and scholarship. That is precisely the mission of our yearly book festival.”
afine@cjn.org
WHAT:
The Mandel JCC Festival of Jewish Books & Authors
WHEN:
Continues through Nov. 19
CONTACT:
Julie Frayman at 216-593-6216
Albert Einstein
There has been a whole lot of the “lazy habit of thinking” going on for the 1,000 people who have already attended the Mandel JCC Festival of Jewish Books and Authors, Nov. 5-19.
“Our festival attendance has been the best yet,” enthuses Deedra Dolin who co-chairs the festival along with Jill Katz. “We have achieved our goal of bringing in stimulating, articulate authors who can spark intellectual discussion and debate. Their books ranged from fictional stories to non-fictional topics involving Israel, politics, spirituality, the Jewish mother and genetics.”
Along with showcasing renowned authors like Walter Isaacson (Einstein: His Life and Universe) and Nathan Englander (The Ministry of Special Cases), the festival also provides a forum for fledgling Jewish authors. This year, readers can hear literary newcomers like Maggie Anton (Rashi’s Daughters) and Cynthia Kaplan (Leave the Building Quickly).
“Eight years ago, our festival featured Nathan Englander and Stephen Dubner, who went on to achieve great literary acclaim,” says Dolin.
Last June, Julie Frayman, book festival coordinator, and Dolin attended the annual Book Expo of America in New York. Under the auspices of the Jewish Book Council, Frayman along with other JCC book festival representatives, heard pitches from over 200 Jewish authors.
‘“It was “like the Gong Show,”’ says Frayman. Authors gave a three-minute spiel about their books. At the end of their talks, each JCC representative bid on the authors they wanted. “Since our festival is among the most prestigious in the country and because Cleveland is known as a great book town, we often got our top picks.”
This year’s book festival opening speaker, Walter Isaacson, drew a maximum crowd of 375 people. “Walter only picked four cities, and we were one of them,” says Dolin.
The reason Jewish authors opt to appear at JCC book festivals is often to get a reaction from a live audience and to sell their books, says Dolin. “Writing is a lonely activity; getting immediate feedback for their work is gratifying and insightful.”
One of this year’s authors came from Dolin’s personal contacts. “I know the sister of Jeff Gerth (Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton), and she told me about her Cleveland-born, Pulitzer Prize-winning brother. Through her help, we brought him to the festival.”
Over the years, through Dolin’s committee’s efforts, the Mandel JCC has also brought in Mitch Albom, Carl Bernstein (of Woodward and Bernstein fame) and Dennis Prager.
Helping authors feel comfortable during their brief stay in Cleveland is Fran Bulloff’s job. As chair of the hospitality committee, she makes sure the authors are picked up at the airport, settled in their hotels, and “we even round up friends and relatives in the area,” says Bulloff.
She also makes sure they are well fed. “I always ask authors ahead of time if they have any food restrictions,” says Bulloff. “This year Mitchell Bard (Will Israel Survive?) told me, ‘I am not a diva, but I would love a chocolate milkshake after my talk.’”
Bulloff also remembers when Elinor Lipman (The Pursuit of Alice Thrift) came to Cleveland, and she arrived too late in the evening to find a place to eat. “At 11 p.m. Elinor was sitting in my kitchen, drinking wine and eating chicken wings with us,” laughs Bulloff.
Another aspect of the festival is the wide assortment of Jewish books for sale in the JCC’s front lobby. “Along with books by featured authors in our festival, we bring in books that are not ordinarily available in local book- stores,” says Dolin. These include special cookbooks and coffee-table books.
Children’s literature is also an integral part of the book festival. A Berenstain Bears breakfast drew 300 people, and Kids’ Day, a book-making project, is on Sun., Nov. 18. There were also numerous children’s books for sale including Stephen Dubner’s Two Bellybuttons and Dave Horowitz’s The Five Little Gefiltes.
The Mandel JCC’s festival owes much of its financial support to Eugenia and Henry Green’s Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland and to other individual donors and sponsors.
“This is not a fundraiser,” says Dolin. “It is a community event. We even have presentations off-site that are free and open to the public. Jews are known as people of the book who encourage education, research and scholarship. That is precisely the mission of our yearly book festival.”
afine@cjn.org
WHAT:
The Mandel JCC Festival of Jewish Books & Authors
WHEN:
Continues through Nov. 19
CONTACT:
Julie Frayman at 216-593-6216
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