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A wonderful joke is told about a rabbi who, on the occasion of his retirement, tells his congregation that he now looks forward to finishing his book. "Rabbi," the excited congregation replies, "we didn't know you were writing a book." To which the Rabbi replies: "Not writing - READING!"All of us are so very busy that the books we want to read more often than not end up in a big stack somewhere at work or home. What we may need is a gentle push, something I hope to provide through the Jewish Book Circle. Each month we will face the task of reading one significant Jewish book together, and we will have a chance to share that experience through postings here on this blog. (A blog is simply a website where everyone can read what everyone writes. If you're new to blogs, you'll catch on quickly!)
The books we read will be largely non-fiction but occasionally a particularly noteworthy piece of fiction will slip through. We'll try to avoid overly-long books, too, which can be daunting, as well as books that are too academic. We'll also favor books available in less-expensive softcover editions, but not always. We do, after all, want to read really interesting stuff, and not always wait for the paperback version to arrive.
So welcome to the Jewish Book Circle! I look forward to your suggestions, book ideas and, most of all, postings as we explore some truly great Jewish books! Please check back Nov. 1 for our first selection.
—Rabbi Rosen
