Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival
The Cast—Amy Blumenfeld
Monday, November 18, 7:30 pm
Simon Family JCC, free
The Face Tells the Secret—Jane Bernstein
Monday, December 16, 12 pm
Beth Sholom Village, $12 includes lunch
Two outstanding novels have been chosen as Community Reads with visiting authors as part of the Lee and Bernard Jaffe Family Jewish Book Festival.
The Cast, by Amy Blumenfeld, is November’s community read. This book explores the power of forgiveness, the importance of authenticity, and the immeasurable value of deep, enduring friendships. The story revolves around a group of ninth graders that produce a Saturday Night Live-style videotape to cheer up an ailing friend. Twenty-five years later they reunite, but nothing goes as planned. The happy holiday card facades everyone’s been hiding behind quickly crumble and give way to an unforgettable three days filled with complex moral dilemmas and life-altering choices. This event is free and open to the public. Registered Book Clubs will be invited to a reception with the author.
Meet Jane Bernstein, author of The Face Tells the Secret, at a luncheon hosted by Beth Sholom Village and in partnership with the JCC Book Club. The Face Tells the Secret is a beautifully written story depicting a family’s trauma and the journey required to come to a place of acceptance and peace.
“This book was a great read!” says Bina Zukerman. “Most every family has their “closeted” unspoken secrets, yet in her poetic way, Ms. Bernstein lets us identify with the sorrow, sadness, and secrets that let us see the intimate and sensitive side for her characters from so many perspectives. There is much to learn as the story reveals its hidden message.”
To register a Book Club by October 31, RSVP, or for more information, contact Patty Shelanski, Arts + Ideas manager, at pshelanski@ujft.org or 757-452-3184. The authors visit Tidewater through the Jewish Book Council.