Tolerance speaks!

I don't usually spontaneously blog, but I heard something on the radio that really moved me this week. Every day I leave my house in time to hear Jian Gomeshi announce the letter of the day on Q and then I listen to his feature interview. If I miss his show, the day just isn't right. Occasionally, I get to work and I have to stay in my car until the news comes on. Since my day isn't terribly media-rich, this is my daily dose. And so I find myself listening to interviews with Michael Bolton, but also Eve Ensler and my world is slightly widened.
Well, this week as I was cruising up Princess Street, Jian interviewed David Abitbol from Jewlicious and two women, Megan and Grace Phelps Roper, formerly of the Westboro Baptist Church. I had never heard of the church before but they do things like picket synagogues and fill the Internet with anti-Semitic and gay-hating propaganda. David and Megan "met" on Twitter a few years ago and what started out as provocation from Megan, quickly turned into an honest discussion about what Judaism was. Megan had been taught to hate Jews, but since she's a curious and intelligent individual, she started to do a little research on what she was supposed to hate. A few years later, she and her sister Grace made the heavy decision to leave their church since they no longer could abide by the church's hate-filled ideas. What moved me most about the interview was not the tremendous story of two young women who can clearly think for themselves, but the tolerance David Abitbol showed them by not responding merely with disdain or disgust. Instead he took the time to respond to their inquiries with genuine patience. Tolerance speaks!
And that's the kind of Jew, and human being, I want to be-a tolerant one. http://www.cbc.ca/q/2013/03/19/leaving-the-westboro-baptist-church/

Orca Spring Titles

Not only does my excellent publisher Orca Books do a super job editing, designing and promoting my work, but I also find myself in an excellent “pod” of writers. This spring is no exception. One of my favourite upcoming titles is Allegra by Shelley Hrdlitschka. While attending a performing arts school, Allegra is forced to take a music theory class. Allegra is initially annoyed by the both the course and the instructor, but when the teacher assigns her a music theory project that is both challenging and engaging, Allegra starts to change her mind about both the project and the instructor.

One of the things I liked best about the book is how Hrdlitschka tackles Allegra’s anxiety. A growing issue among teens, I’m sure many readers will see themselves reflected in this novel.

Next up is Damage, by Robin Stevenson, from the Orca Soundings List, (short high-interest novels with contemporary themes). When the protagonist, Zach, leaves his annoying parents at a California hotel to travel with a beautiful girl named Ronnie who used to babysit him, he thinks he’s going on a Hollywood road trip. Ronnie may be beautiful but she’s got a crying toddler and an ex-boyfriend who is a cop looking for her. Zach finds himself in way over his head.

Stevenson’s novel is both well-written and a page-turner.

Also by Robin Stevenson is Record Breaker, a novel for 9-12 year olds. Set in 1963, twelve-year-old Jack’s family is reeling from the death of his baby sister. Jack tries to relieve his mother’s sadness by setting a new world record. When attempts at record setting by sausage eating or chair rocking don’t seem to help his mother, Jack sets out on a different path with the help of some friends.

Stevenson’s characters are memorable and the time period perfectly evoked.  Interesting male and female characters will make this book appeal to a wide variety of kids.

Happy reading everyone.

Re-emerging The Jews of Nigeria

It’s official, April is going to be a Lieberman Family Arts Double Header. Not only am I launching my novel Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust on April 11^th at 7:30 pm at Novel Idea Bookstore here in Kingston, my brother’s film RE-EMERGING: The Jews of Nigeria, will play at The Screening Room on April 13^th at 7:30 pm.

The film is about the little-known communities of Igbo people who are practicing Judaism throughout much of Africa's most populous nation, and who believe they are continuing the traditions of their ancestors.  Jeff travelled to Nigeria with a Conservative Maryland rabbi to meet several of these communities six years ago. I remember it well because he was in Nigeria when my first son was born.

I recently watched the film and was curious to see how he had presented the story after listening to descriptions of his work for the past several years. While I knew it was about Jewish Nigerians, I didn’t know it would also delve into the lives and culture of the Igbo people. I was fascinated by the different Igbo synagogues and the different characters in the film. Probably my favourite part was watching a congregation sing “Oh Sey Shalom.” If you’ve grown up in the Christian tradition, perhaps you’ve seen songs you know well sung by others from around the world, but for me this was the first time I had heard a song sung by others so far away. It was both familiar and also utterly different, and that held me captivated.

The film includes a wide range of American academics detailing the Igbo history, including shedding new light on the Igbo origins of thousands of slaves captured during the Atlantic Slave Trade and brought to American shores. The film also delves into this history and travels to the southeast coast of Georgia, where locals still speak of the Igbo spirit alive and well at a riverbed called Ibo Landing. Both Jeff and I were both recently in Georgia on St. Simon’s Island and I got to tour around some Igbo sites.

Although the film doesn’t delve directly into the “Who is a Jew” debate, it does raise some interesting questions. Who gets to be a Jew might seem a tame question, but it’s not. If you want to be a Christian, you can easily become one. For Jews, it’s a little different. Jews don’t proselytize and in order to be considered Jewish you either have to have Jewish parents, or go through a long and complicated conversion process. The question of who is a Jew becomes more interesting in light of Israel’s “right of return,” policy. According to Israeli immigration, anyone Jewish has the right to come to Israel and live as a citizen. However, the Orthodox Rabbinate has the power to declare some conversions not up to their standard. While North American Jews might not be moving to Israel in droves, for Africans, it might be appealing. If Jewish Nigerians  decide to move on masse to Israel, they have the potential to create an enormous refugee problem. Not so subtle racism also underlies the “Who is a Jew” debate.

Not only is Jeff coming to Kingston (and Toronto -April 17^th and 18th) Jeff’s film has now screened at the Boston, Washington, DC, Phoenix and Vancouver Jewish Film Festivals, and the 92nd Street Y in New York.

Sound interesting? For film trailers, photos, bios, synopsis, screening info, reviews you can check

out www.re-emergingfilm.com Or watch the FILM TRAILER.