Looking for a reading list that will take you through the year? We’ve got you covered with a list of books for the year! Check out these suggestions from community members and Associated agencies.  

February 

February is Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). The Jewish Library of Baltimore is encouraging families to read age-appropriate books and talk about them as part of its intergenerational book club. Check out these suggestions from Jessica Fink, executive director of the Jewish Library of Baltimore. These books focus on the incredible life of disability rights activist Judith Heumann.  

Adult Book: Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann. 
Young Adult Book: Rolling Warrior: The Incredible, Sometimes Awkward, True Story of a Rebel Girl on Wheels Who Helped Spark a Revolution by Judith Heumann 
Children’s Book: Fighting For Yes: The Story of Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann by Maryann Cocca-Leffler 

March 

Why not read a book about one of the greatest Jewish women actresses and singers of all time? Here is a suggestion from Jessica Fink, director of the Jewish Library of Baltimore. 

“My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand. The Library of Congress says, “’The long-awaited memoir by the superstar of stage, screen, recordings, and television Barbra Streisand is by any account a living legend, a woman who in a career spanning six decades has excelled in every area of entertainment. She is among the handful of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and has one of the greatest and most recognizable voices in popular music. She has been nominated for a Grammy 46 times, and with Yentl she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture.’” 

June  

Summer is almost here and so is camp season. Camp Louise suggests Nervcited by Stacy Jordan Greenberg, assistant director at Beber Camp in Wisconsin to get ready emotionally for camp. This great read, say the staff at Camp Louise is about when kids get ready for camp. “They can be both nervous and excited all at the same time – whether it is their first summer or their 5th! We even feel that way sometimes too! This book explores this concept and helps campers get ready for an overnight camp experience.”

July 

Looking for a summer read? Diana Solomon, senior director 4Front suggests The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer 

If you are a fan of historical fiction and World War II books like me, then you’ll love this powerful book. A story that bounces between past and present, the story takes readers to Poland to uncover nearly lost family history and secrets left buried in the past. It’s a beautiful and heart wrenching story of love, resiliency, bravery, and the bonds of family that will keep you glued to the page. 

August 

Two interesting books about the Holocaust.

Check out this suggestion from Josh Frederick, Baltimore-Ashkelon Partnership Grantmaking committee member – a book about his grandmother and heroism. 

I recommend Luba: The Angel of Bergen-Belsen by Luba Tryszynska-Frederick, Ann Marshall and Michelle Roehm McCann. It’s about my Bubi, Luba Tryszynska-Frederick and her experience as a young woman at the concentration camp, Bergen-Belsen.  Like many concentration camps, prisoners became laborers, and the children of the laborers became an afterthought.  My Bubi took it upon herself to oversee and care for fifty-four abandoned children.  Although she risked her life countless times to protect these children, her resilience, determination, and love could not be stopped – even by Nazi Germany.     

Jacquie Brager suggests All the Light We Cannot See, a novel by Anthony Doerr, masterfully intertwines the lives of a blind French girl and a German boy during World War II, subtly exploring themes of hope, fate, and the resilience of the human spirit. Although not explicitly focused on Jewish experiences, the novel’s setting of Nazi-occupied France and the characters’ encounters with the brutality of war provide a heart wrenching, indirect commentary on the Jewish struggle and broader human suffering during this dark period. 

September 

It’s back to school and the start of the Jewish holiday season. What better way to kick off this time of year with a book that explores Judaism. Jessica Fink recommends  

Tauber, Yanki. The Book of Jewish Knowledge: A Multifaceted Exploration of the Teachings, Observances, and History of Judaism by Yanki Tauber. “The Library of Congress says that ‘the objective behind The JLI Book of Jewish Knowledge is as bold as it is essential: to create a single book a single book that surveys the entire scope of Jewish teaching and Jewish life, yet also does justice to the depth and beauty of Judaism.’”  

November  

November is Jewish Book Month, a chance to celebrate Jewish Literature. Alexis Braun, who sits on the Young Adult Division’s Engage365 Committee is an avid reader. One of her favorites is Hotel Cuba by Aaron Hamburger. 

“It is a new novel about a Jewish woman who flees Eastern Europe with her sister after World War I and ends up in Cuba (even though she dreams of making it all the way to America). Pearl and her sister Frieda are great characters, and I couldn’t set this novel down. My own grandfather emigrated to Mexico with his family due to the immigration laws/quotas enacted by the U.S. government after WWI, and this novel really hit home for me. I appreciated that it highlights a less traditional Jewish immigration path that a lot of people may not be as familiar with, and it’s just a good read! This is the book for someone that enjoys historical fiction and a strong female main character! 

Check out Alexis other recommendations. 

The Hanukkah Hamster is a sweet story about finding an unlikely friend, and how that friendship helps when feeling homesick. This is a great reminder, especially during these uncertain times, to turn to our friends for support.