the freedom writers

i just finished reading a most incredible book compiled by erin gruwell and her students called the freedom writers . erin gruwell is a white woman who taught kids from the hood to channel their anger into writing using the diary of anne frank as a catalyst. reading the diaries of these high school students is a rude awakening. there are fourteen year olds who are jaded by drunk or druggie parents and have been molested by parents or family "friends". so many of their friends and relatives are in jail or have been murdered. most adults ( bh) have not experienced as much adversity as these teenagers. because there is so much corruption around them many cannot rise above it. many do not have a support system that could help them rise above their lot. erin gruwell created a classroom that was supportive . she also had them read books and diaries of those who rose above hate and racism so they would not feel like their suffering is debilitating. she encouraged them to share their own stories through writing their own journals.

reading this book made me thankful that i did not grow up in the hood.

after teaching this group of students for four years erin gruwell taught college courses to create future educators how who will foster a nurturing teaching environment for students from backgrounds like the freedom writers so their students will be able to rise above their "destiny" .

the gong show

on june third there was a book reading at borders bookstore in the city with chuck barris. chuck barris was the creator of old tv game shows such as the dating game ,the newlywed game , and the gong show. i realize many of my readers have never seen any of these shows, and im dating myself by mentioning them,but they are classics.

the gong show was the only chuck barris show where he actually appeared as the host. at the time he was in his late forties and had curly seventies big hair. the gong show was a spoof of variety shows. it was a talent contest with alot of really bad talent which was much more authentic than american idol. if the contestants were really bad they were gonged with an actual gong. it was a really silly show and it looked like chuck barris and company really enjoyed doing it. they pushed the censor envelope alot, but i have to admit that when i watched it i was too young too get that there was anything risque involved.

chuck barris wrote several books. i know that i read one of them . it was called you and me babe. i found the book at a used book shop in israel .

it was strange seeing chuck barris as an older man. i remembered him being so much younger. he still has the same sense of humor, but has an aura of maturity that was not present in his gong show years. its strange seeing someone aged without having seen all of the stages in between.

optimism vs pessimism

this past thursday night i saw the tail end of michael j fox's special on optimism. he did this special to kick off his new book always looking up: adventures of an incurable optimist . i wish i had seen more than the last 15 minutes. for an actor in the rocket of his career to be stricken with parkinsons and still be optimistic is astounding. not only is he spouting dogma he has internalized it. when i hear people singing mitzvah gedolah lihiyot b'simcha it seems its their favorite song and not an adage they uphold. michael j. fox is living it.

when i first sat down to watch the special i was struck by the sadness of it all. the michael j. fox of family ties, back to the future and spin city is a parkinsons patient. what also struck me is how great an actor he really is. he is beloved for such roles, but they werent really who he is . he certainly is not the conservative republican alex p. keaton or marty mcfly of back to the future. he's someone much finer. though he can no longer walk a straight line or sit still, he is a positive shining light in the face of adversity. he is hopeful for a cure for parkinsons and he is grateful for what he does have in life.

forget life changing diseases for a moment. some people are terminal optimists, others eternal pessimists. everything and nothing can be occurring and this is who they will be. an optimist can live in a tiny roach motel apartment and be so happy to be living the dream of making it in the big city while another could have a penthouse on park avenue but not be able to enjoy it because they have freckles. so many people are too busy chasing rainbows to appreciate what they have.

tracey pollan, michael j. fox's wife, is a pessimist. according to the psychologist on the special, pessimism isnt necessarily a bad thing. a pessimist needs to assess the worst case scenario so they can move on. it makes them feel better. being more pessimist that optimist myself i can attest to this truth. its nice to know that a little realism can be positive. it seems too naive to be completely pollyanna.

when i meet a guy i always see his faults blaring in my face. but to me this isnt necessarily a bad thing. i get the bad part out of the way first. worst case scenario. then i see if i can also find the good . does the good outshine the bad? i dont purposely do this. its just how im wired. others only see good. then the s@$##t hits the fan and they see all of the negative. i do it the other way.

the lesson to be learned from the show was whether optimistic or pessimistic by nature one can still be sameach b'chelko its just that there are different methods of reaching that endpoint.

Exclusive Blog Interview With Diana Spechler

I'm very excited to present to you dear readers this exclusive frum single female blog interview
featuring Diana Spechler author of Who By Fire .


FSF: What made you choose this topic for your book ?


DS : When I was a grad student, I wrote a short story about Bits Kellerman, a young woman who lives in Boston and whose brother, Ash , lives in Israel. At the beginning of the story, Bits hears news of a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. She calls Ash and he doesn't answer. Throughout the course of the story , the tension lies in the question of whether or not Ash is going to call his sister back. At the end of the story, he still hasn't called her. I finished the story and included it in my thesis, but it continued to haunt me. Why didn't he call his sister? It was driving me crazy. So I returned to the story and started writing from Ash's point of view. Then I returned to Bits, and then to Ash, and so in. That's how the novel was born.


FSF : Did you set out to write a book with a Jewish theme or did it just evolve?


DS : When I started writing Who By Fire , I had a lot of questions about Judaism--specifically about how I wanted to practice it. I was somewhat obsessed.The great thing about writing is that it provides an acceptable context for obsessions. By writing this novel , I was (perhaps not totally consciously) grappling with the questions that were most important to me at that time. When I finished writing the novel, I was able to unburden myself of the obsession to some extent. So I'm not sure I set out to write a book with a Jewish theme so much as I set out to write about something that mattered to me.


FSF: What kind of Jewish family did you grow up in?


DS : My family is really different from the family in Who By Fire . The Kellermans are so disconnected from one another. In my family, when someone goes to Israel, that person calls home. Period. We're all really close. Also , Judaism and Israel were big parts of my life throughout my childhood. My siblings and I went to Jewish summer camp. Jewish holidays were and continue to be big and fun and loud. My parents, like Ben and Ellie Kellerman, met in Jerusalem in the early 70's, so my perception of Israel has always been tinged with a little romance.


FSF: How has your book been received by secular Jewish readers as well as Orthodox Jewish readers?


DS : Of course, since I was writing , in part, about the conflict between secular and Orthodox Jews, I worried that I was going to offend people. The truth was, though , my novel doesn't voice just one opinion. Some of the characters are religious. Others are not. Some of the religious characters are a little sordid, others are great. Exploring my characters, all of whom are flawed. People-- Jewish , not Jewish, religious, not religious--talk about books all over the internet , and for the most part, no one seems offended by my book. The consensus seems to be that its a good read. Of course, I very much approve of that consensus.


FSF : At the end of the book in the q & a section, you say that you have a brother who is an Orthodox Jew. What does your brother think of your book?


DS : My brother loves the book and recommends it to everyone who will listen. He's a good brother.


FSF: What is the biggest lesson you feel readers should take away after reading Who By Fire?


DS: I'm not sure there's a lesson in it, but my favorite compliments I get are , "Your book made me want to go to Israel!" and " I stayed up all night reading your book."


Thank you so much Diana for this blog interview.

and the plot thickens....

for years ive wanted to attend a free gotham writers workshop at barnes and noble but i never managed to get to one. perhaps this is because they are free. anyway, a few weeks ago i attended a book reading at barnes and noble at lincoln triangle and i saw a big ad for the upcoming gotham writer's workshop featuring the author diana spechler whose book who by fire i read a few months ago. well... need i say more? i was an attendee. meeting authors of books i really dig is on my ten most favorite things to do list.

the gotham fiction writing workshp was amazing. though it was a teaser class, alot of solid writing exercises were featured.

since diana spechler was giving a fiction writing course instead of a book reading it was even more interesting. she spoke of her style of writing fiction instead of the plot of her fictional book. very cool. she said that her writing is very heavy on character development. i would agree.

after the writers workshop diana spechler fielded questions about the class as well as signed her book. im not sure if i was the only one in attendance who had read her book but i did tell her that i had read her book and that i liked it. normally i don't mention to authors that i write a blog, but in this case.... after taking a writers workshop i was compelled.... so i did. well folks ... my next few posts will include a book review of who by fire as well as a blog interview with diana spechler. TO BE CONTINUED....

he's just not that into you

i read the book by greg behrendt when it came out a few years ago, so when i heard there was going to be a movie based on the book i just had to see it. he's just not that into you wont be winning big at the oscars this year , but it was a cute plate of fluff.

the premise of the movie and book is that women try to analyse why guys arent calling them after a date, when really its quite simple . if a guy wants to see you he will find a way to get in touch with you . he will do it as soon as possible and if not - he's just not that into you.

ginnifer goodwin plays that girl. that girl who gives the aloof guys all of the excuses and then is disappointed when he doesnt call her . sometimes its hard to watch how desperate she acts.

jennifer anniston is the girl who lives with a guy for seven years that wont marry her. he doesnt believe in marriage. ben affleck plays this boyfriend. he's superb. he's not the greatest actor, but he was good in this role. this little sub-story could have been a whole movie unto itself.

another plot was with scarlet johannson and a married man. she plays the forever stupid woman who thinks a married man will leave his wife for the other woman.
justin long is stand out as ginnifer goodwin's confidante. he tells her how it is with guys. no holds barred. with all the big names he's a real scene stealer.
ever since i heard the line "he's just not that into you" uttered by post it guy on sex and the city , it has backed up every argument ive had about the people who like to over analyse and say maybe this and maybe that about why a guy hasnt called or hasnt been consistent in a relationship. yes, there can be exceptions, but they are exceptions, not the rule. if a guy wants to get in touch with me he will , if he takes forever it just means he's just not that into me . end of story.

the reader

tonight i saw the movie the reader , based on the novel by bernard schlink. i had attempted to read the book years ago, but it was rather slow moving. i couldnt get through it. the movie is quite riveting.

i saw the movie today upon the strong recommendation of a co-worker . fortunately i only vaguely knew the storyline before seeing the movie. i knew that it was the story of a much older woman having an affair with a much younger man (or shall i say boy, he was only 15 ) in postwar berlin. kate winslet is the older woman. david kross is the younger man. i got so caught up in their love affair, that the progression of the movie caught me by surprise. which im sure was the point.

i dont want to give anything away, but the movie deals with right and wrong and various levels of right and wrong.

ralph fiennes and lena olin shine as the supporting cast. kate winslet is chilling as a woman with a past. david kross' blue eyes alone speak words.

the movie is excellent.it is also quite disturbing. see it anyway. i dont want to give anything away,because i want you to be as swept away by the story as i was.

cool jews

there's a new book out called cool jew by lisa klug. i find the title kind of funny because though i love being jewish , i dont think being jewish equals cool. i guess that was the idea of the book. to make jewish people feel they too are cool.

though i have only flipped through the book, i dont find the book to be all that original. there are several kitschy jewish books around like judaikitsch by jennifer and victoria traig and jewish holiday fun by barbara rushkoff. lisa klug is the only orthodox jew who has written this type of book.

thursday there was a book reading of cool jew at the jcc, which included several performance artists lisa klug knew. though the author read excerpts from the book, i think that these kitschy concepts are more fun to read on paper, than heard .

the musical performances and comedy acts were quite special. the book reading / artist showcase lasted about 2hrs. and it was FREE. very cool.

the most standout singers at the event were michelle citrin and chana rothman. both are dynamic and have excellent voices. yisroel campbell , comedian and convert to judaism was hysterically funny.

its always fun to check out who attends a jewish event. there was a mix of religious and non-religous jews as well as a mix of ages. i suspect many of the performers friends populated the audience.

shalom auslander

foreskin's lament came out in paperback, thus a great excuse to have another book reading at borders. after reading foreskin's lament i have wanted to see the author in person. in general i like meeting authors , and due to the content of his book, i especially wanted to meet shalom auslander.
well.... in person he is a little older than the photo on his book jacket. though i read the book, i was quite taken aback by how hardened he is. he told the audience that giving up judaism was like removing a tumor , but if you ask me it didnt really help him. he doesnt appear to be the relaxed, or at peace . he got rid of a tumor, or so he thinks. hes not a practicing jew in any way shape or form, but its not like this has made him a calm , happy , zen -like individual.
a woman who had been married to shalom's relative years ago, was at the book reading. she applauded his book and was so happy he had gotten out of the clutches of his abusive family. if you ask me, his deviant family is the reason he is ranting.
as usual, this book event proved to be an insightful affair.

jules feiffer

two thursdays ago i went to the most amazing book reading at the strand. the author who spoke was jules feiffer . im embarrassed to say that i had never heard of the pulitzer prize winning cartoonist and satirist. however time out magazine had advertised that a gentle cartoonist who also was a satirist as well as political satirist who had written a cartoon for the village voice for 4o something yrs was going to be at the strand for a book reading... well that definitely peaked my interest.

anyway, mr. feiffer was this adorable older man who outlined his career and described how he persisted in creating his own brand of satire. as bold as his vision was, he also maintained his integrity . he was a gracious team player for those he wrote for.

there was even a woman in the audience who thanked him for his contribution to an 80's tween magazine she had edited, and thanked him for how wonderful he was to deal with.

mr. feiffer spoke about his works and exhibited the most wicked and sharp sense of humor i have ever heard.

after the book reading i skimmed through his new book the explainers which is a compilation of all of his strips for the village voice from 1956-1966 and it really tickled my funny bone.

needless to say i purchased the book. i wanted to have this book signed by its author. as they say there is no time like the present.

there is nothing like a book reading to open up a world that one never knew existed.

the red leather diary

i went to another book reading this week. lily koppel was the author. she wrote the book red leather diary. i bought the book before pesach, but i havent read it yet. i really love book readings. i like hearing the author read from their book with their own inflections. often the book seems different to me than what the author had intended, which i think is so cool. though i havent read the red leather diary i will tell you a little bit about it. the book is about a young woman, lily koppel , who finds a red leather diary in a dumpster on the upper west side in manhattan, and how she goes on to find its author as well as featuring excerpts of the diary. i actually had seen a write up about this book in one of the women's magazine's which peaked my interest . lily koppel eerily looks like the young florence wolfson whose diary she found. at the book reading lily koppel not only recounted how she found the diary and eventually tracked down its author, also conveyed an appreciation for the elderly and the importance of telling the story of an 'average' person. to me this is so profound. i have alot of elderly relatives whose lives i have found enchanting. to me this was so important and so unusual for a young , hip looking woman to convey to an audience. every person is a world. this is so deep. the youth culture is so worshipped that its so nice to hear someone respecting an older person and finding meaning from her life. i really look forward to actually reading this book.

color me jewish

i attended a book reading at barnes and noble tonight featuring the author james mcbride who has just come out with a new book. for those of you who are not familiar, james mcbride is the author of the book 'the color of water' which is about a jewish woman from russia or poland who moves to the united states, marries a black man and passes herself off as black. i read the book years ago so i dont remember all of the details. it was a very interesting book because unlike 'turbulant souls' by steven dubner , which is about a man whose jewish parents convert out and eventually he returns to judaism , james mcbride does not,which makes it even more interesting. in 'the color of water' james mcbride does acknowledge his jewishness, but he doesnt identify himself as a jew. he prefers to be a black christian. what is most curious about mr mcbride is that a few years after i read his book there was an exhibit of photos of jewish writers at the center for jewish history and behold, there was a photo of james mcbride with his daughter and a siddur. for years ive wanted to hear him speak because though he isnt a member of the aish hatorah baal teshuvah of the month club, i do consider him a curiosity. he did not disappoint. i found him to exude a very warm personality, and though he doesnt consider himself jewish, he does acknowledge that those are his roots. he mentioned during the book reading that his first supporters of his firstbook were seventy year old white jewish women . he admitted to feeling the love when he was in the room with them because they reminded him of his own jewish mother. interestingly enough, other jewish celebrities who are black seem much more jewish than james mcbride does, seeing as other black jewish celebrities like lisa bonet or rain pryor grew up with jewish identities that shaped them , whereas to be fair, james mcbride did not.

persepolis

as a child i always had heard that iran was a good place for jews to live. then came the revolution and i then met lots of children who fled iran for america. i always had thought that the revolution had made it bad just for the jewish inhabitants of iran. apparently i was wrong. as an adult i met persian jews who filled in the blanks for me and let me know that iran after the revolution was not really good for anyone.
i read the books of persepolis by marjane satrapi about a two years ago. they were excellent. i even saw her at barnes and noble last year when her last book came out. she is a truly incredible person with a very sharp sense of humor. she isnt jewish and her books are about how the iranian revolution effected her life as a western thinking iranian. i saw the movie tonight. it was very good, but the books are even better.