Mitch Albom’s new Holocaust novel is about ‘price we pay for the lies we tell’

February 11, 2024 by  

On a visit to Yad Vashem 10 years ago, Mitch Albom, the sports journalist turned inspirational book author, was struck by a story that emerged from one of the video displays. Read more

The 7 Deadly Myths: Antisemitism from the Time of Christ to Kanye West

February 8, 2024 by  

Alex Ryvchin’s book reviewed by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen Read more

The Interpretation of Cakes

January 14, 2024 by  

A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen Read more

Wisdom Grows in My Garden: a book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

January 1, 2024 by  

If the writings of Rabbi Paul Plotkin were anything like the sermons he gave, then people would be flocking to hear him. Read more

ISRAELOPHOBIA: The Newest Version of the Oldest Hatred & What to do about it

November 3, 2023 by  

A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen Read more

My Father’s Shadow: a memoir – written by Sandra Goldbloom Zurbo

September 24, 2023 by  

A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen Read more

The Angel of Kings Cross: The Life and Times of Dr Fanny Reading

September 4, 2023 by  

A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen Read more

Funny You Don’t Look Funny: Judaism and Humour from the Silent Generation to Millennials

August 17, 2023 by  

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen reviews a book by Jennifer Caplan Read more

Book review – Care and Covenant- A Jewish Bioethic of Responsibility

June 27, 2023 by  

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen reviews Rabbi Jason Weiner’s book. Read more

A Toast to Travel: a book review by Alan Gold

February 2, 2023 by  

There’s a type of writing which used to be in newspapers called ‘travel porn’, which older readers may remember. Read more

What I Wish I Had Known: Resisting the Urge to Live

January 19, 2023 by  

Jeffrey Cohen reviews Dasia Black’s book. Read more

Living in an Upside-Down World: Finding Meaning in Complex Times

January 9, 2023 by  

Jeffrey Cohen reviews Rabbi Ralph Genende’s book. Read more

The Possibly True Story of Martin Gardiner: A Historical Novel

December 29, 2022 by  

Jeffrey Cohen reviews the novel written by Graham Cohen. Read more

The Hunt: A Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus thriller

November 7, 2022 by  

Faye Kellerman’s book reviewed by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen. Read more

How a Jewish girl went into hiding with a Nazi family

September 28, 2022 by  

It is the last winter before Germany’s capitulation. The seventeen-year-old Anni Gmitruk walks alongside a man wearing a swastika armband. It’s dark, and the snow crackles under their shoes. They have just been to the cinema in Zerbst, a small city deep in the Third Reich, to see Heimkehr, a classic among Nazi propaganda films. Read more

The Choice: A Novel of Love, Faith, and the Talmud – reviewed by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

August 25, 2022 by  

Maggie Anton has introduced us to a number of stories around Jewish life, beginning with her series on Rashi’s Daughters [3 novels] followed by Rav Hisda’s Daughter [2 novels] and one about personal relationships {Fifty Shades of Talmud]. Read more

Portrait of an Unknown Woman: book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

August 4, 2022 by  

This is Daniel Silva’s twenty-fifth novel and the 22nd, with Gabriel Allon as the chief protagonist. Read more

Jewish Folk Tales in Britain and Ireland: A book review by Joanne McFall

May 25, 2022 by  

Comprising of forty-four traditional folk tales associated with varying regions in Britain and Ireland, Liz Berg’s Jewish Folk Tales in Britain and Ireland is essential reading for fans of this genre. Read more

The Nazis Knew My Name: a remarkable story of survival and courage in Auschwitz

January 5, 2022 by  

This book is about Magda Hellinger. It is an amalgam of materials both from writings and stories shared by Magda as well as those she recounted through the oral histories programs of both Melbourne’s Jewish Holocaust Centre and the Visual History Foundation [often described as the Spielberg project]. Read more

The Covered Wife: a book review by Jeffrey Cohen

December 13, 2021 by  

Over the past year or so there seems to have been a fascination in one way or another with Orthodox Judaism. Read more

Can Robots be Jewish? And other pressing questions of Modern Life: a book review by Jeffrey Cohen

October 6, 2021 by  

Amy Schwartz serves as the opinion and book editor at Moment Magazine. Moment is one of the more independent and thought stimulating magazine in the Jewish world started by Leonid/Leibl Fein over fifty years ago and is still being published today as an independent but also inclusive journal. Read more

Frances Prince launches her book “Gift of Time”

October 5, 2021 by  

A new book, written by well-known community personality Frances Prince is launching this week in Melbourne. Read more

Have I got a Cartoon for You: The Moment Magazine Book of Jewish Cartoons

October 3, 2021 by  

Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen reviews the book edited by Bob Mankoff. Read more

Coherent Judaism: Constructive theology, Creation & Halakhah: A book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

April 21, 2021 by  

I am sure that a number of my colleagues (and friends) would question whether Judaism could ever be coherent, especially with the words Halakhah as well as theology in its title. Read more

Last Kings of Shanghai: a book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

March 11, 2021 by  

There are many who will read this review who would have heard of the Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara who issued some 1800 visas in Kovno in 1940 which enabled the holders to transit Japan and spend the war years in Shanghai. Read more

The Miracle Typist: a book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

February 24, 2021 by  

Leon Silver’s The Miracle Typist is a powerful true story of one soldier’s long journey home. Read more

The Freedom Circus: a book review by Geoffrey Zygier

December 3, 2020 by  

As the years pass by and the number of survivors dwindles, the stream of Holocaust-themed books continues to gush. Read more

Reason to Believe: The Controversial Life of Rabbi Louis Jacobs

November 19, 2020 by  

It seems strange that I received this book on the day I heard about the death of Jonathan Sacks, the Emeritus Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue of the United Kingdom…writes Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen. Read more

Heart of Violence: Why People Harm Each Other – a book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

September 14, 2020 by  

Paul Valent brings two unique interests in writing this book. Not only was he the long-serving President of the Child Holocaust Survivors Melbourne but he has been a major voice in the study of Trauma and Founder of the Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Read more

The Order: a book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

August 7, 2020 by  

This is Dan Silva’s twenty-third novel and as usual features as its chief protagonist is Gabriel Allon who is not only head of Israel’s secret service, the Mossad, but also an art restorer. Read more

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