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May 14: The Book Smugglers: Partisans, Poets, and the Race to Save Jewish Treasures from the Nazis, by David Fishman

The Book Smugglers is the nearly unbelievable story of ghetto residents who rescued thousands of rare books and manuscripts―first from the Nazis and then from the Soviets―by hiding them on their bodies, burying them in bunkers, and smuggling them across borders. It is a tale of heroism and resistance, of friendship and romance, and of unwavering devotion―including the readiness to risk one’s life―to literature and art. And it is entirely true. Based on Jewish, German, and Soviet documents, The Book Smugglers chronicles the daring activities of a group of poets turned partisans and scholars turned smugglers in Vilna, “The Jerusalem of Lithuania.” The rescuers were pitted against Johannes Pohl, a Nazi who had been dispatched to Vilna by the Nazi looting agency, Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg, to organize the seizure of the city’s great collections of Jewish books. The Nazis planned to ship the most valuable materials to Germany and incinerate the rest. They used forty ghetto inmates as slave-laborers to sort, select, pack, and transport the materials. This group, nicknamed “the Paper Brigade,” defied their captors and smuggled thousands of books and manuscripts past German guards. In July 1944, with the Soviet “liberation” of Vilna, the Paper Brigade thought themselves and their precious cultural treasures saved―only to learn that their new masters were no more welcoming toward Jewish culture than the old, and the books must now be smuggled out of the USSR. The Book Smugglers is an epic story of human heroism, a little-known tale from the blackest days of the war. Discussion led by Susan Rojo-Firsty.

We are excited to create a vision for Beth David’s future and we value your input!  In order to help assess where we are and where we want to be as we move forward, the Board of Directors in conjunction with Rabbi Alpert has engaged Andi Rosenthal of The Rosenthal Group to help us as we boldly step into the future.

Since 1999, Andi has beenworking with Jewish organizations: synagogues, cultural institutions, movement leaders and Federations, utilizing her background in Marketing and Communications to create solutions-based platforms for innovation, conflict resolution, fundraising, interfaith programs, design thinking, synagogue strategic planning and leadership development.

Because we want to know what is on your mind, we will be holding a series of Parlor Meetings on Zoom, which Andi will facilitate.  To allow everyone time to speak we are limiting each meeting to 20 people (first come first served).  Please sign up for only one meeting.   

Sign up for a meeting here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48a5aa28a5f5cf8-parlor 

We are excited to create a vision for Beth David’s future and we value your input!  In order to help assess where we are and where we want to be as we move forward, the Board of Directors in conjunction with Rabbi Alpert has engaged Andi Rosenthal of The Rosenthal Group to help us as we boldly step into the future.

Since 1999, Andi has beenworking with Jewish organizations: synagogues, cultural institutions, movement leaders and Federations, utilizing her background in Marketing and Communications to create solutions-based platforms for innovation, conflict resolution, fundraising, interfaith programs, design thinking, synagogue strategic planning and leadership development.

Because we want to know what is on your mind, we will be holding a series of Parlor Meetings on Zoom, which Andi will facilitate.  To allow everyone time to speak we are limiting each meeting to 20 people (first come first served).  Please sign up for only one meeting.   

Sign up for a meeting here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48a5aa28a5f5cf8-parlor 

We are excited to create a vision for Beth David’s future and we value your input!  In order to help assess where we are and where we want to be as we move forward, the Board of Directors in conjunction with Rabbi Alpert has engaged Andi Rosenthal of The Rosenthal Group to help us as we boldly step into the future.

Since 1999, Andi has beenworking with Jewish organizations: synagogues, cultural institutions, movement leaders and Federations, utilizing her background in Marketing and Communications to create solutions-based platforms for innovation, conflict resolution, fundraising, interfaith programs, design thinking, synagogue strategic planning and leadership development.

Because we want to know what is on your mind, we will be holding a series of Parlor Meetings on Zoom, which Andi will facilitate.  To allow everyone time to speak we are limiting each meeting to 20 people (first come first served).  Please sign up for only one meeting.   

Sign up for a meeting here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48a5aa28a5f5cf8-parlor 

Join Rabbi Roller to celebrate the end of the school year!