October 17, 2018 – April 8, 2019 25 Authors • 16 Events
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October 17, 2018 – April 8, 2019 25 Authors • 16 Events JEAN CHATZKY MARTIN FLETCHER CAROL LEIFER Dr. Marc Agronin • Jamie Bernstein • Jenna Blum • Ariel Burger • Yvette Corporon • Jeremy Dauber Izzy Ezagui • Stephen Flatow • Elyssa Friedland • Beverly Gray • Rachel Kadish • David Litt • Tova Mirvis Jeff Oliver • Moriel Rothman-Zecher • Mark Sarvas • Gregory Wallance • Carol Zoref Tova Mirvis Alyson Richman Dr. Michael Roizen Stephen Tobolowsky Order your tickets today! 239.263.4205 • www.jewishbookfestival.org Scenes from last season’s festival Welcome to the 2018-2019 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival! The Jewish Book Festival Committee is pleased to present 25 amazing authors in 16 exciting programs from October 2018 through April 2019. While we thought it would be difficult to top last year’s group of authors and events, we think that once you flip through the pages of this brochure, you’ll agree that this season’s lineup is our best ever. We kick off the festival with several extraordinary speakers and personalities, including comedian Carol Leifer, actor Stephen Tobolowsky, financial expert Jean Chatzky and Dr. Michael Roizen. Whether your book choices are fiction, memoirs, humor, Israel or entertainment, you’ll find several programs to whet your appetite. Similar to last season’s festival, look for more than just book talks. Enjoy these cultural highlights: A singer and pianist will perform several Leonard Bernstein hits as part of Jamie Bernstein’s presentation about “Growing Up Bernstein.” Jewish Comedy Night with author Jeremy Dauber will feature several local residents performing stand-up Jewish comedy routines. Be sure to come and cheer them on. As part of the program with author Beverly Gray discussing Seduced by Mrs. Robinson, enjoy a screening of the 50th anniversary edition of The Graduate. Delight in a luncheon program with Jeff Oliver, a former executive at Food Network, where he developed the hit series Cutthroat Kitchen. As coordinator for what has become the Greater Naples Jewish community’s most-talked-about program, I am honored to work on this incredible festival with co-chairs Phil Jason, Susan Pittelman and Robin Mintz (pictured at left with author Bryan Mark Rigg), our devoted festival committee members, and Federation Community Program Coordinator Reneé Bialek. We each devote hundreds of hours to ensure we meet the festival’s mission (see below). The book festival would not be possible without numerous people and organizations. First and foremost, recognition must go to the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples and its leadership, including Jeffrey Feld and Jane Schiff. Special thanks to our Patrons, whose generosity and support are a testament to our amazing community. We couldn’t produce such an extensive festival without our financial and in-kind Sponsors. Covering a broad range of companies and organizations from both the Jewish and the Greater Naples community, their support is greatly appreciated. And much gratitude goes to our incredible vol- unteers who help to assure that every aspect of every program runs smoothly. I invite you to join us at this season’s Jewish Book Festival as we celebrate and enjoy amazing authors, talents, characters and stories! Warmly, Ted Epstein, Coordinator, Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival Jewish Book Festival Mission Statement: The Jewish Book Festival of Greater Naples brings a showcase of Jewish authors and books of Jewish content to our community. We strive to educate, enrich, entertain and engage the members of our community. The festival promotes awareness, appreciation and pride in the diversity of the Jewish people; strengthens community consciousness of Jewish identity, history and culture; and provides opportunities to come together for educational and social experiences. At Your Service! Hilton Naples proudly supports the Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival. 5111 Tamiami Trail North I Naples, FL 34103 239.430.4900 I HiltonNaples.com I ShulasNaples.com Praise for this season’s festival authors and books “They don’t make people funnier or more clever “Izzy Ezagui may be the most inspirational figure than Carol Leifer. She’s insightful, big-hearted and a you’ll meet. Gruesomely wounded as a volunteer brilliant writer.” soldier, he allows nothing to stop his quest to return to – J. J. Abrams, film director, producer, screenwriter, a normal life. That he tells his story with irreverence actor and composer and laugh-out-loud humor makes reading Disarmed “Carol’s gift is that she sees ordinary, everyday things a joy. People thrown by lesser obstacles will benefit in a very funny way. She’s made other comics say, from reading this moving and triumphant story.” ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’” – Seth M. Siegel, author of New York Times bestseller – Jay Leno, comedian, actor, writer, producer and Let There Be Water television host “Martin Fletcher, who headed up NBC TV’s Tel Aviv “Stephen Tobolowsky has found his true calling as a News Bureau, knows his territory and it shows on storyteller. He is candid, insightful, often profound every page. Promised Land is a great sweeping epic, and very, very funny. By blending sharp memories of reminiscent of Leon Uris’ Exodus; a moving story his childhood with astute, adult observations of the of triumph and tragedy, new love and historic hate, world around him, he weaves a spell not unlike Jean expertly told by a cast of unforgettable characters. Shepherd or Garrison Keillor… but he has a voice all Fletcher’s writing rises to the level of importance that his own, and I love it.” this story demands and deserves. Historical novels – Leonard Maltin, film critic and author don’t get much better than Promised Land.” – Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Cuban Affair “Beautifully written, A Father’s Story is a moving “Today Show financial expert Jean Chatzky and Cleve- and gripping account of how a father transformed land Clinic chief wellness officer Dr. Michael Roizen, his grief over the murder of his daughter into a quest with Ted Spiker, find vital connections between health for spiritual meaning and – though opposed by even and wealth, A positive, practical book for anyone elements of his own country’s government – a fierce middle aged or older.” battle against the scourge of Islamic terror. A reminder – Library Journal of the importance of belief and principle in a world that often seems to have forgotten.” – Daniel Gordis, author of Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn “For those of you who like food and reality TV, this “Gregory J. Wallance’s beautifully written and me- book will make your mouth water and smile simulta- ticulously researched account of Sarah Aaronsohn’s neously. Oliver has cooked up a fresh perspective on leadership of the Nili spy network during World War the possibility of a terrorist-turned-cheftestant, with I casts a long overdue spotlight on one of the most a dash of humor and wit!” fascinating personalities of the early Zionist era and – Andy Cohen, host and Executive producer of Watch should be required reading for anyone interested in What Happens Live With Andy Cohen modern Jewish history.” – Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress “Growing up in the presence of a super famous parent is no easy thing. Jamie Bernstein presents an “Perhaps the greatest compliment I can bestow on undisguised and understanding picture of her father, this accomplished and compelling book is to say that family and friends. She chronicles her emergence as Gray will send you rushing to Netflix to watch The a partisan of ideals in which they believed. The book Graduate again, and when you do, you will see a is full of inside stories and personal perspectives on familiar movie in an entirely new way.” the inspiring, spontaneous and often no-holds-barred – Jewish Journal challenges of Bernstein’s multiple worlds.” – Michael Tilson Thomas, American conductor, pianist and composer “Cove has a light touch and an eye for regional “In this brilliant and groundbreaking book, Jeremy and temporal detail… Most who either recall or are Dauber shows that Jerry Seinfeld and Sarah Silverman curious about this free-loving period of history will are just the latest members of an ancient tradition of find themselves satisfied by Cove’s re-creation of his Jewish humor that stretches all the way back to the journey out of boyhood.” Bible. Writing with dazzling scholarly insight and in – Kirkus Reviews a style as appealing as his subject, Dauber reveals what made Jews laugh over the centuries. In doing so, he tells a crucial part of the story of Judaism.” – Adam Kirsch, author of The People and the Books Praise for this season’s festival authors and books “This book is beautiful and brilliant. The substance of Elie Wiesel’s teaching will always be with us. Now, “Sarvas’s rich and engaging second novel is worth thanks to Ariel Burger – a writer of great spiritual the decade’s wait since his first... Sarvas couples and intellectual integrity – we have access to the way a suspenseful mystery with nuanced meditations Wiesel taught generations of students, not only on father-son bonds, the intricacies of identity, the through his words but in the way he lived his life aftershocks of history’s horrors, and the ways people and held his relationships. Wiesel was a treasure of and artworks can – perhaps even must – be endlessly true humanity in the face of unspeakable suffering.” reinterpreted.” – Parker J. Palmer, author of On the Brink of Everything – Publishers Weekly and The Courage to Teach “Erbelding writes vividly of intrigue and espionage, “The Intermission deftly pulls apart the puzzle of one secret negotiations, money laundering, ransoming of couple’s marriage and lays the pieces bare, posing the victims, and rescue ships..