PJ Edition Arrived!
PJ Library just sent me a copy of their paperback edition of The Knish War on Rivington Street. I’m thrilled and honored that my work will be shared with thousands of Jewish families. It has the same cover as the regular edition but here's the frontispiece where kids can add their names and make the book their own.
If you don’t know about PJ, you should. PJ Library has delivered 10 million free books with Jewish themes since 2005. Funded by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and partnerships with other philanthropists and Jewish organizations, PJ Library is an international organization with the goal of educating and instilling pride in Jewish heritage and culture.
What does PJ stand for? The pajamas that kids wear while being read to in bed, although PJ Library books can be enjoyed any time you want a good story.
Debates at University of Chicago over Latke-Hamantasch
Speaking of educating, I was amused to learn from the flap copy that knishes are not the only Jewish food to stir up heated debates. Who knew? For years, debates have been raging at distinguished colleges and universities over the "what" and "why" of the foods we eat for Hanukkah and Purim. Scholars at the University of Chicago and other seats of learning have espoused the spiritual importance of the round potato pancake as a symbol of the “unity of spiritual life” while others insist that the three-cornered hamantasch cookie represents the triad of God, Torah, and Jewish people. Seems they forgot about the lowly jelly donut. I never knew it was an either-or-thing. In my family it doesn’t have to be Hanukkah or Passover to enjoy latkes, hamantaschen, jelly donuts, or knishes, for that matter.
