Without a Trace – Chapter 16

September 28, 2012

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 16 of a new online serial novel, Without a Trace, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters.

“Why does your wife want to stop her work?”

Arthur sighed. He took a gold lighter out of his pocket and positioned his thumb on the switch. Then, apparently having second thoughts, he put it back in its place. “She says that this kind of work isn’t suitable for a bas Yisrael.”

Eliyahu gazed at a long scratch in the table. ‘Tell me, what exactly is plastic surgery?”

“Operations that make external changes on the body. That’s just a very simplistic, unprofessional description.”

“In other words, the way you explain it to boors like me.” Eliyahu flashed a brief smile, paused, and then asked, “Is implanting missing limbs also part of this field?”

“Internal organs such as hearts and livers, no, but ears, for example, yes.”

“Ears…” Eliyahu breathed deeply. “And…fingers, for example?”

“Sure,” Arthur replied gaily, and then lifted his right foot onto the table before immediately lowering it. “Sorry, Rabbi Eliyahu, I forgot for a moment where I was. Last year, she implanted five fingers onto the hand of a girl who was born without them.”

“How can someone grow new bones?”

“They can’t,” Arthur replied patiently. “I can teach you what can be done in such cases, Rabbi, but I thought that I came here to learn Torah from you, not for you to learn plastic surgery from me.” Keep Reading…

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The Story that Never Ends and other stories

September 24, 2012

Does your pre-teen gobble up books the way your teenage son eats up the cookies you send him in yeshivah? Then you need to keep that tween of yours stocked up with plenty of good reading material! (And I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to keep the yeshivah bachur stocked up with cookies, too…)

The Story that Never Ends is a great way to fill your book “pantry.” While we can’t promise you that the book will go on forever without end (wouldn’t you love a book for your child that did??), we can tell you that it will provide endless hours of reading pleasure for your tween! Written by popular author and columnist Rachel Stein, The Story that Never Ends is comprised of 25 great stories about kids with struggles and dreams like those of your own child. There’s Mordechai, who so desperately wants his father to have a beautiful silver menorah instead of his regular, small, tin one; there’s Ariella, who struggles with her weight, as well as with the social issues caused by it; there’s Tullie and Reuven, who are torn about how to spend the money their grandparents gave them for their eighth-grade graduation…suffice it to say that this book is about lots of great characters, with lots of very realistic issues, and it will make your pre-teen one very happy child to read it!

Click here to purchase online.

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MAZEL TOV! IT’S A BUBBY! – New!

September 24, 2012

So…you’ve just become a bubby, eh? What’s that you’re saying—that I should speak louder? Oh, you’re asking for your reading glasses. Sure, no problem, just tell me where they are… Where? Oh, I should have guessed—right next to the knitting needles…

(Pause to allow eye-rolling and ha-ha-very-funny glares…)

All kidding aside, it’s a big milestone that you’ve reached…and definitely cause for some pampering of yourself, to celebrate your new status! So why not pick up our latest book, a first of its kind—Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby!—which focuses precisely on your new stage of life, that of becoming a young mother-in-law and bubby!

Written by popular columnist Miriam Hendeles, the book is all about her experiences as a mother-in-law and grandmother. It’s written with humor and candor, light enough to enjoy while sitting and relaxing (it’s not easy chasing after two-year-old grandsons, now, is it?), yet thought-provoking enough to initiate lots of good discussions, especially with fellow m-i-l’s  and bubbies! Perfect as a gift for those fellow m-i-l’s and bubbies, too, by the way!

So, congratulations on your new status…Mazel Tov! It’s a Bubby!

Click here to purchase online.

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Without a Trace – Chapter 15

September 21, 2012

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 15 of a new online serial novel, Without a Trace, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters.

The kiruv center in Tel Aviv was a fascinating place, no doubt, but the figure that entered just as Eliyahu finished learning with Ronny was probably the most unusual one that had ever crossed the threshold, to the best of Eliyahu’s recollection. The man’s long, graying hair was gathering into a sloppy ponytail at the nape of his neck, posing a sharp contrast to his elegant, tailored suit. He didn’t have earrings—not even one—but a hole on his right lobe indicated that something had once hung there. The man walked into the small hall with a confident step, and stopped in front of the bulletin board. Rabbi Bograd, the director, exchanged glances with Eliyahu, who had just closed his Gemara, and almost imperceptibly motioned for him to go over to the man.

Eliyahu stood up and accompanied Ronny to the door.

“Hello,” he said to the man, who was reading something from a scrap of paper hanging on the edge of the bulletin board. “Can I help you?”

The man spun around. “Sure!” he replied with a friendly grin. There was something strange about his voice, and Eliyahu tried to guess where he was originally from. “Who can I speak to here?”

“All sorts of people,” Eliyahu answered. “Me, for example.”

“Oh, excellent!” The long-haired man looked at the brightly lit room full of long tables. “Good. So, I want to be religious, but the minimum possible. How do I do that?”

The question was so surprising that Eliyahu found himself smiling. “Let’s sit down, okay?” he suggested, and without waiting for an answer, he turned to the nearest table. There were two padded wooden chairs near the wall, and Eliyahu dragged them over to the table. The man sat down after him, and something about the glitter in his eye made Eliyahu skeptical about how serious he was. The strange question actually turned out to be a good starting point.

“I’m Eliyahu Katz,” he said. “And you?” He looked at the man’s gold cufflinks peeking out of the sleeves of his suit.

“Arthur. Actually, when I was born, I was named Aharon, but my parents weren’t religious.”

Eliyahu nodded. “Maybe tell me what exactly you’re looking for here,” he said. “To be the ‘minimum religious’ is a very interesting classification. What do you mean by it?”

“Okay.” The man nodded agreeably. “Listen to my story. For my part, I could continue living in Germany for another twenty years without stepping foot here, in this country that spit me out at such a young age, but Tissa—she’s my wife—claims she refuses to live with a wanton Israel-hater like me.”

“Which means?” Keep Reading…

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Without a Trace – Chapter 14

September 14, 2012

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 14 of a new online serial novel, Without a Trace, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters.

Gavriel hadn’t even gotten to “Borei me’orei ha’eish”when the phone began to ring. One ring, followed by another and another. Shevi picked up the receiver, waited the few requisite seconds until the caller would realize that Havdalah was being recited, and then hung up.

Gavriel had hardly finished drinking and making the brachah acharonah when the phone began to ring again. This time, Shevi was at the sink with her hands deep in the suds, so he answered the call.

“Yes, Ima,” Shevi heard him say. “Oh, was it you before? We were just making Havdalah.” He listened for a minute with the familiar expression on his face, and Shevi’s heart sank. “A waste of a call? For who?” He was quiet again. “Oh, we really never thought about it like that. In a lot of places they do this; it’s so that the caller will know that we can’t speak right now.”

Elinor tactfully slipped out of the kitchen. Keep Reading…

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Without a Trace – Chapter 13

September 3, 2012

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 13 of a new online serial novel, Without a Trace, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every week. Click here for previous chapters.

 

Chasida’s father was outside talking to a salesman, while Chasida was inside handling an eight-year-old customer whose mother had sent her to buy a bottle of rosemary oil. The girl, however, was sure that the item she needed was one of the bottles of flaxseed oil on the next shelf over.

“My mother showed me the empty bottle,” the girl insisted. “This is exactly what it looked like, really!” A few long minutes passed until the stubborn little girl agreed to take the bottle Chasida was offering her.

Is stubbornness an acquired trait or an inborn one? Chasida wasn’t quite sure.

The salesman walked into the store, followed by Mr. Dresnick. “Just sign here and I’ll be on my way,” the tall man said, placing a medium-sized box on the counter. “Do you want a few samples of this, too?”

“What is it?” Mr. Dresnick asked.

“A new cream from Goren to treat localized burns.”

The older man’s eyes automatically shifted to his daughter, who had suddenly become very busy sorting the small change in the cash register. The clink of the coins was the only sound that broke the silence.

“So?” The salesman’s patience was wearing thin.

“I don’t think so,” Zalman hastily replied. “What do you say, Chasida?”

A few single shekel coins fell under the counter, giving Chasida reason to disappear behind it. When she stood up, she blinked rapidly and answered distractedly. “What?”

“Should we take Goren’s cream?”

“To treat burns?”

Her father nodded. She didn’t respond, and the salesman, getting sick of watching this peculiar exchange, interjected, “If you don’t want it, just say no. Please sign here for the delivery, without the cream.” Keep Reading…

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Recent Release – Ginzei Hakodesh

September 3, 2012

I don’t know about you, but come Motza’ei Shabbos, my house looks like an avalanche of papers—newspapers, magazines, my daughter’s parshah sheets and projects, among many others. Of course everything contains words of Torah in some form or another, and so every week, there I stand, wondering how to clean up the great mess. What am I allowed to throw out? (Never the parshah projects, of course—those must live on until eternity, if I wish to preserve peace in my house and keep three-year-old temper tantrums at bay.) And how am I allowed to do it? Single wrapping, double wrapping—or perhaps it doesn’t need any wrapping?

You can therefore imagine my happiness and relief when I heard about the release of Sefer Ginzei Hakodesh. Finally, a sefer that tackles precisely my problem head-on! Now I can finally have some guidelines about how to dispose of papers with devarim she’bekedushah on them.

But when I leafed through the sefer, I saw that it contained much more than just guidelines about the above. It actually goes through the entire subject of how to respectfully treat any holy article or sefer. Are you allowed to use a shul as a short-cut? What about sitting on a bench that has a sefer on it? What do you do with your leftover Chanukah oil?

All of these questions—as well as many, many more—are answered in Sefer Ginzei Hakodesh—and in such a clear and appealing manner, too. The format is easy on the eye, and the style and language pleasant to follow.

As one who is thrilled to have found such a book, I will be the first to tell you that Sefer Ginzei Hakodesh is a wonderful addition—really a must-have—for every Jewish household!

Click here to purchase online.

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New Release – Moshe Goes to Yeshiva

August 30, 2012

He’s standing there, your little tzaddik’l, all stiff and smart in his new school-clothes, knapsack firmly in place on his back, penny for tzedakah taped securely to his shirt, all ready for the bus to come and whisk him off to yeshivah for the first time. At least he’s all ready, you’re thinking to yourself. But what about me?  I don’t know if I’m ready for this baby-to-big-kid transformation yet…

But as you attempt another brave smile at your new yeshiva boy, you suddenly notice that the big boy himself is beginning to look a little less macho… and a bit scared, too… He’s eyeing the yellow school bus that’s creeping closer to his stop, and…oh, no…his chin is starting to quiver…

Hold it right there, Mommy! Your little one will be just fine! Looks like he’ll be a perfect candidate for Moshe Goes to Yeshiva, that’s all!  Nothing like a great new book about a kid who feels just like him to smooth out those normal, first-day-of-school jitters…

Moshe Goes to Yeshiva is an excellent way to prepare your little son or daughter for the new school year. In this book, you’ll follow Moshe, about to start school for the first time, as he explores his fears on the subject, and then goes on to have a wonderful day in yeshiva. This book radiates reassurance to small children, as well as excitement, as they see, like Moshe, how much fun school can really be…

To purchase online click here.

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Without a Trace – Chapter 12

August 27, 2012

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 12 of a new online serial novel, Without a Trace, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

Zevi almost fell to the ground in fear when a voice that seemed to come out of nowhere commanded him to raise his hands. “I…I can’t,” he stammered, terrified to turn around. As such, he didn’t see the two bearded men emerging from the shadows of the trees and approaching him.

“This is the police. I said to raise your hands!” Eliyahu repeated in a slightly less confident tone. The contrast between the youth’s white shirt and black pants was very clear from such a close vantage point.

Zevi took a deep breath. “I’m not a thief,” he said tremulously. “I…I got stuck here. Can someone help me get down, please?”

Eliyahu and Gavriel exchanged glances. “Who are you?” Gavriel finally asked, standing near the plastic gate that surrounded the laundry lines. Now he could see the boy’s tzitzis as well.

“I’m Mr. Dresnick’s grandson…” Zevi dared to turn around cautiously, grasping the metal bar tightly with his sweaty hand. “I didn’t have a key and I thought I could get in from here.”

“How long have you been stuck like this?” Gavriel asked, stepping over the plastic barrier. First and foremost, they had to help the kid.

“I don’t know,” Zevi said, and looked at the friendly man who was coming to his aid. The man wanted to help him get down, and that was good. But his shoe and sock were in the house! His left foot was bare! Zevi had to find a way to get down without them noticing. Keep Reading…

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Without a Trace – Chapter 11

August 17, 2012

Israel Book Shop presents Chapter 11 of a new online serial novel, Without a Trace, by Esther Rapaport. Check back for a new chapter every Thursday or Friday. Click here for previous chapters.

The hall in Yerushalayim was buzzing with excited chatter of conversations trying valiantly to make themselves heard over the thudding of the drums, the glass plates clinking onto the table, and the clatter of cutlery attempting to cut the schnitzels that had cooled down during the round of dancing which had just come to an end. Chasida sat at one of the tables, one hand sticking the last bits of the challah roll into her two-year-old niece’s mouth, and the other patting the baby’s back.

She was playing full-time babysitter this evening. Yitzchak’s younger sister-in-law was getting married tonight, and had she not promised her sister-in-law Faigy that she’d come to help her with the little ones, she would have been glad to stay at home. But Faigy didn’t have any big daughters who could help her—only big boys—and she had really pleaded with Chasida. And Mrs. Dresnick had added that there was no way Chasida could not come to Tzivia’le’s wedding. After all, she was the mechutanim’s youngest child. So Chasida had closed the store half an hour early to be able to travel to Yerushalayim.

The mechuteiniste, Faigy and Tzivia’s mother, thanked her effusively for coming and gave her an emotional brachah, but it wasn’t hard to discern the young kallah’s unease. At Yitzchak and Faigy’s wedding, more than twenty years earlier, she had been ten months old. Chasida clearly remembered the blue-eyed baby who refused to part with her mother for even a minute; when the mothers walked around the chassan with Faigy under the chuppah, Tzivia had howled so much that her mother had had no choice, and the little girl had joined the last two revolutions. And then there was the missing pacifier that half the guests spent several long moments on the floor looking for, until one of Faigy’s brothers had run to find an open store so they could buy another one.

But Chasida didn’t even dream of repeating these incidents to the young, excited kallah. They likely didn’t interest her at this moment, and besides, it’s not pleasant to see people discomfited and know that it’s because of you. This twenty-three-year-old kallah, who had indubitably endured her fair share of worrying that she would become an old spinster, did not need to see Chasida up close right now.

“Eat, eat, it’s good,” her mother told Malka’le, who kept stubbornly closing her mouth as the fork approached. Keep Reading…

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