Shimshon.

His very name conjures puzzling images and questions in the mind.

Who was this righteous man, this nazir and Shofet, who led the Jews for so many years? What was the source of his supernatural strength, the incredible might that enabled him to tear apart a lion and crush together the pillars of a building? How do we understand his marriage to Delilah, his Philistine wife? What lessons can we glean from his life and demise?

Shimshon’s Struggle, written by Harav Gershon Weiss shlit”a, was written with the goal of trying to clarify these difficult questions, as well as provide us with many important lessons along the way. Drawing upon numerous mefarshim, the book provides readers with the means to emerge from this enigmatic story in Sefer Shoftim with a most lucid understanding of the events…and the remarkable messages, applicable to each and every one of us, that can be gleaned from this great tzaddik’s life.

Whether you are a rebbi or morah attempting to teach Sefer Shoftim to your students, or you are a student learning this sefer, you will appreciate the clear and comprehensive approach Shimshon’s Struggle offers.

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One of the fringe benefits of being in the publishing industry is never having a shortage of reading material. There are always manuscript submissions sitting on our desks, waiting to be read and evaluated. Of course, that’s not to say that all manuscripts were created equal—just like our readers, we have our tastes and our preferences, and some manuscripts are just so pulling that we have no choice but to gravitate toward them immediately!

Like Split Loyalties. When the manuscript landed on my desk, it got whisked up by eager hands so fast, it barely had a chance to rest its tired back! “Historical fiction? I’m taking that one!” “A novel that takes place in the Egypt and Europe of the Middle Ages? Ooh, that should be good!”

Whatever its redeeming qualities were, the manuscript got devoured almost instantly by a whole bunch of us, and no one was disappointed. We all agreed that Split Loyalties is a gem of a good book: satisfying, entertaining, and informative.

Set against the backdrop of the Middle Ages and the menacing Crusade boot, some 800 years ago, an era of darkness unfolds… As the noxious Karaite movement gains momentum, the tectonic plates of history shift, creating irreversible schisms between neighbors, friends, and families… Plunged into the epicenter of conflict and tragedy, four young adults are forced to confront heart-wrenching decisions like never before…

Sounds tempting? We won’t ruin it for you! Join the crowds of satisfied fans of Split Loyalties and read this amazing historical novel yourself. You’ll be happy you did!

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How’s your memory these days? (What? You don’t remember?) Have you been retaining your learning, or do you easily forget what you’ve learned? If you are tired of experiencing memory slip-ups and embarrassing “senior moments,” especially when it comes to Torah that you have learned, you may find Brain Power to be of invaluable assistance to yourself.

What is Brain Power? Written by Rabbi Aharon Pessin, Brain Power is a unique sefer that focuses exclusively on the subject of memory and forgetfulness. In addition to being a comprehensive compilation from the Talmud and our Sages on this subject, bringing down the various opinions and sayings of Chazal on it, the sefer also includes many segulos and practical advice on how to improve one’s memory.

Eating olives. Eating olive oil. Sleeping with clothing under one’s head. Leaving open the pages of a sefer when leaving the room. All the well-known and little-known do’s and don’ts to prevent forgetfulness and aid one’s memory can be found in this handy, slim treasure.

Give your memory this gift. Brain Power—Torah’s Timeless Secrets to a Stronger Memory.  It’s a book that will fascinate you as it helps you in many practical ways.

And don’t forget that!

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Looking for a great Chanukah gift for that special ‘tween’ in your life? No need to look any further—we’ve got you covered!

Long-time popular author Sukey Gross has enchanted kids for years with her gifted writing. Her latest ‘tween’ series, The Adventures of the Levy Family, a historical novel series, has spellbound its readers with tales of life on the Lower East Side at the end of the nineteenth century. Herschel’s Battle completes this exciting series.

Read about Herschel’s “followers,” a group of young boys Herschel mentors, and the dangerous mess some of them find themselves in… Discover the source for Herschel’s mother’s mysterious headaches… With policemen, detectives, and a fiery explosion happening, this book is just PACKED with suspense and animation!

If you have ‘tweens’ who love reading as much as they love excitement and adventure, then Herschel’s Battle is the book you need to get them!

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Here’s a riddle:

What is something that the more you give of it to others, the more you get of it yourself?

Did you answer “respect”? (No? That’s okay; we know that’s what you meant to say…) Because “kavod,” honor or respect, is that incredible, intangible “something” that only increases within us when we give it to others.

If you’re big on the concept of self-esteem and showing proper respect to others; if you’re trying to instill these qualities into your children; or if you just wish you had more of these qualities yourself, you’ll love our latest offering, Run After (the right) Kavod!

Rabbi Moshe Don Kestenbaum is a popular columnist, author, and mechanech. In Run After (the right) Kavod, he takes us on a journey into the world of kavod to demonstrate both the positive aspects and the pitfalls of this commonly misunderstood term. You’ll read about self kavod, or self-esteem, as well as kavod in marriage, kavod between parents and children, and kavod between teachers and students. Written in an engaging and often humorous style, this book is sure to become a fast favorite for both adults and teenagers.

So what are you waiting for? The sprint is starting today! Run After (the right) Kavod…and you’ll never look back…

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Walk into a wedding hall—circles of people are dancing to Shwekey’s latest hora. Shop at your local sefarim store—and enjoy the music being piped in. Enter your teenager’s room (or maybe don’t; it’s not worth the risk, and anyway, standing outside the door will suffice, too…)—MBD is pounding away.

There’s no question about it: living in 2011, we are surrounded with music wherever we turn. It’s a wonderful thing, of course—that is, if one is able to appreciate music properly.

What’s that you’re asking? What’s there to appreciate about music?

Well, take one look at Rabbi Elysha Sandler’s book, Through Music and Song, and you will see exactly what I mean.

Did you ever wonder about the power of music? Why does it have such a pull on the human heart? How can it simultaneously evoke joy, dispel worry, spur one’s memory, and even bring one to teshuvah? Yet at the same time, we know that music also has the capacity to numb one’s clarity of mind and distract a person from his/her true goals in life!

It cannot be that music is a simple thing, just another form of mindless entertainment. There has to be more to it, and indeed, in Through Music and Song, Rabbi Sandler leads us on a journey through the secrets of music, explaining why and how we can tap into its awesome spiritual power and avoid its dangerous pitfalls.

Whether you are a major music fan, or someone who is content to simply tap your feet to the beat, you will be pulled by the melody that resonates from this book…

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Were you one of those kids who begged your parents for a telescope for your birthday present? Were you the student who was simply fascinated by the unit in science on planets and constellations? If yes, you’ve probably already bought this book—though it’s just been released a few days ago—but even if not, this is a book that will spellbind you to no end, and soon you, too, will be craving for it to grace your bookshelf.

The influence that mazalos have on Klal Yisrael’s destiny… The significance of the shevatim’s correlation to the zodiac…the monumental events in the Jewish timeline that are depicted through the constellation, and the lessons that can be learned from them… There is an entire cosmos concealed above ours – encompassing our past, present, and future—and you will find out all about it in The Secrets of the Stars.

View the celestial phenomena through the eyes of Chazal! With The Secrets of the Stars, your mind will become boggled in fascination with a subject many don’t ever think twice about!

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