Greenberg Families Library

When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin

On the morning of October 7, 2023, Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s beloved twenty-three-year-old son, Hersh, was stolen from a music festival billed as a celebration of unity and love—and, in that moment, her life was forever separated into The Before and The After. Over the next eleven months, she and her husband, Jon, would work tirelessly—in public and behind the scenes—to secure the hostages’ release, to breathe some humanity into the situation while they were experiencing relentless emotional and psychological torment. The power of her raw and fervent pleas soon made her the face of the hostage crisis. And when Hersh and five other captives were executed after surviving 328 days of violence and cruelty, she would also become the face of its ultimate cost. In When We See You Again, Rachel pours her pain, love, and longing onto paper, giving voice to the broken among us, and reminding us that even when the world feels choked with darkness, light exists in a different way. How do we find it? Her own experience has been extreme, but at its essence, this is a universal story of trying to live with grief. It is a story of how we remember and how we persevere, of how we suffer and how we love.

Russ & Daughters: 100 Years of Appetizing by Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper

In 1907, a Jewish immigrant named Joel Russ landed in New York City, where he took a pushcart of herring and built a legacy that would pass down through fathers and daughters (and sons and husbands and wives) for more than a hundred years. Four generations later, the ancestral heart of Russ & Daughters continues to bustle on the Lower East Side, with three more locations throughout the city. Over the course of a century, Russ & Daughters has fed hundreds of thousands of customers, many considering a visit to the original shop on East Houston a family tradition, weekly ritual, or New York experience. Now, for the first time, Russ & Daughters brings its world-famous institution into readers’ homes. Its rich history is told through insider anecdotes from the family and characters on both sides of the counter; illuminating guides to its most famed offerings—smoked salmon, sable, sturgeon, herring, and caviar; and more than 100 cherished recipes for favorite foods like latkes, matzo ball soup, babka, and bagels, among many others. Nothing can ever replace the experience of taking a number, kibbitzing with a slicer, waiting in line, and ordering your whitefish or belly lox. Yet this book captures some of that infectious Russ & Daughters appetizing spirit, and most importantly, brings families and friends together around the table.

Knight Elby and the (Almost) Impossible Quest by Yahi Lapid

A hilarious adventure with a thrilling dragon-sized quest, featuring Knight Elby and his friends, with short chapters ideal for reading aloud at bedtime. Meet Elby, a young and hopelessly heroic knight whose valiant heart is matched only by his knack for losing his sword at the worst possible moments. With the help of his friends, Elby is determined to rescue the enchanting Princess Eleni from the clutches of the menacing Queen Concenta Cylmus. Knight Elby the Brave is a laugh-out-loud, edge-of-your-seat tale packed with thrilling scrapes, bizarre twists, and the kind of mental gymnastics that might make your head spin. From narrow escapes in crumbling castles to outsmarting riddling trolls, Elby’s quest is a whirlwind of action and hilarity. But beneath the sword-swiping (when he can find it) and dragon-ducking, Elby’s story reveals the true courage of friendship, determination, and believing in yourself—even when you trip over your own armor. This uproariously funny, action-packed rollercoaster is a must-read for adventure lovers, laugh-seekers, and anyone who’s ever felt like they’ve misplaced something important… like a sword. Highly recommended for knights of all ages! An undiscovered classic now translated into English for the first time, this Hebrew bestseller by a former Israeli Prime Minister was first published in Israel in 1998 almost 30 years ago.

Tractor Zack on Sunshine Kibbutz by Alice Blumenthal McGinty

Tractor Zack has always been a hardworking helper on Sunshine Kibbutz. But when his tires go flat and his engine slows down, he starts to wonder if he’s too old to be useful. As the kibbutz prepares for the joyful Shavuot holiday, Zack searches for a new job—and a renewed sense of purpose. With help from young Ben and a little creativity, Zack discovers that being useful doesn’t always mean doing what you used to do. Set on a modern Israeli kibbutz, Tractor Zack is a heartwarming tale of resilience, reinvention, and belonging, with gentle humor and a celebration of Jewish culture and community.