Greenberg Families Library Hours
- Monday-Thursday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday – Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
You must have an active SJCC or Greenberg Families Library membership to access the Library.
To purchase a Greenberg Families Library Membership click here.
Related Pages
Use of the library is included in your Soloway JCC membership!
- The latest Jewish Fiction and Non-Fiction available without long wait lists
- Extensive collection of books for children and young adults
- Foreign and English language DVDs including TV series, movies and documentaries
- MusicCDs from klez to classical to contemporary
- Israeli books and movies
- Computers available for use
To access our extensive collection click here to search the catalogue.
- Click on the Greenberg Families Library link and then hit the catalog button to begin searching.
Carlie MacPherson
Senior Librarian
(613) 798-9818 ext: 245
library@jccottawa.com
Greenberg Families Library Policies and Procedures
Effective July 2022, the Greenberg Families Library no longer accepts book donations.
Borrowing Books
You must have an active SJCC or Greenberg Families Library membership in order to borrow items.
Material requests will be held for a maximum of one week. Holds on new releases, or those with a waiting list of more than 3 people will be held for a maximum of 4 business days.
Find everything on our shelves from home using Greenberg Families Library Online Catalog
Book Return
The library’s book return box is outside the doors of the library.
All policies, procedures and operating hours are subject to change. Patrons will be notified of any updates.
Upcoming Events and Programs
Carlie’s Creations: Paper Quilling for Beginners
Date: Wednesday, January 15, 6:30-8:30 pm
Cost: $20
Register here.
Paper Quilling for Beginners is a hands-on, creative workshop designed to introduce newcomers to the art of paper quilling. This program focuses on the basics of quilling, a delicate and intricate craft that involves rolling, shaping, and gluing strips of paper to create beautiful, decorative designs.
Through the creation of a personalized monogram, participants will learn essential techniques, including creating basic shapes and combining them to form unique patterns and designs.
This program encourages creativity, attention to detail, and patience, offering a relaxing yet rewarding artistic experience.
All supplies included in the fee. No experience necessary.
The Read Between: Exploring Genres and Stories with Gefen Bar-On Santor
Date: February 8, 1:00 -2:30 pm
Cost: Free
Light refreshments will be served.
Register here.
Join us for an afternoon of literary connections in the SJCC library as we dive into captivating stories and thought-provoking themes! Whether you’re a seasoned reader or just looking to explore new genres, our discussions promise to ignite your passion for literature.
Share your insights, and connect with fellow book lovers as Gefen Bar-On Santor leads a discussion of three books in three genres curated by Carlie MacPherson, Senior Librarian at the Greenberg Families Library.
All are welcome, whether you’ve read one book, all three books, or none of them!
For more information, please contact Carlie MacPherson at the Greenberg Families library (613) 798-9818 ext 245.
Fiction:
Non-Fiction:
Young Adult:
New Titles
LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
The Light Keeper by Sheila Baslaw and Karen Levine
Shmuel is eager to help support his poor family, but no one in his shtetl is interested in hiring a ten-year-old boy. One day, the village installs new electric lamps, bringing light to their square and dazzling away the dark. Until a lamp breaks during a storm—and Shmuel is the only one who can fix it. Will Shmuel be able to conquer his fear of heights and bring light back to his town?
FICTION
Who Loves You Best by Marilyn Simon Rothstein
A woman drops everything to spend more time with her grandchild, only to discover new truths about herself. A humorous, heartfelt, feel-good novel from the author of Crazy to Leave You. For Jodi Wexler, a Florida doctor with a flourishing practice, only one thing’s missing: the chance to spend more time getting to know her eight-year-old granddaughter, Macallan. When Jodi’s restauranteur daughter asks her to watch Macallan in the Berkshires while she takes care of some business out of town, Jodi can’t say yes fast enough. Neither Jodi’s podiatric patients nor her just-fired, suddenly retired husband can keep her away. But when Jodi arrives, she discovers she’s not the only grandma at Lisa’s house. Lisa’s mother-in-law, Di―a hard-nosed real estate agent―has moved into the house. What’s more, there’s Grannie Annie, the twenty-seven-year-old girlfriend of Lisa’s oddball father-in-law. They’re not the only surprises. Lisa’s marriage is faltering even as her new restaurant is taking off. As the competition for Macallan’s attention among the three “grandmas” increases, Lisa drops a bomb about her life that changes everything. Under pressure, and determined to help her daughter, Jodi must choose her next step. Her decision surprises everyone―Jodi, most of all.
Other new titles:
- Eight Nights to Win Her Heart by Miri White
- The Gonif by Andy Weinberger
- The Republic of Salt by Ariel Kaplan
- The Sound of a Thousand Stars by Rachel Robbins
NON-FICTION
Antisemitism in the Arab-Israeli Conflict: Time to Confront the Elephant in the Room by David Stone
Description automatically generatedThe Holocaust has become sanctified as a one-off historical tragedy that has little to do with our own times except as a warning of what could happen again in some theoretical dystopian future. There seems to be a large blind spot for the lethal antisemitism that has long blighted Muslim countries and remains prevalent today throughout the Middle East and the world. This failure of collective vision has been responsible for inflicting incalculable and avoidable suffering on generations of both Jews and Arabs – as was vividly illustrated by the Hamas massacre of 7 October 2023 and the war it triggered. Drawing on multiple scholarly sources, Professor David Stone summarises the overwhelming evidence that eliminationist antisemitism is the ‘elephant in the room’ – the underlying cause and principal driver of the hundred-year long Arab-Jewish (now misleadingly reframed as Israeli–Palestinian) conflict – and is the main reason it remains unresolved. Until that political and genocidal bigotry is confronted, the conflict is likely to continue. The book concludes with a call to action. There is a moral obligation upon all of us – regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion or politics – to acknowledge this apparently immoveable obstacle to peace and to insist that the international community takes action. The most urgent priority is to alert the world to the existence of antisemitic anti-Israelism. The purpose of this book is to empower readers with the knowledge to take that crucial first step towards peace and justice not just for Israelis and Arabs, but for humanity as a whole.
Other new titles:
- Feeding the Eternal City: Jewish and Christian Butchers in the Roman Ghetto by Kenneth Stow
- On Freedom by Timothy Snyder
- One Day in October: Forty Heroes, Forty Stories edited by Yair Agmon
YOUNG READER
Tale of the Flying Forest by R.M. Romero
A spellbinding and lyrical modern fairy tale about a girl who journeys to an enchanted world to find the twin she’s never met, filled with lavish illustrations that bring the magic to life, perfect for fans of the Chronicles of Narnia. After her mother passes away and her father retreats into his grief, 11-year-old Anne Applebaum is afraid the only happy endings she’ll ever have are in The World to Come, a collection of fairy tales about the flying forest of Bei Ilai. In its pages, children outsmart demons, girls train as knights, and songs come to life. But even these stories can’t stop Anne from feeling alone. So when a raven tells her that she has a long-lost twin brother named Rainer, she sets out to find him. Anne soon learns that Bei Ilai is a real place—and she must step through the door into this magical realm to seek her brother. But the dangers in the flying forest are just as real as its beauty. To overcome the challenges and monsters she faces, Anne must lean into the magic contained within her and her Jewish faith—especially when she discovers Rainer is locked away by a being more frightening than any dragon. Because the most terrifying villain of all is one who used to be a hero.
JUVENILE
Eight Sweet Nights, A Festival of Lights: A Hanukkah Story by Charlotte Offsay
A warm and yummy Hanukkah-themed picture book about the joys of coming together to celebrate with family and food. It’s time to start counting sleeps—Hanukkah is coming! Shimmering, shining, sparkling. Eight sweet nights, a festival of lights. Set in a cozy house full of latkes, applesauce, sufganiyot, and other Hanukkah holiday treats, this warm and emotional story highlights the importance and joy of passing along traditions from one generation to the next, and making new traditions too. Children can also learn about the meaning of their holiday, with informative side notes on each page to give a brief explanation of words found at Hanukkah, such as Maccabees, hanukkiah, shamash, and gelt. An afterword from the author provides even more historical background to the holiday, making this a book to take from the shelves year after year.
Other new titles:
- A Bright Light in Buenos Aires by Santiago
- Charley and Seymour’s Hanukkah Miracle by Melody Howard Ritt
- Miri’s Moving Day by Adam R. Chang and Stephanie Wildman
Libby – Digital and Audiobooks
The Libby app is the easiest way to get started with digital and audiobooks from your public library!
Download the free Libby app on any device to get started or visit libbyapp.com
Why Libby is your perfect reading companion:
- Eliminate wait lists for your favourite titles.
- Read or listen on your phone, tablet, or other e-reader.
- Make any text large print and adjust lighting settings for ebooks.
- Change the playback speed or set a sleep timer for audiobooks.
- Questions? Speak to your librarian, or get help in the app from the U.S.-based Libby support team.
- Install Libby for Android, iOS, or Fire tablets from overdrive.com/apps/libby. Or, visit libbyapp.com in your Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge browser.
- Email the Greenberg Families Library to set up your login credentials (library@jccottawa.com)
- In Libby, follow the prompts to find your library and sign in with your email.
- Browse your library’s collection and borrow a title.
- Borrowed titles appear on your Shelf and download to the app automatically when you’re on Wi-Fi, so you can read them when you’re offline.
- Tap Open In Libby, Open Audiobook to start reading or listening in the app.
- Tap Manage Loan to see options like Renew Loan and Return Early.
Happy reading!
Sefer Torah 1336
This is Sefer Torah 1336, the Ivanovice Scroll
Having arrived in Ottawa on permanent loan from the Memorial Scrolls Trust in Westminster, England, Sefer Torah 1336 was dedicated in 1998 and installed in the Soloway Jewish Community Centre’s Greenberg Families Library in April 2001. Where it has been ever since.
Sefer Torah 1336 comes from the town of Ivanovice, now part of the Czech Republic. Ivanovice is located approximately 7km from the district town of Vyskov. Until 1918, Ivanovice and the region were part of the Austrian Empire. Between the two World Wars, and during the postwar communist era, it was part of the Republic of Czechoslovakia.
History of the Jews in Ivanovice
It is unclear precisely when Jews first settled in Ivanovice, however, tombstones dating from the 17th century indicate that by that point there were a significant number of Jews living there. By 1727, a synagogue had been built. By the mid-20th century the majority of the Jews in the community spoke German.
In 1848, Jews throughout the Austrian Empire were emancipated and received full civil rights. Restrictions on movement were also removed, which led to a migration of Jews to larger towns and cities in search of more economic and educational opportunities. This resulted in a population decline of the Jewish community of Ivanovice. In 1857, the Ivanovice Jewish community’s population peaked at 483, which was approximately 20% of the town’s total population. However, by 1922, this population had decreased to only 80 members. By 1930, the Jewish population had dropped to just 64.
The Jews of Ivanovice and The Holocaust
When the 1938 Munich Agreement was enacted the Republic of Czechoslovakia was dissolved and in March 1939, the region of Bohemia and Moravia became a protectorate of Nazi Germany. This ushered in a period of discrimination and violence against the Jews of the area.
While we do not know for sure, it is most likely that the Jews of Ivanovice were deported to the Terezin (Theresienstadt) Ghetto along with the Jews of Brno around the end of 1941. From there, they would have been sent to a number of concentration and death camps. Jewish life was not renewed in Ivanovice after the war.
The Looted Torahs
During the Second World War the Nazis looted many items, including Torah from damaged Synagogues and stored them near Prague. After the war some 1,100 were recovered. Those that could be repaired were, but those that were not sparked a debate about what to do with them. It was determined that these Torahs would be used for educational purposes, displayed in Jewish Centers, museums, archives, schools, etc. around the world as a memorial and reminder of the Holocaust.
While we are unsure of the original provenance of Sefer Torah 1336, we believe it could have come from this Synagogue. This synagogue was active from the early 19th century until the outbreak of the Second World War. The Synagogue was reconstructed in 1951 but has since been converted into a Czechoslovak Hussite Church.
As written by Rabbi Kassel Abelson:
“A notice was sent to synagogues, museums, colleges and similar institutions throughout the world offering such a scroll on condition that they be kept on perpetual display as a reminder of the Holocaust. Over four hundred synagogues, museums, colleges, etc., have received such Torahs and keep them on display as a reminder of the Holocaust.”
For information on other Memorial Torah Scrolls please visit www.memorialscrolltrust.org
