Dear Friend,

Greetings from New York City, where summer is all around us. We hope you have been enjoying leisurely sunny days curled up with a book or two. Have you noticed that over the summer JBI began sending you multiple books on a single cartridge?  
 
At JBI, the staff is still going strong despite this heat, and everyone is working hard to launch a spectacular series of fall programs and provide each of you with all a wide array of Jewish holiday information and materials—from calendars to book groups and from prayer books to children’s books.  
 
We have been working on some important technology updates in response to your requests to access and download our materials more easily. We are thrilled to share that we have converted our library patron information system to KLAS, so that we can better serve you. We are also in the process of completely redesigning our website, establishing our on-demand and multiple books on one DTB protocols, updating our catalogs, and preparing to automate a process to make our materials available digitally. Stay tuned!  
 
Our expanded work and efforts are helping us stay true to, and further deliver on, our core mission of making sure that we provide personalized attention and care that responds to your individual needs and interests to help you engage in the way you prefer through braille, large print, audio, or any format, methods, or means you desire. We are committed to increasing the ways we do that, and to building our capacity to be the one place you can turn to for anything you need.  
 
I hope the end of the summer is full of good things, that you find warmth and joy in your interactions with JBI, and that you enjoy our programming and new materials, a list with more details about which are just below. Remember, this year Rosh Hashanah is “late,” October 2nd, and we are grateful to have the entire month of September for us to engage with each and every one of you! 
  
Best wishes for a sweet new year,   
Livia
 

Livia Thompson
Executive Director
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From Our Library 
 
JBI Voices and JBI Braille Review: The Latest in Jewish News, Art, and Culture  
In this fraught time for our country, Israel, and many other parts of the world we want to make sure we are providing timely access to the information and voices on the important topics of today. Don’t forget that our round-ups of the best in current events, music, art, and news in Jewish culture are always available to you for free. Register to receive our monthly audio editions of JBI Voices or the JBI Braille Review at https://jbilibrary.org/magazines.  
 
Focus on Israel 
We are also continuing our audio series highlighting Israeli voices and the situation in Israel and Gaza, which you can listen to at https://jbilibrary.org/jbi-jbc.

New Books!  
We continue to produce great braille and audiobooks of all genres as quickly as we can. One of our very special projects that has been many years in the making has finally arrived, the first-ever braille edition of the Lev Shalem Siddur! If you are interested in this wonderful multi-volume publication, please reach out. Our book catalogs are also growing every month and more great reads now available include: 
 

New in audiobooks: 

Stanley Kubrick: New York Jewish Intellectual by Nathan Abrams (nonfiction) 

The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish (fiction) 

Knock-Knock by Owen Lewis (poetry)
 

 
New in braille: 

Wise Aging: Living with Joy, Resilience, and Spirit by Rabbi Rachel Cowan and Dr. Linda Thai (nonfiction)
 
The Dig by Anne Burt (novel)

Just Human: The Quest for Disability, Wisdom, Respect, and Inclusion by Arielle Silverman (nonfiction) 

 
Making the High Holy Days Even Sweeter  
 

Our annual Jewish calendars in braille and large print are now available for ordering, plus an array of High Holy Day themed books, everything from children’s stories to liturgical texts. Please note, if you are a JBI patron and received a Jewish reference calendar last year, this year's calendar will automatically mail to you by September 30. A full list of JBI’s High Holy Days materials are available on our website at https://jbilibrary.org/.

For children:  

Apples Apples All Year Round by Barbara Bletz and June Sobel

The Shofar That Lost its Voice by David E. Fass 
 
For adults:  

Days of Awe by S.Y. Agnon (midrash and fiction)
 
The Voice of Sarah: Feminine Spirituality & Traditional Judaism by Tamar Frankiel (nonfiction)  

  
Upcoming Events & Programs 
 
Jewish Voices on Democracy 
We have launched a new project, Jewish Voices on Democracy, which will include information on accessible voting, as well as insightful essays and sermons on the Jewish values inherent in civic responsibility and democracy. You won’t want to miss this nonpartisan exploration of an important right and duty. Learn more about this initiative at https://jbilibrary.org/jbi-jvd.

JBI Launches Judaism 101 With “Intro to Rosh Hashanah” September 10, Zoom 
Are you interested in learning more about Jewish life and practice or sharing it with others?  Join us for a special three-part Judaism 101 series, launching this fall with “Intro to Rosh Hashanah.” Join JBI’s Rabbi Andrew Goodman for a Zoom session as we discuss new beginnings, repentance, and other themes of the High Holy Days with an accessible text study and group discussion. Registration is free and participants will receive their choice of braille, large print, or audio discussion guide before the course. More information and registration at https://jbilibrary.org/catalog/judaism-101/.

 “Tastes & Sounds of Rosh Hashanah” September 25, In-Person 
For those of you who live near JBI or will be visiting New York City, we welcome you to join us for a delicious in-person pre-Rosh Hashanah program on September 25 with Lana Flame, as she leads a celebration of the tastes, sounds, and words of the High Holy Days. The session will be at JBI in NYC and registrants will receive materials in their choice of braille, large print, or audio format. Holiday-themed food and refreshments will be provided. More information and registration at https://jbilibrary.org/catalog/judaism-101/.

Jewish Poetry Series Kick-Off November 9, in-person and Zoom  
As part of our effort to bring different Jewish voices to our patrons, we are collaborating with Jewish poets to record their poetry and build our poetry collection. We are excited to kick off a three-part poetry series, beginning with a hybrid Zoom and in-person, fully accessible poetry reading and discussion. Join us for this inaugural event November 9, 6 pm ET, hosted by Central Synagogue on East 55th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. More information and registration at https://jbilibrary.org/catalog/jewish-poetry-workshops/. And stay tuned for two more virtual poetry happenings in 2025!  

JBI Book Groups 
Our three Book Groups—two in English and one in Russian—continue and are always open to new members interested in reading, chatting, and having a great time together. Join us for vibrant discussions of good books. Please contact our librarians Sarah Feldman and Inna Suholutsky at library@JBILibrary.org and they will be delighted to share options with you.

Patrons’ Council: Making a Difference 
We want to hear from you! Our Patrons’ Council continues to provide us with essential information and gives us a sounding board to share our thinking about future programs and focus—we welcome your involvement, ideas, and concerns. Please contact our librarians Sarah Feldman and Inna Suholutsky at library@JBILibrary.org to get involved. 

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Get in touch!
We are committed to serving you, and want to hear from you. 

Visit our website at www.jbilibrary.org
 
Phone: 212-545-8025 or 800-433-1531 

Emails:   
Livia Thompson, Executive Director, LThompson@JBILibrary.org   
Sarah Feldman, Librarian, SFeldman@JBILibrary.org  
Inna Suholutsky, Librarian, ISuholutsky@JBILibrary.org  
Noa Etedgi, Project Administrator, NEtedgi@JBILibrary.org
 

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