The Migdal Chapter of Hadassah at NST Invites You to…
Become a Zoombie!
BY DEE-DEE GOIDEL
Unfortunately, our lives have
become controlled by an
unseen variable that affects
our self-determination. We are not
completely masters of our fate and
as a result, our participation options
are limited due to the need for per-sonal
distancing.
Recently, the Hadassah Migdal
Executive Board held a board meet-ing
via Zoom in order to make plans
to reopen some of the activities for
our faithful members.
The problem we face is due
to CDC and New York State
guidelines regarding Covid-19 for
everyone’s health protection, and
the only mode of safe interaction
is for all our members to become
“Zoombies!” I am sure that many
of you have already zoomed with
your families and friends.
Now you can become a Migdal
“Zoombie” so you can participate
in the Book Club discussions or
enjoy your Yiddish Club once more.
In addition, we hope to bring you
movies and speakers.
In order to make this happen,
Migdal has purchased a Zoom
account for our members’ benefit,
so there is no cost to you. Another
benefit: You can wear lipstick and
no mask –small perks, yes—but
we can all smile once more at one
another!
Becoming a Zoombie is easy:
There is a host for the zoom meet-ing
who invites you by email with
the date and time of the meeting
and a code for you to click on to
join. Do not worry--you will receive
some help in advance.
If you don’t have a computer, you
can use your iPad or cellphone.
With any of these devices you will
be able to hear, see and speak in
the meeting. Note: If you do not
have any of the above devices, you
will be given a phone number to
call in. You will be able to listen
to the meeting but won’t be able to
actively participate.
Most important, not all mem-bers
have given us their emails, so
Migdal does not have a complete
list. If you have not been receiving
emails from the Migdal Chapter, it
means we do not have your email.
Please send your email address
to Zona Schreiber at: zonars@
aol.com.
We hope to begin Zooming soon
with the book discussions (see
Sidebar). Remember, the sooner
you get the information in, the
sooner it can begin!
Summer Reading Selections
THE WORLD THAT WE
KNEW by Alice Hoffman
This historical novel, a
New York Times bestseller,
introduces the reader to Ava,
a female Golem created in the
early days of WWII to serve as
a protector of Lea, a 12 year old
Jewish girl who is being sent
alone from Berlin to Paris by
her mother to save her from the
Nazis. Accompanying them is
Ettie, a Rabbi’s daughter who
created the Golem. The novel
follows them as they traverse
war-torn France in search of
safety. Considered by critics
to be a wartime odyssey, the
author blends ancient Jewish
folklore, superstition and
reality in a beautiful, delicate
fashion.
“The greatest magic in this
novel is humankind’s enduring
capacity for love— a love that
survives even in the midst of
the most evil human behavior.”
Fran Hawthorne, New York
Journal of Books
THE LAST WATCHMAN OF
OLD CAIRO by Michael David
Luban
For centuries there was a
thriving Jewish presence in
Egypt and in
this historical
novel, we are
introduced to
the ancient Ben
Ezra Synagogue
in Cairo and the
generations of a
Muslim family
who served
with honor and
distinction as
watchmen of the
notable syna-gogue.
Covering
a span of almost
1,000 years, the
book is divided
into three eras
starting over 800
years ago, on to the 1800s, and
continuing up to contemporary
times.
“The three narratives are
all so wonderfully rich that to
summarize them here is beyond
the limits of this space… ‘The
Last Watchman of Old Cairo’
is only one story…but it’s its
own very real act of preserva-tion,
a fight against erasure, a
mingling of history and imagi-nation
and mystery.” – Natalie
Bakopoulos, San Francisco
Chronicle
THE BOOKSHOP OF THE
BROKEN HEARTED by Robert
Hillman
Our final novel takes us
to the town of Hometown
in rural Australia in the late
1960s. Populated by farmers
and sheep ranchers, it focus-es
on Tom Hope, a rancher,
who is recently divorced
after a miserable marriage,
and Hannah Babel, a twice
widowed Jewish survivor
of the Holocaust, who has
immigrated to the town to
realize her dream of opening
a bookshop in a small town.
The blending of this oddly
matched pair develops into a
unique tale of loss, survival,
parental love and hope.
“Hillman offers an uplifting exploration of
how people rise above tragedy to find joy…
the novel is an impressive, riveting tale of
how two disparate and well-drawn people
recover from soul-wrenching grief and allow
themselves to truly love again.” – Publisher’s
Weekly
We look forward to resuming our lively and
informative sessions once things return to nor-mal
(or a new normal) and we will announce
dates as soon as we are able. In the meantime,
stay well, stay safe, wear your masks and enjoy
the recommended books above.
August 2020 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 33
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