Ben Yehuda Press

07/07/2025

Parenting on a Prayer | July 17 | Online

07/02/2025

This is still relevant as the GOP tries to pass state laws—BYP author Rabbi Joshua Hammerman's op-ed in Religious News Service opposing Louisiana's law mandating hanging the Ten Commandments in public schools.

https://religionnews.com/2025/01/15/notice-no-one-is-rescuing-the-ten-commandments-from-a-burning-synagogue/

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Hammerman argues that treating the Ten Commandments as an object as sacred violates Jewish understanding of the Ten Commandments themselves.
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Rabbi Hammerman is the author of EMBRACING AUSCHWITZ FORGING A VIBRANT, LIFE-AFFIRMING JUDAISM THAT TAKES THE HOLOCAUST SERIOUSLY. The book is currently on sale for 35% off; $12.32. Buy it at the link!

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/embracing-auschwitz/

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06/29/2025

A little thread of music by Jewish-American guitarist Marc Ribot, starting with his classic "Yo! I Killed Your God"

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Here he is with John Zorn on an amazing guitar freak out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK8wYxsTyCE
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here's Ribot with Ellery Eskelin on a tribute to great tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unb6X6uwmUA
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and here's the first track of his first solo album from 1992, with his band the Rootless Cosmpolitans.

we could keep going indefinitely (he's recorded a lot!) but I think that's enough weird Jewish music for this Sunday!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69TotT9Jn6k
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Provided to YouTube by Redeye WorldwideYo! I Killed Your God · Marc RibotYo! I Killed Your God℗ 1999 TzadikReleased on: 1999-05-18Main Artist: Marc RibotCom...

06/27/2025

Sally Priesand, the first ordained American woman rabbi, was born on this day in 1946. She's one of our HEROES WITH CHUTZPAH!

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/heroes-with-chutzpah/
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Priesand's ordination and career were difficult. She faced sexism in seminary, and had difficulty in finding a congregation. She finally served for 25 years as rabbi of Monmouth Reform Temple in Tinton Falls, New Jersey.
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You and your young readers can learn more about Priesand in HEROES WITH CHUTZPAH by Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, available at the links below.

BYP: https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/heroes-with-chutzpah/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Chutzpah-Jewish-Trailblazers-Changemakers/dp/1953829619
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06/26/2025

We are thrilled to announce that pre-orders are available for Rabbi Abby Stein's SOURCES OF PRIDE, a look at Jewish views on gender and sexuality in a range of core texts.
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You can pre-order SOURCES OF PRIDE right now. The book provides Jewish views on gender and sexuality anthologized from Biblical, Talmudic, Midrashic, Rabbinic, and Chassidic sources with contemporary and personal commentary.

It is out in September:

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/sources-of-pride/
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06/25/2025

Wanted to highlight one of our recent publications; Rabbi Mel Gottlieb's TORAH TRAVELS: A PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL JOURNEY THROUGH THE WEEKLY TORAH PORTION.
TORAH TRAVELS is available at the links below

BYP: https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/torah-travels/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Torah-Travels-Psycho-Spiritual-Journey-Through/dp/1963475607

06/24/2025

The JBI (former Jewish Braille Institute) has sponsored audio recordings of two Jewish Poetry Project titles: Rodger Kamenetz's THE MISSING JEW and Maya Bernstein's NO PLACE WITHOUT YOU.

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They should be available on all audiobook platforms soon; THE MISSING JEW is already available on Hoopla, which you may be able to access with a library card.

https://www.hoopladigital.com/audiobook/the-missing-jew-rodger-kamenetz/17705820
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A bit more info about the books: Maya Bernstein's NO PLACE WITHOUT YOU is her debut collection.

"...a speaker attempts to balance—impossibly, ecstatically—her roles as mother, wife, cancer survivor, and observant Jew."
—Jehanne Dubrow

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/there-is-no-place/
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Rodger Kamenetz THE MISSING JEW is a collection of work from a leading Jewish poet—praised by Louise Erdrich, Yehuda Amichai, and Jerome Rothenberg, among many others.

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/the-missing-jew/
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Both books are available soon as audiobooks on hoopla and other platforms. Thanks again to JBI for recording and mastering these books!
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06/23/2025

Dan Libenson & Lex Rofeberg's JUDAISM BOUND (UNBOUND): PROVOCATIVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE JEWISH FUTURE WITH THE MOST VISIONARY THINKERS AND PRACTITIONERS is now available!

We're going to share some excerpts from those provocative convos here.

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/judaism-unbound-bound/
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Here's an excerpt from an interview with Barbara Thiede, an assistant professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and a rabbi in the Jewish Renewal movement.
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An excerpt with an interview with April Nichole Baskin, lead coach of Grounded & Growing, a trauma-agile social justice leadership program and community, who hosts the Joyous Justice Podcast.
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An interview with Shira Stutman, who at the time of the interview was the senior rabbi at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in Washington, DC.
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from an interview with Jenna Reback, the creator and host of the Bad Jew Weekly podcast, which ran from 2016 to 2018.
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You can read the full transcripts of all of these interviews and many more in JUDAISM BOUND (UNBOUND) by Dan Libenson & Lex Rofeberg. order today!

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/judaism-unbound-bound/
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06/22/2025

A poem for sunday by Jewish-American poet Hadara Bar-Nadav .

06/19/2025

A unique book in our catalog: Dainy Bernstein edits ARTIFACTS OF JEWISH CHILDHOOD, an essay collection about the toys, books, cartoons, and culture that define Orthodox Jewish childhood.

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/artifacts-of-orthodox-childhoods/
In Geveb has a nice review of the book discussing its scope and inspiration.

https://ingeveb.org/articles/artifacts-of-orthodox-jewish-childhoods
This is a great book for those who experienced an Orthodox childhood and for general readers interested in childhood and Jewish culture. You can purchase the book at the links below.

BYP: https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/artifacts-of-orthodox-childhoods/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Artifacts-Orthodox-Jewish-Childhoods-Personal/dp/1953829252

06/16/2025

In DUETS ON PSALMS, two rabbis, Elie Spitz and Jack Riemer, take a fresh look at ancient texts, helping new readers discover old truths.

https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/duets-on-psalms/
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"they unveil the deep wisdom and compassionate heart in the Book of Psalms."
—Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson,
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You can order DUET ON PSALMS at the links below.

BYP: https://www.benyehudapress.com/books/duets-on-psalms/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Duets-Psalms-Drawing-Meaning-Ancient/dp/1953829627
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06/15/2025

Billy Joel, one of the most successful Jewish poets/songwriters of the past decades, has announced he is ill and is no longer planning to tour. Thought we'd do a short thread in tribute.

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"Miami 2017 (the Lights Go Out on Broadway)" from 1976 is one of the odder songs about the Jewish experience; it's a dystopian SF song about New Yorkers retiring to Florida. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coYwBvysy3Q&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD
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"Only the Good Die Young" is about dating Catholic girls...which implicitly acknowledges that Joel is not a Catholic boy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coYwBvysy3Q&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD
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"New York State of Mind"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol0dPJdzm1M&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD
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And here's Olivia Rodrigo, telling the kids that Billy Joel is still relevant.

We'll be back to books tomorrow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fp6PK2ZKoI
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Original Music Video for "Piano Man" by Billy JoelListen to Billy Joel: https://billyjoel.lnk.to/listenYD Subscribe to the Billy Joel YouTube Channel: https:...