Register in advance or purchase your tickets at the event!!
We are looking so forward to seeing you!!
Book Festival Guest Moderator: Deborah Kalb
Deborah will be moderating the Opening Night and Book Lovers Brunch
Deborah Kalb is a freelance writer and editor. She spent about two decades working as a journalist in Washington, D.C., for news organizations including Gannett News Service, Congressional Quarterly, U.S. News & World Report, and The Hill, mostly covering Congress and politics. Her book blog, Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, which she started in 2012, features hundreds of interviews she has conducted with a wide variety of authors. Deborah Kalb and Mary Grace McGeehan co-host the podcast Rereading Our Childhood, where they revisit the books they loved as children.
Opening Night: Larry Tye, author of The Jazz Men
Wednesday, November 7 | 7:00 PM | In Person | $18
Pre-event reception begins at 6:15 PM
Join Us for the Opening Night of the Lessans Family Book Festival!
*Moderated by Deborah Kalb*
We are thrilled to welcome bestselling author Larry Tye who will discuss his latest work, The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America.
Pre-Event Reception: Come and add some sparkle to our festive opening night! Kick off the evening with an upbeat pre-event reception, complete with live jazz music. Savor refreshments, chat with fellow guests, and feel free to dress to impress, capturing the elegant charm of the Jazz Age.
Author Presentation: Larry Tye will jump ON the Lessans Family Book Festival bandstand to share with us the lives of three great maestros OFF the bandstand. Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie wrote the soundtrack for the civil rights revolution. The Jazzmen explores the Black-Jewish alliance of old—one where each of these African American bandleaders had a Jewish manager and bandmates—and how that might offer a model for today.
Don’t miss this opportunity to join us to JAZZ IT UP and gain a deeper insight into the profound impact of jazz on American history and culture.
There will be plenty of books on hand for sale and author signings.
Questions: Please contact Marcie Blackman:
mblackman@benderjccgw.org or at 301-348-3808
All Bender JCC programs are open to everyone. Contact Kate Falls, Director of Inclusion, at kfalls@benderjccgw.org or 301.348.3767 to discuss support and accommodations.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Book Lovers Brunch: Real Life and Other Fictions by Susan Coll
Friday, November 8 | 10:30 AM | In Person | $30*
*Ticket includes program and brunch.
*Moderated by Deborah Kalb*
As part of the Lessans Family Literary Series Book Festival, we’re thrilled to host Susan Coll, the acclaimed author of Real Life and Other Fictions, for an engaging Book Lovers Brunch. Susan, in conversation with author Deborah Kalb, will dive into her latest novel—a witty, heartwarming tale blending myth and reality.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Meet Cassie Klein, a 50-something struggling novelist and teacher, escapes her troubles through stories. After discovering her husband’s infidelity, she embarks on a road trip with a teething puppy to unravel the mystery of her parents’ deaths in a bridge collapse. Her journey takes a surreal twist when she encounters a cryptozoologist and investigates Mothman sightings connected to her parents’ fate. As reality and fiction merge, Cassie explores who controls the endings of her story.
Don’t miss this chance to enjoy a delightful morning of literary insights and delicious kosher dairy brunch provided by Shalom Kosher. Bring your friends, family, and book club for a memorable event!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Susan Coll is the author of seven novels, most recently Real Life & Other Fictions, which Kirkus calls “A kooky treasure.” Her other novels include Bookish People, The Stager, Acceptance, Rockville Pike, and Karlmarx.com
Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times, NPR.org, theatlantic.com, The Millions, and a variety of other publications including The Asian Wall Street Journal and the International Herald Tribune. Her novel, Acceptance, was made into a television movie starring the hilarious Joan Cusack.
Susan is the recipient of three recent grants from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. She works at Politics and Prose Bookstore and was the president of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation for five years. She teaches occasional workshops at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Questions: Please contact Marcie Blackman:
mblackman@benderjccgw.org or at 301-348-3808
All Bender JCC programs are open to everyone. Contact Kate Falls, Director of Inclusion, at kfalls@benderjccgw.org or 301.348.3767 to discuss support and accommodations.
PURCHASE TICKETS
The Einstein Effect, by Benyamin Cohen
Thursday, November 14 | 7:00 PM | $18
We are thrilled to welcome author Benyamin Cohen for the third book presentation as part of the Lessans Family Book Festival. Benyamin will discuss his book, The Einstein Effect:
We are thrilled to welcome author Benyamin Cohen for the third book presentation as part of the Lessans Family Book Festival. Benyamin will discuss his book, The Einstein Effect: How the World’s Favorite Genius Got into Our Cars, Our Bathrooms, and Our Minds.
ABOUT THE BOOK
In The Einstein Effect, author Benyamin Cohen embarks on a global quest to unearth Einstein’s ongoing relevance today. Along the way, he meets scientists and celebrities, speaks to dozens with the last name Einstein (including two rabbis), and even tracks down the brain of Einstein, stolen from his body during the autopsy. Cohen shows us the myriad ways the Nobel Prize winner’s influence is still with us, giving an in-depth – and often hilarious – look at the world’s favorite genius like you’ve never seen him before.
Albert Einstein was the first modern-day celebrity and, decades after his death, still has the world’s most recognizable face. His influence is seen in much of the technology we use every day: GPS, remote controls, weather forecasts, even toothpaste. But it’s not just his scientific discoveries that continue to shape our world. His legacy underpins the search for aliens, the rescue of refugees, the invention of time machines and the debunking of fake news. He appears in new books, TV shows and movies – and fans are paying millions for Einstein relics at auction.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Benyamin Cohen manages the official social media accounts of Albert Einstein. He is the News Director of the Forward and was the founding editor of both Jewsweek and American Jewish Life magazine. He is the co-host of the “That Jewish News Show” podcast. Cohen is also the author of My Jesus Year: A Rabbi’s Son Wanders the Bible Belt in Search of His Own Faith, named one of the best books of the year by Publishers Weekly and for which he received the Georgia Author of the Year award. He is based in Morgantown, West Virginia, where he lives with his wife, three dogs and a flock of chickens known as the Co-Hens.
*BOOK WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND THE AUTHOR WILL BE SIGNING AFTER THE EVENT
Questions: Please contact Marcie Blackman:
mblackman@benderjccgw.org or at 301-348-3808
All Bender JCC programs are open to everyone. Contact Kate Falls, Director of Inclusion, at kfalls@benderjccgw.org or 301.348.3767 to discuss support and accommodations.
PURCHASE TICKETS
Closing Night: The Talented Ms. Mandelbaum
Thursday, November 21 | 6:15 PM | $18
The Bender JCC is thrilled to welcome acclaimed author Margalit Fox for the closing night of our Lessans Family Book Festival. Margalit will present her newest book, The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized Crime Boss.
Get Ready for a Night of Literary Intrigue at the Bender JCC!
We’re rolling out the red carpet for the grand finale of our Lessans Family Book Festival, and it’s going to be a showstopper! Join us as we welcome author Margalit Fox, to present her latest page-turner, The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized Crime Boss.
Pre-Event Reception: A Tasty Kickoff!
Before Margalit takes the stage, join us for a delightful reception featuring an array of delicious desserts, coffee, and tea. It’s the perfect chance to chat with fellow attendees and savor some sweet treats.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Meet Marm Mandelbaum: New York’s First Female Crime Boss!
Step into the fascinating world of ‘Marm’ Mandelbaum, an incredible woman who shattered stereotypes and rose from humble beginnings to become a legendary figure in New York’s criminal underworld. From arriving in steerage in 1850 to making headlines as a notorious millionaire and fugitive, Mandelbaum’s story is as thrilling as it is inspiring.
The evening’s discussion will be led by local author and community favorite Deborah Kalb, who will dive deep into Margalit Fox’s meticulous research and the captivating life of Marm Mandelbaum. Expect an engaging and thought-provoking conversation that will leave you eager for more.
Don’t miss this chance to celebrate an extraordinary book and an unforgettable evening.
Questions: Please contact Marcie Blackman:
mblackman@benderjccgw.org or at 301-348-3808
All Bender JCC programs are open to everyone. Contact Kate Falls, Director of Inclusion, at kfalls@benderjccgw.org or 301.348.3767 to discuss support and accommodations.
PURCHASE TICKETS
