Welcome to the Library.
The Samuel Osher Memorial Library is named for Sam Osher, a generous member of the Congregation Etz Chaim community who continuously supported the synagogue’s growth. The library, located upstairs in Congregation Etz Chaim, is a useful resource for synagogue members, providing access to a unique collection of nearly 4,000 items for loan. From books and educational material to music and movies, the library’s offerings have something for the whole family. And the Library provides a welcoming and comfortable physical space that may be enjoyed while attending events and services at the synagogue.
Library Hours & Access
The Samuel Osher Memorial Library is currently operating with limited hours. Plans to provide the congregation and the broader community greater access are currently under development. Please check back on this webpage as well as on our calendar, https://etzchaimme.org/calendar for updates.
If you would like more information or would like to make arrangements for borrowing library materials, please email
David Strassler
Our Library Programs
Women’s Book Club
The Women’s Book Club provides a friendly and informal gathering space for women who love to read and discuss books to come together socially and intellectually. Focusing on books written by and about Jewish women, the club meets monthly on a year-round basis, covering 12 books, selected by the group, per year. (See below for this year’s selections.) Led by Susan Pierce, the meetings boast lively discussions about the book-of-the-night as well as other books that our avid readers are enjoying. Susan enriches the discussions with insights from her own reading, links to author interviews, and literary articles. Come share your thoughts and enjoy good company. All meetings are currently being held on Zoom.
For more information, contact Susan Pierce at:
bookclub@etzchaimme.orgWomen’s Book Club Selections
January 11, 2024
The Sisters Weiss
Author:
Naomi Ragen
An “unforgettable examination of loyalty and betrayal; the differences that can tear a family apart and the invisible bonds that tie them together.”
Year Published:
2013
Page Count:
332
February 8, 2024
The Postcard
Author:
Anne Berest, translated by Tina Kover
A beautifully written autobiographical novel about French Jewry during and after the Holocaust, and finding one family’s roots
Year Published:
2023
Page Count:
464
March 14, 2024
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
Author:
James McBride
“A gathering place for Polish, Bulgarian and Lithuanian Jews — everyone from shoemakers to gangsters — as well as Italian laborers and the so-called ‘colored maids, housekeepers, saloon cleaners, factory workers, and bellhops of Chicken Hill.”
Year Published:
2021
Page Count:
400
April 11, 2024
The Dovekeepers
Author:
Alice Hoffman
“A story about murder, magic, faith, love, loyalty, fate and personal destiny” at Masada.
Year Published:
2011
Page Count:
512
May 9, 2024
Nobody Will Tell You This But Me
Author:
Bess Kalb
A tribute and memoir to her beloved grandmother.
Year Published:
2020
Page Count:
224
June 13, 2024
The Wonder Spot
Author:
Melissa Bank
A novel about Sophie Applebaum’s life.
Year Published:
2005
Page Count:
324
July 11, 2024
Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl
Author:
Renee Rosen
Historical fiction of Estee Lauder’s life.
Year Published:
2023
Page Count:
432
August 8, 2024
Woman on Fire
Author:
Lisa Barr
A budding journalist tracking down looted art to return to rightful heirs with intrigue, deception, and mystery
Year Published:
2022
Page Count:
416
September 11, 2024
The Escape Artist
Author:
Helen Fremont
A deeply troubling memoir of children of Holocaust survivors and the damage caused by keeping secrets.
Year Published:
2020
Page Count:
192
October 10, 2024
Everything is a Little Broken
Author:
Rebecca Sugar
A novel about parenting aging parents based on the author’s life.
Year Published:
2024
Page Count:
192
November 14, 2024
Bessie
Author:
Linda Kass
Historical fiction of Bess Myerson’s life during a time of antisemitism.
Year Published:
2023
Page Count:
256
December 12, 2024
Bookish People
Author:
Susan Coll
A novel about the owner of a small bookshop in DC.
Year Published:
2022
Page Count:
334
Children’s Books
If you’re interested in starting your own library of children’s books, please consider joining PJ Library, a program that distributes colorful children’s book to Jewish kids around the nation.
Visit pjlibrary.com if you would like to join.
Attention, All Book Worms!
Our call for library volunteers will be renewed when the Samuel Osher Memorial Library reopens. Please check the CEC Calendar page or the Library page for updates.
Contact David for more information.