The Connection

The upcoming 45th Annual Lessans Family Book Festival will be a 10 days of presentations on a variety of books – many by authors who reside in the area. The festival will include a performance by Molly Ringwald, informational author’s discussions, a free movie about J.D. Salinger, food including brunch, ice cream and knishes, programs geared to children, a

journey through the Food Network – and more. Ringwald will kick-off the events on the evening of Nov. 6 with a performance from her first jazz album, “Except Sometimes,” The Golden Globe nominee is well-known for her starring roles in “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Pretty in Pink” as well as in award-winning Broadway productions.

Many local authors, along with other renowned writers, will highlight the festival. The subjects of their books cover everything from Jewish life to culture, history, heroes and politics to women’s issues as well as topics of interest to families and children. Unique formats will be featured for many of the author presentations. “New York Night” includes “Shows, Schmooze and Snacks” while “Breakfast and Baseball” with author J.B. Bernstein (“Million Dollar Arm”) pairs his discussion with a light breakfast.

Among local artists presenting are Debbie Levy of Potomac, Martin Goldsmith of Kensington, Mitchell Bard of Chevy Chase, Mark Lee Greenblatt of Bethesda, and Catherine Zacks Gildenhorn of Bethesda.

Debbie Levy

Levy “writes books — novels, nonfiction, picture books, poetry — for young people, old people, and in-between people.” At the festival, she and illustrator Vanessa Brantley-Newton will be presenting their book, “We Shall Overcome.” Written for children, the book pays tribute to the heroic spirit of protest that has shaped our nation and the world we live in.

Levy said, “I often go into schools and lead discussions about the song and how it evolved, thanks to the voices of so many people. It has roots in the days of slavery, in spiritual music, in the churches in the Carolinas. It was not only sung by slaves, but by women in the tobacco factories and other people who were protesting unfairness. Instead of fighting with guns and mortars, they fought with their brains – and by singing in unison. They were able to change the world.”

The book is geared to children ages 4 to 5 and up. “It can be understood by younger children, but upper elementary and middle school children will comprehend it on a different level,” said Levy. Levy and Brantley-Newton will be appearing on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 4:30 pm. Tickets are $8.

Martin Goldsmith

“Alex’s Wake, A Voyage of Betrayal and a Journey of Remembrance” by Martin Goldsmith is a personal memoir of his quest to retrace the sad journey of his 61-year-old grandfather Alex Goldschmidt and 17-year-old uncle, Klaus Helmut Goldschmidt. In 1939, they sailed from Hamburg, Germany to Havana, Cuba on the SS St. Louis with 938 other Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. However, Cuba, the U.S. and Canada turned the refugees away, and they were forced to return to Europe, where the two were shifted through internment camps in France. Ultimately, in 1942 they were sent to Auschwitz where they were murdered.

In his youth, Goldsmith felt a sense of loss in his family, but when the question was asked why they had no grandparents, aunts or uncles, he and his brother were told, “They were killed in the war.” It wasn’t until he was in his 40s that he started piecing together the story of what really did happen. He left on his journey in the spring of 2011 to explore the experiences of these two relatives he never knew.

“The journey was unsettling but gratifying” said Goldsmith. “I felt guilty and uneasy that we were traveling in relative comfort, while my grandfather and uncle were taken at the point of a gun, riding in boxcars and sleeping in barracks with inadequate living conditions. However, making sense of our parallel journeys was meaningful for me. Standing in the footsteps of my grandfather and uncle was incredibly moving. On the afternoon we were in Auschwitz, I was truly gripped with depression thinking that my family had been murdered here.”

“In Oldenburg, Germany where my grandfather once lived in affluence, I met a 93-year-old woman who had known my grandfather and uncle. Her father had been a Nazi. She had felt guilty all this time. She asked my forgiveness and we realized we each had a lot of shame and guilt in common. I also met the people who now own the house that my grandparents owned – the house that was stolen by the Nazis. The people who live in it now did not know anything about the story of my grandfather, but they volunteered to put up a plaque to honor them. I returned for the hanging of the plaque, which made me feel like the entire enterprise was worth it.”

Goldsmith has been an American radio personality and classical music host (WETA, NPR, Sirius XM) for 40 years and has written two other books: “The Inextinguishable Symphony” and “The Beatles Come to America”. He will be discussing “Alex’s Wake” on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 12 pm. Tickets are $12.

Catherine Zacks Gildenhorn

Bethesda’s Catherine Zacks Gildenhorn will discuss “Redefining Moments: End of Life Stories for Better Living” written by her father, Gordon B. Zacks, a prominent force in the Jewish community. When he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in December 2013, he chose to channel his positive energy into an end-of life celebration as well as an advice book to help others realize and maximize the joy of living. He requested that his daughter serve as his editor-in-chief, designated spokesperson and emcee of his Celebration of Life events.

She said, “His book is inspiring and poignant – with the goal of starting a conversation about the end of life, but also about the importance of living life fully. The whole book is about living with passion and purpose. Death will be no stranger to any of us and it is incredibly important to live each stage of your life to the maximum. Don’t wait to spend time with families, or to volunteer or take that trip.”

Throughout the book are memorable stories and quotations from Gordy Sacks that bring perspective to one’s life. For example, he writes, “The end of life doesn’t strip us of dignity. The last stages of life do assault our hubris ... Your willingness to accept perceived ‘humiliation’ will often be directly related to your opportunities to experience joy. Live life as it’s available to you and relish it.” One of his most remembered sayings is, “If I learned one thing in these revealing days, it’s Don’t Stop Now!”

“This festival is a wonderful opportunity to bring his book to our community,” Gildenhorn said. “Money made from the sales is seed money for the ‘Redefining Moments’ website as well as for our designated charity.”

The Gildenhorns are a well-known family to members of the JCC. Michael has served as JCC President and Cathy has served on the board and executive committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington as well as on the National Women’s Philanthropy Board. She also served as a presidential appointee to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. She will be discussing the book on Friday, Nov. 7 at noon. Lunch will be served. The ticket price is $40.

Mitchell Bard

Chevy Chase’s Mitchell Bard, a leading authority on U.S. – Middle East policy, executive director of the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise (AICE), director of the Jewish Virtual Library and author of more than 22 books will discuss his latest book, “Death to the Infidels: Radical Islam’s War Against the Jews.”

Bard said, “This book documents the growth of radical Islam in the Middle East and how it has transformed a political conflict into a one-sided religious war, pitting radical Muslims against Jews in Israel — and around the world.” He exposes the implications of this shift, the most important being the limitation of prospects for long-term peace between Israel and its neighbors, and the expectation of the radicals that the destruction of Israel is just the first step toward creating a global Muslim empire.

Bard believes there are no easy solutions, but he make the case that this are much more serious problems than thought-to-be by leaders, and there has to be a recognition that there is a war between the Muslims seeking to dominate the world and the West that has different values. “There must be more scrutiny and less tolerance for radicals. The prospects for peace are precarious.”

Although Bard has not presented his books previously in this area, he said, “I am looking forward to the discussion. This area is very well educated and informed and I am certain that my audience will be very knowledgeable on this topic.” He will speak on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. The ticket price is $12.

Mark Lee Greenblatt

Mark Lee Greenblatt’s book discussion of “Valor: Unsung Heroes from Iraq, Afghanistan and the Home Front” will take place on Veteran’s Day, Tuesday, Nov. 11 at noon. Tickets are $12.

The Bethesda attorney became interested in sharing the stories of unsung veterans who “stood out because, in each story, there was this moment of relative safety where the hero is not getting shot at — but who intentionally chooses to put himself in harm’s way and does not head to a secure location or seek self-protection. That extraordinary moment — what are they thinking or what made them decide to do it is what I focused on.”

An investigative criminal attorney by day, Greenblatt researched hundreds of stories of valor to select the nine in his book. “These soldiers, sailors and Marines have risked their lives several times over for their country as well as for their fellow troops and civilians. Still, until now, their stories have largely gone unnoticed by the public. I am pleased to be able to discuss ‘Valor’ in my hometown on Veteran’s Day. With Walter Reed National Medical Center so close, I am hoping that some of the veterans will come to the presentation. I know that this particular audience will be very close to the topic and I look forward to a meaningful discussion. These unsung heroes deserve to have their stories shared with the public and to be recognized for their bravery and dedication.”

Greenblatt grew up in Potomac and graduated from The Bullis School. His first job was delivering The Potomac Almanac door-to-door in Potomac.