What is Jewish Rochester Reading?
Join community leaders for a book review and discussion.
Each month a different member of our community will choose a book to share that they are passionate about. There will be time for discussion and Q&A — and snacks!Â
Details for Upcoming Talk
April 23, 2:00-3:00 PM
Board Room
Michael Wolkoff, from the Rochester Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, presents Peter Levine’s Ellis Island to Ebbets Field: Sport and the American Jewish Experience
This book explores the importance of sport in transforming Jewish immigrants into American Jews. Drawing on interviews with celebrities as well as lesser known neighborhood stars, Levine vividly recounts the stories of those who became Jewish heroes and symbols of the difficult struggle for American success. From settlement houses and street corners, their experiences illuminate a time when Jewish males dominated sports like boxing and basketball, helping to smash stereotypes about Jewish weakness while instilling American Jews with a fierce pride in their strength and ability in the face of Nazi aggression, domestic anti-Semitism, and economic depression.
This project was made possible by an IGNITE! Jewish Rochester Community Impact Grant funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester’s Annual Campaign for Jewish Needs.
