A few years later my grandfather died from complications that he had from a heart attack and stroke that he had a few months earlier. While the family was sitting shiva (Jewish mourning period of one week) I was looking through some of his belongings, and among them was a government issue World War Two Jewish Prayer Book, from when he had served. I decided to keep it as an heirloom from him, and added it to my other Judaica books collecting dust on my bookshelf.

A few more months would pass, and I was taking a Middle East/Asia civilization class in high school. For a final paper I chose the subject of the Jews of Asia, since I wanted to expand my knowledge on my Jewish roots. Unknowingly, I had began my fascination with Judaica with this research paper. During my research on the Jews that inhabited India, I found some pictures of synagogues. One of them gave me a sense of deja vu. Now, when my grandfather had was in World War Two, he was not sent to the front. He was sent first to India and then to China as a radio operator. I went to the suitcase in which he had kept his mementos from the War, including the prayer book I kept. In the suitcase are all sorts of stuff, including pictures. One of the pictures that was there was of the synagogue in India that gave me the sense of deja vu. Before, my family had not known what some of the pictures were of, and I had been able to identify them. This was very exciting for me, and the picture became a great visual aid in my paper.

After the research paper I purchased, or received more books on Jewish History; and even went to some historical synagogues in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Venice, Italy, and Jerusalem and Masada, Israel. I have also had the chance to visit the historical library at the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. There I was able to view many rare Jewish books, including the Kaifeng Jewish Book of the Dead. It is a book that lists all of the anniversaries of death of the Jewish inhabitants of Kaifeng, China for several hundred years. What is amazing is that the Hebrew in it is written in a Chinese calligraphy style. During my research paper on the Jews of Asia, this book was mentioned by some of the authors of my sources, many not knowing if it still existed.

Today my Judaica book collection comprises of Jewish religion, art, literature, history, culture, folklore, (auto)biographies, and cooking. I enjoy reading about my family and cultural experiences. It has taught me from where my ancestors came and a sense of cultural identity.

1.) Keller, Sharon. The Jews, A Treasury of Art and Literature. New York: Hugh Lauter
Levin Associates, Inc., 1992.

This is a copy of the first edition of Sharon Keller's treasury of Jewish art and literature spanning several thousand years, from the biblical period to the modern era.

2.) Joselit, Jenna Weissman. The Wonders of America, Reinventing Jewish Culture,
1880-1950. New York: Hill and Wang, 1996.

This book is about the American Jewish Immigrant experience from 1880-1950 and how they adapted to American culture while retaining some their Jewish culture.

3.) Roiphe, Anne. Lovingkindness. New York: Warner Books, 1987.

This is an autobiographical story about Anne Roiphe, a self declared feminist who is of Jewish origin, and the experiences that she goes through when she learns that her daughter has gone to Israel, and joined an ultra-orthodox group of Jews.

4.) Hindus, Milton. The Jewish East Side 1881-1924. New Brunswick, New Jersey:
Transaction Publishers, 1996.

This book is about the American Jewish Immigrant experience from 1881-1924, in the Lower East Side of New York City, and how they adapted to American culture while retaining some their Jewish culture.

5.) Spigelman, Art. Maus I. New York: Random House, Inc., 1986.

In this edition of Maus I, Art Spigelman communicates his inquiry and experiences that he has with his father about his father's experiences during the Holocaust, in a comic book format.

6.) Spigelman, Art. Maus II. New York: Random House, Inc., 1991.

In this sequel to Maus I, Art Spigelman communicates his second inquiry and experiences that he has with his father about his father's experiences during the Holocaust, in a comic book format.

7.) Reisz, Mathew. Europe's Jewish Quarters. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1991.

In this first edition copy, Mathew Reisz takes the reader on a tour of the larger and famous Jewish Ghettos of Europe, with pictures and history of every place mentioned.

8.) Folber, Neil. And I Shall Dwell Among Them. New York: Aperture Foundation, 1995.

In this first edition copy by Neil Folber are pictures and history of synagogues from all over the world; including North America, Caribbean, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

9.) Adler, Elkan Nathan. Jewish Travelers in the Middle Ages. New York: Dover
Publications, 1987.

In this first edition copy put together by Elkan Adler, are the historical autobiographies of 19 different Jewish travelers written during or soon after their travels. Places traveled to include Europe, Central Asia, India, the Middle East and North Africa, with each account giving descriptions of what life was like in those parts of the world 500-1000 years ago.

10.) Kolatch, Alfred J., The Jewish Book of Why. New York: Jonathan David Publishers, Inc., 1995.

In this book by Alfred Kolatch is explained why almost every Jewish tradition exists, from keeping Kosher to Marriage taboos.

11.) Glinert, Lewis. The Joys of Hebrew. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.

In this book by Lewis Glinert are the definitions and histories of Jewish, Yiddish, and Hebrew sayings and words.

12.) Banavi, Eli. A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People. New York: Schocken Books,
1992.

In this first edition copy by Eli Banavi is a history and historical maps of the Jewish people throughout the world from the time of the patriarchs to the present.

13.) Scholem, Gershom. Zohar. New York: Schocken Books, 1977.

This book is an English translation of the chapter Zohar, from the Kabbalah, the Jewish Book of mysticism written several hundred years ago.

14.) Gilbert, Martin. The Atlas of Jewish History. New York: William Morrow and Company Inc., 1992.

In this second edition copy by Martin Gilbert is a history and historical maps of the Jewish people throughout the world.

15.) Keneally, Thomas. Schindler's List. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1982.

In this book by Thomas Keneally is the true story of how Oscar Schindler saved over a thousand Jews during the Holocaust. The book was later made into a movie.

16.) Abridged Prayer Book for Jews in the U.S. Army and Navy of the United States. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1938.

This is the tenth edition copy made by the Jewish Publication Society of America for the Jews serving in the U.S. armed services. It was my grandfather's in World War Two.

17.) Schwartz, Howard. Miriam's Tambourine. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986.

Howard Schwartz has put together a collection of Jewish folktales from around the world, some being a thousand years old, in this book.

18.) Smith, Jeff. The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1995.

Jeff Smith has put together a cook book of different foods from the biblical period, primarily from the Old Testament, a.k.a. Torah.

19.) Marks, Gil. The World of Jewish Cooking. New York: Fireside, 1996.

In this cookbook Gil Marks has collected Jewish recipes from Europe, North Africa, Ethiopia, and India. With some of the recipes is a brief history of the Jews from the region from where the recipe is from.

20.) Cahill, Thomas. The Gifts of the Jews. New York: Nan A. Talese/Anchor Books, 1998.

In this book Thomas Cahill gives an essay on how a tribe of desert nomads changed the way everyone thinks and feels, and has influenced and shaped modern civilization.

21.) Meyrink, Gustav. The Golem. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1976.

In this mystery murder novel by Gustav Meyrink, there is a murder in the Jewish Ghetto of Krakow, Czechoslovakia that might be related to the mysterious Golem, a creature made of earth from the fourteenth century.