Hodu. Give Thanks.
Reflections on the 400-person group hug that marked the launch of Dual Identities: Living in Meier's Shadow
“Did that all really happen?”
It was already after 1 am on Friday, May 8.
Unable to wind down after concluding a wonderful/intense/whirlwind launch a few hours earlier of my new book, Dual Identities: Living in Meier’s Shadow, I sat in my favorite chair and stared at the living room’s mostly dark walls. A faint glimmer of brightness from a kitchen night light barely illuminated a very large, gold-lettered word atop a red-and-black jumble of other Hebrew words – a museum-gift-store-quality poster flattened into a fancy frame dangling by a strand of twisted steel cable draped over the head of a studded nail.
“Hodu” the Hebrew lettering proclaimed. “Give Thanks”
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for his lovingkindness endures forever” the English translation reads.
Over the decades, I’ve been comforted by the glow of these always present words on the wall. Happy occasions … Deaths … Disappointments … Successes. During the years-long process of drafting and redrafting the manuscript for Dual Identities, I often “posted up” at our oversized dining room table - spreading pages, Post-it (down) notes and dog-eared book pages across most of its surface. From my laptop and chair, I was always reminded: “Hodu.” “Give Thanks.”
Today, I need no reminders to give thanks to my family, friends, colleagues in community building, the talented professionals at the Zekelman Holocaust Center, Detroit PBS/PBS Books and Koehler Books, and the 400 people who gave me a group hug the evening of May 7. In so many ways, you helped shape my Dual Identities journey.
“Did that all really happen?”
Thanks to you, it did.
For those who were unable to attend the launch event, you can watch the recording of the presentation and Q&A on PBS Detroit on Wednesday, May 20th at 8:00 PM. Catch it on the PBS website, their Facebook page, or their Youtube Channel.
We’ll also have a few more opportunities to connect within the coming weeks:
Schuler Books/Detroit Jewish News Book Club Event
Sunday, June 7 at 11 am
In person at Schuler Books: 7260 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, MI 48322
Free with RSVP, limited space available
Yiddish Book Center
Sunday, June 14 at 2 pm
In person at the Yiddish Book Center: 1021 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002, and livestreamed
Free with RSVP (required for both in person and livestream access)
Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven
Tuesday, June 16 at 7 pm
In person at the Beckerman Lender Jewish Community Building: 360 Amity Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525
Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven, Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven, and then Yale University Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies
If I may close with one request, I humbly ask those who’ve purchased and read the book to leave a rating and/or review on Amazon or wherever you made your purchase. These reviews are immensely helpful for increasing visibility online. Your assistance is appreciated!
Until next time,
Arthur
You can find more images from this special night on my Facebook page.