Saving the trees: Free e-books to celebrate Tu b'Shvat

Happy Tu b'Shvat from Ben Yehuda Press View it in your browser. We've freed our e-books to save the trees To celebrate Tu b'Shvat, the New Year of the Trees, we've temporarily lowered the price on seven of our e-book titles to zero. To see the full list of our titles on Kindle, you can click here. Or read on. (Don't worry if you don't have a Kindle - all our titles are still available in old-fashioned, Shabbat-friendly paper editions as well.) In The Cabbalist's Daughter, Yori Yanover tells a tale of a miraculous Chasidic heir: a daughter cloned from the Rebbe's DNA and gifted with her own mystical powers. "A wildly-fun fantastical Jewish Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe." Laurie Gwen Shapiro, author of The Matzo Ball Heiress "A rip roaring read! It's Tom Clancy meets Chabad meets feminism. I loved it." Judith Abrams, author of Talmud for Beginners "Laugh-out-loud funny." Rachel Esserman, Binghamton Jewish Reporter "The Jewish answer to the blockbuster TV action series '24.' Tzvee Zahavi, author The Talmud of Babylonia: An American Translation: Tractate Hullin The Lilac Tree is a story of the first blush of love in an impossible time -- filled with unforgettable characters, and an indomitable spirit of hope and joy. the year is 1945 and Berlin is in shamble. Alone for the first time, beguiling young Hanne Goldshmidt must find her own way. Homeless and hungry, she is plucked from a crowd of ragged survivors and by sheer good fortune is given a golden chance to start a new life. Falling in love with her dashing benefactor puts Hannah right in the thick of his risky clandestine schemes. A Russian princess fallen on hard times, a back country G.I. from West Virginia, a cagey Russian spy, an aging German actress and a spirited Ursuline nun all have their parts to play in the drama of Hanne's life. In the end, it all comes down to Hanne: Will she follow the path of comfort or courage? Life in the Present Tense collects the best of Rifka Rosenwein's column, "The Home Front," about her suburban, soccer-mom life, which appeared at the back of The Jewish Week for seven years. Her brave approach to her cancer, and her decision to share her experiences in her column, resulted in readers taking Rifka into their hearts. Her reflections — on topics ranging from her son's first kindergarten girlfriend to living on "cancer time" — are a death-defying celebration of life. Reading her work you can see your own friends, your parents, your children, your co-workers, your spouse . . . and yourself. "A treasure trove of wisdom from one of American Judaism's most beloved and lamented voices." Publishers Weekly, "Dispatches from a life unfolding... unwaveringly honest, wry, gentle, and reflective." Tova Mirvis, author of The Ladies Auxiliary "Rifka Rosenwein writes with energy, passion and a clear-eyed sense of perspective." Steven Brill, founder, American Lawyer Click here to see all seven tree-saving free e-books (and one e-book selling for only $4.95) Ahron's Heart For the first time, the writings of one of the 20th century's most important Hasidic thinkers are made available to a non-Hasidic English audience. Rabbi Ahron "Ahrele" Roth (1894-1944) was born into the ultra-Orthodox world and wrote exclusively for a very small community of Hasidim that he founded and which continues to this day. His work is little known outside of this insular community of Yiddish-speaking followers in Israel and New York. Reb Ahrele has a great deal to say to sincere spiritual seekers far beyond his own community. This volume includes an intense, representative selection of the large body of work Reb Ahrele produced in his relatively short life. Reb Ahrele taught his followers how they could reconnect with their true, simple, spiritual selves by providing them with clear, practical instructions in the realm of spiritual consciousness, discipline and practice. He worked persistently to communicate specific steps in order to arouse his followers' deepest spiritual intentions. "A fierce work still connected to the cloister of Meah Shearim" The Forward How Would God REALLY Vote? Are the Bible and the Talmud conservative books? No way! Does God want the U.S. government to ban gay marriage, pull evolution out of high school textbooks, and leave health care to market forces? Not a chance! Should Americans trust right-wing Christians with their votes on election day? Not before reading this devastating critique of a leading Jewish ally of right-wing Christianity. Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend And the winner is.... Loving the Real Israel was named a 2013 National Jewish Book Awards finalist on Wednesday by the Jewish Book Council. The book offers an educational agenda for liberal Zionism. Author Alex Sinclair is director of programs in Israel Education for the Jewish Theological Seminary. Loving the Real Israel draws from the writings of Jewish philosophers, educational theorists, and Bible scholars to offer principles for a new liberal Zionist engagement. Loving the Real Israel provides guidance for educators in constructing meaningful Israel educational experiences, as well as for liberal Zionists who want to discuss Israel issues with their friends, family, and community. And the winner was... Last year, Esau's Blessing: How the Bible Embraces Those with Special Needs was finalist for a National Jewish Book Award.  In Esau's Blessing, Dr. Ora Horn Prouser, dean of the Academy for Jewish Religion, offers a provocative new reading of the Hebrew Bible that applies a contemporary "special needs" perspective to the ancient texts. The resulting insights into biblical characters makes the Tanakh a source of educational and pedagogic wisdom. "Who makes [man] dumb or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" says God to Moses (Exodus 4:11). Prouser shows how reading the Bible can, in her words, "help us to imagine our special needs brethren in the embrace of a loving God, and instruct us to respond in a similar compassionate manner." This book confirms that the Bible wants people with disabilities to be treated with dignity and respect. It shows that characters with disabilities are among the most heroic personages in Scripture. For those working in the field of special education, this book provides a framework that anchors their good work firmly in an ancient tradition and calls attention to its holy purpose. For those with loved ones with disabilities, Esau's Blessing shows how God's love and covenant extend to everyone.