The Bennett Zion Feld Library

 

History  |  Hours  |  Donations  |   LIBRARY COLLECTION

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Mission Statement The Bennett Zion Feld Memorial Library is dedicated to providing multi-media materials of Jewish content to the Ohev Shalom family.

History In 1979 the idea to begin a library at Ohev Shalom was hatched and Judy Friedman and Soni Feld volunteered to make it happen. Neither was a librarian but Soni had taken a ten-week course at Gratz College on starting and running a synagogue library. A philosophy was adopted to include books about Jewish subjects and by Jewish authors. Books were to be classified according to the Weine system for Judaica libraries. This classification system is structured on the Dewey Decimal system with expanded areas pertaining to Judaic subjects. Some books were donated; a four-shelf bookcase was donated and the embryonic Ohev Shalom library began to grow in the room which is now the bridal room and which was used then as a classroom.  Years went by and more books and bookcases were donated. The materials were used primarily by the religious school children. Soni and Judy and other volunteers staffed a small, functioning synagogue library. In 1983 a new sanctuary, offices and a new library were added to the original building. Unfortunately, that same year Marvin and Soni Feld’s son Bennett was killed in an auto accident and they chose to dedicate the new library in his memory and to establish a memorial fund to which donations could be added to be used to purchase multi-media library materials. The library was to be known thereafter as the Bennett Zion Feld Memorial Library. The numbers of books grew; the number of hours the library was needed to be open grew. The materials have been used to supplement and enrich the religious school and the preschool. Adults began to find books, fiction and non-fiction, that were of interest to them. Again Ohev Shalom grew and again the site of the Bennett Zion Feld Memorial Library moved, this time to its current location on the second floor of the Rothman School Building. There are now approximately four thousand items, including books, video- cassettes, audiocassettes, and computer programs. Several computers are available for games and learning. All library material is purchased with funds donated to the Bennett Zion Feld Memorial Library.

Hours Sunday 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Monday 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Tuesday 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 4:30 PM - 9:00 PM You may call the Ohev Shalom office to arrange an appointment. Please note that the library is closed when Religious School is not in session.

Donations Donations may be made to the Bennett Zion Feld Memorial Library fund. For a minimum donation of $10.00, an honor or memory card will be sent out. For a donation of $50.00, a bookplate will be inserted in a new book with an inscription dedicated to (or in memory of) the person being honored (or memorialized). For more information, please visit Donations to Ohev Shalom.

Books All books, except reference books, may be borrowed for three weeks. The reference books may be used only in the synagogue building. There are books of fiction, non-fiction, history, philosophy, biography, Bible study, and literature appropriate for all ages. Video and Audio Cassettes All video and audiocassettes may be borrowed for one week.  Topics available on video include Bible stories, Jewish holiday, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish-American experience, movie hits. Software All software may be used on the library computers.  Software may not be checked out.  Topics include games, trivia, geography, history, Hebrew conversation, reading, Torah and Haftara chanting, Hebrew word processing. Classroom Supplements Teachers are encouraged to supplement their classroom teaching with library materials. Assistance in locating materials may be obtained from the librarian, Sharon Rosenthal. Students are invited to come in to the library to work on research projects or a selection of materials may be brought to the classroom.

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History  |  Hours  |  Donations  |   LIBRARY COLLECTION

Return to the Ohev Shalom Facility