I've always loved reading. My night table, the floor by my bed, under the blankets, behind the bed - these were all acceptable locations for reading material. From the Kfar Chabad magazine to the vast library I built in my teenage years with m father's and Zayde's support, books have always been an adventure for me. My older brother, Yochanan, would "read" the Kfar Chabad magazine first each week, skimming through the news articles and pictures before passing it to me about six minutes later. Then, I'd read it cover to cover, even though my Modern Hebrew wasn't fluent back then.
Not everyone is a book addict, I get it But reading is good for all of us. On Shabbos mornings, I'd walk over to my grandparents' home at 603 Empire Blvd to study with my Zayde, Reb Shimon Goldman. My Bubbe Esther would stuff me with cinnamon buns, cheesecake, tea and milk, and other goodies, then sit quietly as Zayde and I studied. We focused on Talmud and Chumash with Rashi, but mostly we read "Sefer Hazichronos," the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe's Memoirs in Yiddish. These weren't just stories - they were history, geography, language, Judaism, Chassidism, and so much more. The tales were well-written, riveting, gut-wrenching accounts of our past, and they remain etched in my mind and heart to this day.
My mazal is that I married a bookworm, too. Chavie is an avid reader, and together we read and read some more. Interestingly, our children are also great readers. Sure, the've seen us read, and we've read to them and filled our home with books, but another big factor is that they don't have addictive devices keeping them away from books while being glued to Minecraft, Candy Crush, or whatever else is out there. You can't expect kids to read when an addictive device is in the next room. As a family, we frequent Barnes & Noble, take advantage of the amazing Bozeman Public Library, and, when in New York, visit Judaica World, Kehot, and other Jewish bookstores to permeate our home with books of life.
A few months ago, my nieces and nephews from Kalispell were visiting, and I checked in on them when they were making noise at 5:35 am. As I was leaving their room, I heard of of them ask our Chana Laya, "Why is your Tatty up so early?" To which she replied, "What do you mean? He's always up learning Torah." My heart was warmed. Yes, the Torah aspect was tremendous, but so was the fact she internalized how often she sees me with a book in my hand.
I know many people today get their information from the media, or worse, social media, but it's not the same as reading. A few years ago, my friend Eric Stern from Helena recommended Red Notice by Bill Browder, which blew me away an was incredibly informative. He also suggested The Last Kings of Shanghai by Jonathan Kaufman, which offers fascinating insights into Jewish history in Asia. I was deeply moved by Finding Chika by Mitch Albom, have always loved The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, and recently delved into Raising a Loving Family by Rabbi Shimon Russuel, Letters of Life by Levi Shmotkin, and Mendel Beilis: Die Geschicte Fun Meine Leiden in Yiddish.
This is all in addition to the many volumes of Torah seforim, holy books, that stimulate the mind and intrigue the heart. No tablet, Kindle, e-reader, or audiobook can replace the power of opening a freshly printed book. feeling its pages, turning them, and allowing the ink to come to life in our minds as we engage all our faculties in the pursuit of wisdom, knowledge, and information. As Jacki Kennedy Onassis said, "There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all."
