Behrman House: About Us: 1999 Letter from the Publisher

Letter from the Publisher 1999

        This has been a year of great pride from our firm, as well as meaning for me personally. What better time, then, to open our catalog with a note to our friends and colleagues in the Jewish educational community.
        Last year my father, Jacob, was honored with a Doctor of Humane Letters by Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion. Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman made note of Jacob's "literary creativity, discipline of writing, and Jewish knowledge and warmth." It has been over fifty years since Jacob returned home from World War II to build his parents' bookstore into the leading publisher of Jewish educational materials. In awarding the degree, HUC-JIR recognized more than half a century of contribution to Jewish education.
        Behrman House has always been a leader and innovator. The first to offer a programmed Hebrew reading book, readiness-level Hebrew materials, and color textbooks, we also pioneered the integrated Hebrew textbook series. More recently, we offered the only full set of curricular materials designed to bring God back into the Jewish classroom--Let's Discover God, Partners with God, and Living as Partners With God.
        Our tradition of innovation continues this year. This catalog introduces Shalom Uvrachah--The New Hebrew Primer, which teaches the alef bet with a core cultural vocabulary. We are also introducing Let's Discover the Alef Bet, a lively set of letter recognition folders for grades K-2. We are especially proud to present revisions of two classic Haggadot--Chaim Stern's Gates of Freedom and The New American Haggadah, a contemporary revision of Mordecai Kaplan's groundbreaking work--as well as the Family Haggadah: A Seder for All Generations, a new addition to our Passover collection. And Rabbi Steven Leder's The Extraordinary Nature of Ordinary Things, an inspiring collection of poignant essays and observations, offers a plain old "good read."
        I take great pride in my father's work and in what this firm has come to represent. I also recognize that with our history of achievement comes an obligation to expand our vision and goals so that we continue to meet the needs of future generations. Behrman House remains fully committed to these goals; we strive every day to live up to our tradition of excellence and innovation. Please keep in touch. Let us know how we can best serve you, your students and their families, and the Jewish educational community.

Sincerely,

David E. Behrman