Reviewing: “L’Chaim,” by Eliezer Sobel. Rainbow Ridge Books. Paperback, 28 pages, 2016. ISBN-13: 978-1-937907-44-0.
Eliezer Sobel noticed that his mother, Manya Sobel, was not able to read and enjoy books the way that she had been able to before developing Alzheimer’s disease 17 years ago. This was unfortunate but made sense, as people typically lose many of their language skills while suffering from this disease. However, six years ago, Sobel was astonished to learn that his mother, who was 86 at the time, had not actually lost all of her language skills, as she was able to read big headlines that were next to pictures. This led Sobel to inquire about books that are meant for the enjoyment of Alzheimer’s patients. After talking with the librarian of the National Alzheimer’s Association, he learned that there are over 20,000 books for people who take care of patients with memory loss; however, there are very few books for the actual patient. This information affected Sobel and ultimately inspired him to write a series for memory-challenged adults. The first book that he wrote for this series is called “Blue Sky, White Clouds.” This book, which is dedicated to his mother, includes captivating and realistic photos of people and familiar scenes, along with short captions printed in a big font beneath them.
Last year, Sobel wrote another book for the series; however, this time, he wrote it specifically for Jewish patients to enjoy. “L’Chaim” is full of pictures and captions that are meant to evoke memories of Jewish life. This time, though, it was dedicated to his 92-year-old father, Max Sobel, who had suffered from a near-fatal brain injury. This book includes familiar images of Jewish life such as pictures relating to Shabbat, Israel and many Jewish holidays. For example, there is a photo of apples and honey with the caption “Have a sweet and Happy New Year!” in large print beneath it. In addition, there is a photo of Shabbat candles with the caption “The beautiful Sabbath candles are glowing.” “L’Chaim” is a meaningful book that can help Jewish dementia patients connect to their heritage.
By Miri Wagner
