|
 It
is the third time that OFEK is held in Karaganda. The preparation began
long before the festival started. Much information was analyzed in order
to find new interesting topics and ways of presenting them. Library activists
and JCC club members were engaged in the preparation process, as well
as non-Jewish libraries of the town and the Theatre of the
music comedy.
 Official
opening of OFEK was held in the regional technical library. The first
to be presented was a lecture "Translated Jewish Literature".
Much consideration was given to a popular modern writer L. Ulitskaya.
Some members of Karaganda community have already read her works, and shared
their impressions.
 A
soiree dedicated to Imre Kalman's compositions became a real music festival.
Many of the guests were surprised at his Jewish background - he
was usually introduced as a Hungarian. The festival program included his
life story, review of his compositions and books, and excerpt from his
world famous operettas. The library program coordinator gave coverage
to the unknown facts from Kalman's biography, his working capacity, and
conflicting character. Special emphasis was put on the Jewish education
that he received in the family. The Theater of the music comedy prepared
a concert of Kalman's popular compositions.
 Children's
OFEK was varied as usual. It included interesting Jewish stories, exhibition
of Jewish books, as well as merry games, sketches, and songs.
 Children
and their parents eagerly sang the hymn of the festival. They also were
told about kind poems written by a children's Jewish writer Lev Kvitko.
There were many games and quizzes and all of them were intellectual.
The children compiled Jewish words, guessed writers' names and books.
In conclusion they received symbolic library tickets.
The Community Festival of the Jewish Book is not just a set
of library activities, but a big library holiday, which enriches the Jewish
historical memory and contributes to improving communication among the
people. That is why we do not say farewell to OFEK, but "so long!".
Larissa Brodskaya |
