sunday/9
“Jewish Community of Solano County.” Authors will sign copies of their photo-illustrated book about the Jews who settled in the region after the Gold Rush. At Bookshop Benicia, 636 First St., Benicia. 4:30 p.m. Free. (707) 747-5155
“An Evening with Ari Shavit.” The Israeli author and Haaretz newspaper columnist will discuss his book “My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel.” Q&A and book signing to follow. At Osher Marin JCC, 200 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael. 7 p.m. $15-$20. www.marinjcc.org
“Finding the Gold Train.” Berkeley author Ayelet Waldman discusses her recent novel “Love and Treasure” and her impetus for writing about World War II and the Hungarian Gold Train. Part of “Exploring the World of Judaism” speaker series. At Temple Sinai,2808 Summit St., Oakland. 9:30 a.m. Free. www.oaklandsinai.org/calendar
“A Tribute to My Teacher Rabbi Simon Krinsky: His Poetry Until 1936.” San Francisco Rabbi Edward Zerin presents his new book featuring Yiddish poems by his former teacher along with their English translations. At Jewish Community Library, 1836 Ellis St., S.F. 1:30 p.m. Free. www.jewishlearningworks.org/library
“Hebrew Storytelling for Young Children.” Singing and story time in Hebrew for children ages five and younger. At Jewish Community Library, 1836 Ellis St., S.F. 11 a.m. Free. www.jewishlearningworks.org/library
monday/10
Love and longing in old New York. The colorful lives of Jewish immigrants in early 1900s Manhattan come to life in the new book “A Bintel Brief” by Liana Finck, who illustrated and adapted a selection of letters written to the advice column in the Forward, the Yiddish daily newspaper. Finck will discuss her graphic novel and what it reveals about turn-of-the-century Jewish life in New York. 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10 at Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, 2121 Allston Way, Berkeley. Free. www.magnes.org
thursday/13
“Religion and the History of Violence.” TED Prize winner Karen Armstrong discusses “Fields of Blood,” her new book exploring religion’s impulse toward violence and those who resist it. At JCCSF, 3200 California St., S.F. 7 p.m. $25-$35. www.jccsf.org
saturday/15
“The Rise and Fall of a Jewish American Princess.” Author and J. columnist Barbara Rose Brooker will discuss her new novel about a Jewish princess and would-be artist’s journey through divorce, the art world and self-actualization. At Book Passage Marin, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera. 1 p.m. Free. www.barbararosebrooker.com
sunday/16
“Making David into Goliath: How the World Turned Against Israel.” Joshua Muravchik, fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University, discusses his book. At Lisa Kampner Hebrew Academy, 645 14th Ave., S.F. 3 p.m. Free, but RSVP requested. [email protected]
“Enchantress: A Novel of Rav Hisda’s Daughter.” Maggie Anton discusses her latest book, a magical tale set in fourth-century Babylonia. At Mosaic Law Synagogue, 2300 Sierra Blvd., Sacramento. Also Nov. 18 at Congregation B’nai Israel, 3600 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento. 6:15 p.m. Also Nov. 19 at Congregation Beth Emek, 3400 Nevada Court, Pleasanton. 7:30 p.m. Also Nov. 20 at Temple Beth Am, 26790 Arastradero Road, Los Altos Hills. 7 p.m. Free. www.maggieanton.com
monday/17
“Rescuing the Evidence: Three Minutes in Poland.” Author Glenn Kurtz talks about his quest to identify the people in 16mm footage that is the only surviving evidence of a small Jewish town in Poland. At Jewish Community Library, 1835 Ellis St., S.F. 7 p.m. Free, but RSVP appreciated. www.jewishlearningworks.org/library