BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
METHOD:PUBLISH
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:-//WordPress - MECv7.24.0//EN
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://jewishcommunitylibrary.org/
X-WR-CALNAME:Jewish Community Library
X-WR-CALDESC:
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
X-MS-OLK-FORCEINSPECTOROPEN:TRUE
BEGIN:VEVENT
CLASS:PUBLIC
UID:MEC-836082d549f4deda76377758afa279f6@jewishcommunitylibrary.org
DTSTART:20260426T210000Z
DTEND:20260426T220000Z
DTSTAMP:20260128T155600Z
CREATED:20260128
LAST-MODIFIED:20260213
PRIORITY:5
SEQUENCE:69
TRANSP:OPAQUE
SUMMARY:Drop-In Book Discussion: The Life Before Us, by Emile Ajar (Romain Gary)
DESCRIPTION:\n\n\n\nJoin us for an in-person discussion at the Jewish Community Library, facilitated by Jim Van Buskirk. The Library is located at 1835 Ellis Street in San Francisco, with free garage parking ( https://goo.gl/maps/h11asWbpMhssBkMq6 ) on Pierce between Ellis and Eddy. \nTo register, click here. You may borrow a copy of The Life Before Us at no charge. Contact us at info@jewishcommunitylibrary.org ( mailto:info@jewishcommunitylibrary.org ). \nAbout the book: \nThe Life Before Us is the story of an orphaned Arab boy, Momo, and his devotion to Madame Rosa, an ailing Jewish survivor of Auschwitz and retired “lady of the night.” Momo has been one of the ever-changing group of prostitutes’ children at Madame Rosa’s boarding-house in Paris ever since he can remember. But when the check that pays for his keep no longer arrives and Madame Rosa becomes too ill to climb the stairs to their apartment, he determines to support her any way he can. Written by Romain Gary under the pseudonym of Émile Ajar, this novel won France’s premiere literary prize, the Prix Goncourt, in 1975, making Gary the only author to have won the Goncourt twice (albeit illicitly). \n\n\n\nAbout the facilitator:\n\n\n\nJim Van Buskirk is a retired librarian (San Francisco Public Library, Jewish Community Library) who currently works as a book group facilitator, writer, editor, public speaker, exhibit curator, and collections manager. He frequently writes articles and/or presents programs related to Jewish, literary, film, and/or queer history. He also leads Death Cafes and other programs encouraging participants to speak openly about death.\n\n\n\n\n
URL:https://jewishcommunitylibrary.org/events-listing/ajar/
LOCATION:1835 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://jewishcommunitylibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/life-before-us-cover.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR