Staff

Aaron Lansky, Founder and President

Born in New Bedford, Massachusetts in 1955, Aaron Lansky grew up in a Jewish home where books were valued, and where Yiddish was mostly a "secret language" spoken by his mother and grandmother when they wanted to keep something hidden from him and his two brothers.

It wasn’t until 1973, when as a student at Hampshire College he took one of the first courses ever offered on the Holocaust, that Lansky developed a passionate interest in the culture the Nazis had sought to destroy. "I was 19 when I began studying Yiddish," Lansky recalls. "Suddenly an entire universe opened up to me. It was like discovering Atlantis, a lost continent, a treasure-trove of Jewish tradition and culture, sensibility, wisdom and passion, all locked up in this amazing modern literature."

After graduating from Hampshire College in 1977 with a B.A. in modern Jewish history, Lansky enrolled in a graduate program in East European Jewish studies at McGill University in Montreal. There he discovered that large numbers of Yiddish books were being destroyed – not by anti-Semites, but by Jews who could not read the language of their own parents and grandparents. Convinced that someone had to save those books, Lansky, ignoring the cautions of experts who considered the task impossible, left McGill and started what he then called the National Yiddish Book Exchange. He set up shop in an old factory in Northampton, Massachusetts, where he shared space with "a weaver, a potter, and a woman who sold goat’s milk."

In 1980, when Aaron Lansky issued his first public appeal for old Yiddish books, it was estimated that only 70,000 Yiddish volumes were extant and recoverable. He rescued that many within six months. Today the National Yiddish Book Center’s collection totals over 1.5 million volumes. Esquire Magazine, in 1984, included Lansky in its list of "The Best of the New Generation: Men and Women Under 40 Who Are Changing America." He has since received numerous awards and recognitions, including a National Jewish Book Award, honorary doctorates from Amherst College and the State University of New York, and a 1989 "Genius Grant" from the MacArthur Foundation. He lives with his wife Gail, their two daughters, Sasha and Chava, and a dog named Lily.

Our Staff

Anne Atherley graduated magna cum laude from the University of Lowell with a BA in English Literature, and has been involved in the book world for 20 years -- both as a store manager and publisher’s representative. As Assistant to the Vice President at the Yiddish Book Center, she works with Nancy Sherman on Pakn Treger, as well as a variety of special projects. Originally from Newfoundland, Canada, she now has 4 grown daughters and lives in a log cabin in the woods of Western Massachusetts with her cat, Sabrina.

Our Bookstore Manager, Mark Brumberg, is responsible for the rich selection of books, gifts, cassettes and CD’s in our English language bookstore. A familiar face to area booklovers, Mark worked for 15 years as owner and manager of Northampton’s Globe Bookshop.

Lou Cove is the Book Center's Vice President. Prior to working at the Center, Lou was a member of the Technical Advisory Board and in that role assisted in the design of the Spielberg Digital Yiddish Library. Lou was the Editor-in-Chief of Optimist Publications, Associate Publisher of the American News Service, and Senior Producer for Masslive.com and Advance Internet. He now brings to the organization his experience in web-based technology, knowledge of membership-based organizations, nonprofit management experience, and a deep commitment to the Book Center's mission.

The beautiful Building and Grounds of the Center are maintained by Hector Crespo. Hector’s background includes work as an airport security officer, a hospital mechanic, and a residential maintenance supervisor. At the Book Center he handles everything from carpentry to mechanical systems to book collection trips.

Owalla ("Wally") Facteau, the Center’s Staff Accountant, is also responsible for human resources, compliance with government agencies, and coordination of international book shipments. Before completing her B.S. in business management & accounting, Wally led prior lives as a medical practitioner, real estate agent, and manager of a plastics company. She received a Spirit of America award for her role in a program that trained volunteers to assist community members with their tax returns.

Prior to joining the Book Center as Program Director in September 2002, Nora Gerard was a director for CBS News in New York, the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Springfield JCC and for the Community Music School of Springfield. She was also involved in the initial development of the Hatikvah Holocaust Center in Springfield. Now, Nora puts her creative and organizational talents to work designing the Book Center’s public programs, conferences and satellite cultural events in other cities. Nora holds a B.A. in Communications and Theatre from Temple University and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School.

Jane Gronau, Director of the Visitors Center, schedules group visits, leads tours, oversees our many volunteers, and assists in planning and implementation of programs and educational activities. Prior to working at the Center, Jane was the founding executive director of a Jewish education resource center and served on the faculty of St. Joseph’s College. She holds an undergraduate degree in history and anthropology from the University of Wisconsin, a Masters Degree from the University of Toronto and graduated from the Museum Studies program at Tufts University.

As Director of Foundation Relations, Jillian Hanson works with private foundations and state and federal government granting agencies to secure grant funding for the Book Center. She also contributes to Book Center publications and public relations efforts. Jillian has more than a decade's worth of experience working as development and communications specialist for the non-profit sector, including her tenure as Associate Director of Development at The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, and as a consultant to many other organizations in the region. She holds a BA in Theater from Northwestern University.

Janet Kannel is the Book Center's Internship Program Coordinator. She oversees all the specifics of recruiting students and faculty and scheduling for the Steiner Summer Program in Yiddish Studies. She comes to us from the training and development office in Human Resources at Baystate Health. Prior to that she worked as a Career Counselor at Western New England College and at Career Development Services in Rochester, NY. Janet holds a B.A. in English from Wesleyan University, and an M.S. in Ed from the University of Rochester.

As Campaign Coordinator, Ashley Keedy helps organize all aspects of the Book Center's 25th Anniversary Campaign, including fundraising, event planning, grant writing, and financial reporting. She also writes the occasional article for Pakn Treger and works on a variety of website projects. Prior to her position in the development department, Ashley worked for one year as the Membership/Program Assistant. As an Amherst native, Ashley is thrilled to be back in her hometown and working at the Book Center in an exciting new capacity.

Jane Kelley ("Kelley") came to the Yiddish Book Center from Hampshire College, where she worked for 13 years. As assistant to Center board member Penina Glazer, then Dean of Faculty at Hampshire, Kelley followed the development of the Center from its inception. In 1997, she "graduated" from Hampshire to become Assistant to the President at the Center, where she is involved with just about every facet of our work, helping to keep us all organized and productive.

Catherine Madsen wears several hats: she is the Book Center's Bibliographer, a contributing editor to Pakn Treger, and project coordinator for our new English publishing ventures. She has an MFA in Writing and Literature from Goddard College and many years of experience in writing, publishing and library work. After hours she is an editor with the journal Cross Currents.

Hankus Netsky, our Vice President of Education, is founder and director of the internationally renowned Yiddish music ensemble Klezmer Conservatory Band and serves as research director of the Klezmer Conservatory Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to research in and perpetuation of Yiddish music. Mr. Netsky has taught Yiddish Music at New England Conservatory, Hebrew College, and Wesleyan University and holds a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University and Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in composition from New England Conservatory.

As Collection Manager, Aaron Rubinstein handles orders for Yiddish books, helps visitors navigate the Book Center’s collection and supervises the summer interns’ work in the warehouse. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts where he studied Psychoanalysis and worked as a stage hand with the Fine Arts Center. He is presently learning Yiddish and feels very lucky to be surrounded by this amazing resource and inspired literature.

In our Membership Department, Records Manager, Mary Sera is responsible for maintaining the information in our Membership database – including everything from address corrections to detailed donation histories. She also answers the phone, coordinates the processing of incoming mail, assists members with a wide array of questions and concerns, and in general, keeps everything organized and running smoothly.

As the Center’s Executive Vice President, Nancy Sherman is integral to the overall direction and operation of the organization, with a special focus on strategic planning, writing and publications. She is also Editor of Pakn Treger, our award-winning magazine. Nancy worked in the field of communications and development for nearly 20 years prior to joining the Center’s staff. A teacher and writer, her poetry, essays, and reviews have appeared in numerous journals and periodicals. She served on the Book Center’s Board of Directors from 1993 to 1996.

Randi Silnutzer had a background in folklore and arts administration, and a Masters in Education when she went to work for a local alternative energy company in 1991. After nine years in the engineering world, Randi welcomed the opportunity to return to a cultural organization – and to the campus of Hampshire College, where she had received her undergraduate degree. Her role as Membership Director involves overseeing a complex database.

Margie Stark has been with the Center since 1994 as a Membership Assistant. She comes in on a part-time basis, and helps with the many details involved in sending our members their receipts, letters, premiums, etc. Margie has three grown sons, and has been an active member of her local temple, having held every position except Treasurer.

Development Associate, Susan Sussman joined the Center after 5½ years at the University of Massachusetts Advancement office, where she had extensive experience with fundraising, communications, events planning, and community and alumni relations. Prior to the University, she was Associate Director of the Florida Israel Institute, an organization that promotes educational, cultural and economic ties between Florida and Israel. Her role here combines her organizational and Development background with her interest in Jewish culture and community.

Betsey Wolfson’s work is familiar to anyone who has seen the Book Center’s publications. As the Center’s Designer, she designs and manages production of all of our printed materials, from Pakn Treger and events calendars to many of the signs and displays located throughout the building. She came to the Book Center with a degree from Cornell University and extensive design and production experience, both in San Francisco and Massachusetts.