By Eric Czarnik
C & G Staff Writer

WEST BLOOMFIELD — It has been going on for more than a week, but the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit’s 58th annual Detroit Jewish Book Fair hasn’t reached its final page yet.

The event, which organizers call the oldest and largest Jewish book fair in the United States, runs until Nov. 15.

The book fair’s main purpose is to encourage literacy and extend the JCC’s outreach, said Heidi Budaj, JCC director of Jewish life and learning.

“We make sure that the books and the authors that we bring in appeal to the entire community — not just the Jewish community — but the entire community at large,” she said.

Budaj said the fair drew almost 20,000 people last year. This year, about 70 authors will speak on a wide variety of topics, such as the economy, politics, health, life experiences and the Holocaust.

Spiritual matters will also share the spotlight. For instance, Bruce Feiler, author of “America’s Prophet: Moses and the American Story,” will speak about the ancient Jewish leader’s influence on the history and founding principles of the U.S. Nov. 15.

“He really feels that there are so many things in our secular world that can be tracked back to Moses,” Budaj said.

Despite a large stable of participants, the book fair had one setback. Actress Alicia Silverstone bailed out on her scheduled Nov. 13 appearance to speak about her book on healthy eating. Budaj said the JCC doesn’t know why she canceled.

However, other authors plan to make the most out of the event.

Couples already heard relationship tips from Oakland University professor and psychologist Terri Orbuch, who recently wrote “5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great.”

“I’m excited to share the findings that I’ve learned from a long-term study on married couples that I’ve been involved in for the last 22 years,” she said.

Sylvan Lake resident Sabrina Must hopes her presentation on her memoir, “Must · Girls · Love” will give her exposure to the Jewish community.

“The metro Detroit area is very close-knit, and I can’t imagine a better way to introduce my memoir and have that support to hopefully get it to become a little more national (and) potentially picked up by a publisher,” she said.

Jordan Levin, author of “We Were Relentless: A Family’s Journey to Overcome Disability,” is a Keego Harbor resident who didn’t let deafness stop him from becoming a motivational speaker. He plans to share his story at the book fair and inspire others to fulfill their dreams.

“Throughout my life, I have had to overcome many obstacles. Never take no for an answer and … always be relentless,” he said.

Budaj promised that the presentations would be interesting. “We also make sure that the speakers we bring in are not just good authors, but good speakers,” she said.

The Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit, 6600 W. Maple Road, is hosting its 58th annual Detroit Jewish Book Fair Nov. 3-15. For a full list of scheduled guests, visit http://www.jccdet.org.

You can reach Staff Writer Eric Czarnik at eczarnik@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1058.