November 16

The Sistine Secrets: Michelangelo’s Forbidden Messages in the Heart of the Vatican, Rabbi Benjamin Blech and Roy Doliner (Non-Fiction)
Upon cleaning the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, a plethora of Old Testament figures and Jewish symbols were revealed. Michelangelo considered himself a sculptor and was resentful when a corrupt pope commandeered him to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He struck back by embedding his famous mural with Old Testament figures, deliberately eschewing the depiction of Christian themes. The authors (a rabbi and a Vatican expert) chronicle the Jewish influence and affinity in Michelangelo's life, including his study with a rabbi.