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Used Book Sale Raises $2,400 for Uptown Jewish Non-Profit Organization

By Nigel Chiwaya | March 4, 2013 1:49pm

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — This fundraiser was one for the books.

A group of Orthodox, reform and egalitarian Jewish congregations held a used book sale over the weekend and raised more than $2,400 for an Uptown non-profit organization.

The five congregations — Beth Am, the People's Temple, Washington Heights Congregation, Fort Tryon Jewish Center, Hebrew Tabernacle and Mount Sinai Jewish Center — donated thousands of books for the fundraising effort for Jewish Community Council of Washington Heights and Inwood.

The books sold between $1 and $5.

Before the donation, organizers feared the book selection would be thin. But Adina Gerver, an organizer for the book sale, said donations started picked up in the middle of last week.

One woman, whose grandmother had recently passed away, donated 28 boxes of books.

By the end of the week, the books were flowing in, Gerver said.

"Friday, I was getting phone calls, texts asking, "Can we get more books to you?'" Gerver, a member of the Washington Heights Congregation, added.

The fundraiser, which was held at the Washington Heights Congregation on West 179th Street and Pinehurst Avenue, will help the JCC provide social assistance for Uptown residents, regardless of religion.

"I thought it was really an important thing that across the differences people work together and support the JCC, which supports people whether they're Jewish or not," said Morton Orentlicher, a board member at the Hebrew Tabernacle. "It seemed too good to let go."