Baseball Bench Coach, by Ronald Gieseke is a heartfelt celebration of America’s pastime, blending personal stories, historical insights, and thoughtful commentary from a passionate fan who’s been sharing his love for the game through a popular weekly blog for six seasons. It will be one of the books and authors featured at the 2025 Jewish Book Festival.
The Jewish Book Festival has a speakers series and among the authors are acclaimed interior designer and television personality Nate Berkus. Scroll down for more information on that.
Baseball Bench Coach is an adaptation of the blog of the same name. Every Monday morning during MLB’s regular season for the past six seasons, blog followers have awakened to the current topics in the game, complete with historical background and personal touches from the Coach. And now, your Coach has taken 30 of his best articles and put them in this book.
So, what is a bench coach in baseball? Of all the coaches who support the manager of your favorite team, the bench coach might hold the key to your team’s success. Standing beside your manager, he provides in-game guidance on how to make the decisions that impact the outcome of the game. He’s your Radar O’Reilly from M*A*S*H*, one step ahead of your manager and hopefully two steps ahead of your opponent.
And who is your “Baseball Bench Coach”? He is a baseball outsider, who loves the game, watches a ton of it, and wants to share and discuss everything that makes baseball truly great. Let him take you across the diamond and share his favorite posts, family memories, baseball heroes, ballpark terms, and how baseball matters in our world today. To find out more about it on Amazon.com: CLICK HERE.
Individual tickets for the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival’s spectacular 47th annual season, are now on sale! This year’s lineup will showcase extraordinary speakers and storytellers from across the globe. Celebrate Jewish voices and stories with us starting on September 16, 2025, with author Adriana E. Ramirez, and featuring names and personalities like former Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi, beloved TV actor Joshua Malina, viral sensation Hunter Prosper, and nationally renowned interior designer Nate Berkus!
You can check out the full lineup and buy your tickets today at stljewishbookfestival.org. Those who want the full St. Louis Jewish Book Festival experience can purchase All-Access Passes, which provide entrance to more than 25 author programs year-round. This year, JBF is introducing a new 40 and Under Pass, which will give the same features, but at a discounted rate of $75 dollars for those 40 years of age and under! Additionally, individuals with a valid student ID are eligible for FREE tickets to any individual event.
The St. Louis Jewish Book Festival and Speakers Series proudly announces its 47th annual season, showcasing an extraordinary lineup of speakers and storytellers that celebrate Jewish voices and stories from across the globe. This year’s season officially kicks off in September 2025 and runs through February 2026, with the traditional Festival Week taking place November 2–9, 2025.
Among the highlights of this season are four headlining events:
- October 9 – Eli Sharabi
Former hostage Eli Sharabi will share a powerful and deeply personal address on resilience, grief, and hope. Held by Hamas for 491 days, Sharabi has emerged as a global symbol of strength and resolve. He will share insights from his harrowing experience and introduce his new book, “Hostage.” - November 8 – Joshua Malina
Actor and podcaster Joshua Malina, beloved for his roles in “The West Wing” and “Scandal,” joins us for an evening of candid conversation and sharp wit. A passionate advocate for Jewish representation in the entertainment industry, Malina brings his trademark humor and insight to St. Louis for an unforgettable night. - November 17 – Hunter Prosper
Viral storyteller and nurse Hunter Prosper, known for his heart-touching TikTok series “Stories from a Stranger,” presents his debut book “Stories from a Stranger: Every Person has a Story,” a collection of intimate, human-centered narratives drawn from his social media interviews and beyond. - December 6 – Nate Berkus
Acclaimed interior designer and television personality Nate Berkus will share stories from his design career and personal journey, along with insights from his newest work, “Foundations,” focused on his personal tenets for creating a thoughtful and meaningful home.
This year, the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival is also proud to announce exciting new partnerships with two of the city’s most esteemed cultural institutions: the Missouri Botanical Garden and the St. Louis Art Museum, further expanding the festival’s reach and programming into new, engaging spaces. These collaborations join our ongoing partnership with the St. Louis County Library – Clark Family Branch, ensuring broader access and deeper community connection throughout the region.
Those who want the full St. Louis Jewish Book Festival experience can purchase All-Access Passes, which provide entrance to more than 25 author programs year-round. This year, JBF is introducing a new 40 and Under Pass, which will give the same features, but at a discounted rate of $75 dollars for those 40 years of age and under! All-Access Passes will be on sale starting August 17 and can be purchased at jccstl.com/jbf-tickets.
A complete schedule of events and individual ticket information will be announced in early September. Most events will take place at the Jewish Community Center in Creve Coeur, with select programs hosted at partner venues throughout the city.
The sponsors are: Friends of Israel for sponsoring author and freed hostage, Eli Sharabi’s October 9 presentation of his newly translated memoir, Hostage. Additionally, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis alongside Wendi Alper-Pressman and Norman Pressman have made it possible to bring beloved actor from The West Wing, Scandal, and The Big Bang Theory, Joshua Malina to the stage on Saturday, November 8.
The St. Louis Jewish Book Festival is also proud to partner with three of the city’s most esteemed cultural institutions: the Missouri Botanical Garden, the St. Louis Art Museum and STAGES St. Louis, further expanding the festival’s reach and programming into new, engaging spaces. These collaborations join our ongoing partnership with the St. Louis County Library – Clark Family Branch, so we can ensure broader access and deeper community connection throughout the region.
Check out the full lineup and buy your tickets today at stljewishbookfestival.org.
