The 2012 Big Jewish Community Read — a series of community literary events on a particular book, including a visit by the author for the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival — will focus on Nathan Englander’s new, bestselling collection of short stories, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank.”

Books are available for sale at the Jewish Community Center in Creve Coeur (call 314-442-3299 to charge by phone or stop by the cultural arts box office window in the Arts & Education Building at the Staenberg Family Complex).

Now in its third year, the Big Jewish Community Read was created to promote literacy, community and education. It is co-sponsored by the JCC’s St. Louis Jewish Book Festival, the Saul Brodsky Jewish Community Library, the Central Agency for Jewish Education (CAJE), and the St. Louis Rabbinical Association.

The three-part fall 2012 series of events begins on Wednesday, Oct. 24 with a rabbinic insights panel discussion. The panel will feature rabbis from the St. Louis community discussing pertinent questions and issues found in the stories. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Saul Brodsky Jewish Community Library in the Jewish Federation Kopolow Building, 12 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur.

The second event will feature author Nathan Englander at the 34th annual St. Louis Jewish Book Festival on Tuesday, Nov. 13.  It will include a presentation by Englander, audience Q&A and book signing. The cost is $15 for individual tickets (free to Festival Series and Series PLUS Ticket holders).

The third event will be a literary discussion of the Englander book. Moderated by Marcia Moskowitz, retired English teacher and president of CAJE, the event is free and open to the public and will take place at 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 2 at Barnes & Noble – Ladue Crossing, 8871 Ladue Road.

CAJE and the Saul Brodsky Library have created a “Book Club in a Box” guide for Englander’s book to aid groups with their discussions. For more information, call Cyndee Levy at 314-442-3754 or Barb Raznick at 314-442-3721.

Two community organizations are also hosting smaller discussions on the Englander book, in support of the community READ. For information on a Lunch & Learn presented by Nishmah on Wednesday, Oct. 3, call Sara Winkelman at 314-442-3268.

For information on a light breakfast and discussion presented by the Crown Center for Senior Living on Monday, Oct. 15, call 314-991-2055. RSVPs are required for both events.

The St. Louis Rabbinical Association will also be sponsoring a newly created, Flash Fiction Contest during the READ. For more information on the contest, guidelines and submissions, call Steve Sorkin at 314-983-0229.