Now Available: A New Collection of Middle Grade Midrash!
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Maybe It Happened this Way: Bible Stories Reimagined
Written with co-author Erica Wovsaniker Illustrated by Katherine Messenger Take a fresh look at the Bible stories you think you know, retold using the Jewish concept of midrash. Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Moses. We think we know their stories, but the Bible tells us only part of it. What if we could see the full picture? Maybe it happened this way. This is a modern take on Bible stories, with relatable characters; not earnest and reverent, but not transgressive either. It explores timeless themes of interest to kids, including fairness, sibling rivalry, perseverance, forgiveness, courage. Maybe It Happened This Way also covers many lesser-known narratives and lifts up the stories of women in the Bible as well. Includes an introduction explaining of the Jewish concept of midrash--stories created to add new layers to our understanding of the Bible; a discussion guide with questions; an index of values; and a guide to sources for each Bible story. |
Queen Vashti's Comfy Pants!
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"A feminist spin on a biblical event . . . A well-crafted revision sure to spark discussion." -Kirkus Reviews
Why did Queen Vashti, the other Purim royal, refuse to obey her king's commands? Although the traditional biblical text gives us no real clue, this story humorously imagines what it might have been like for a Queen to stand up for herself against a string of high-handed demands. In doing so, it demonstrates to children the value of understanding the worth of their own needs and desires (Apples and Honey Press, 2021). Read another review in The Sydney Taylor Schmooze! |
The World Needs Beautiful Things
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"A young boy’s love for nature reminds the adults around him to appreciate the simpler things." - Kirkus Reviews
Young Bezalel is different from the other Israelites in Egypt. He loves to collect stones, bugs, bits of string—these all seem beautiful to him. He keeps everything in his Beautiful Things Box and takes the box with him everywhere. As the Israelites wander in the desert, God asks them to build a very special house. Is Bezalel the one to create something beautiful enough to honor God? |
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Read More of My Writing
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Watch a panel discussion on The Sacred Calling: Four Decades of Women in the Rabbinate
featuring Rabbis Leah Rachel Berkowitz, Sally Priesand, and Rebecca Einstein Schorr
featuring Rabbis Leah Rachel Berkowitz, Sally Priesand, and Rebecca Einstein Schorr