Sponsored by: Congregation B'nai Moshe
Sherry Wasserman Pens Children's Book About Shavuot
11/23/2020 11:46:31 AM
B'nai Moshe
Author | |
Date Added |
B’nai Moshe volunteer librarian Sherry Wasserman has recently self-published a children’s picture book about the oft-forgotten holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the Israelites’ encounter with God at Mt. Sinai. I Am Standing at Mount Sinai, is told through the insightful eyes of a young girl named Sarah, and with its vivid illustrations, recounts the awesome revelation of the Ten Commandments and the Torah as well as how Shavuot is celebrated.
In writing the limited-edition hardcover, which includes blurbs from Rabbi Shalom Kantor and Rabbi Emeritus Elliot Pachter, Wasserman links the Biblical saga of the Exodus to the Shavuot festival, connecting Passover’s celebration of freedom with Shavuot’s emphasis on the acceptance of mitzvot, the rules for moral behavior.
“I believe that freedom without law and rules of behavior is chaos; it leads to uncivilized behavior and yields injustice in the world. God followed the gift of freedom (Passover) with the gift of Torah (Shavuot) so that the Jewish people (and hopefully all mankind eventually) would have the rules and the tools needed to live together in harmony. The rules of moral and ethical behavior found in the Torah enable living in a just society.”
Wasserman first conceived the book, about 20 years ago while preparing to re-open the B’nai Moshe Library in its West Bloomfield home. While sorting through the collection, which was stored in less than ideal conditions after leaving Oak Park, she realized that only around half of the books were salvageable. Among those, she found no suitable children’s book about the holiday of Shavuot. After searching unsuccessfully for something to purchase, Wasserman began thinking about writing one. After considering many different ideas over a few years, she settled on a concept and began a long search for an illustrator. In the end, she need not have looked so long and far afield, for she found her illustrator, Ruthie Cisse, close to home.
“I met her by complete accident at Kiddush after Shabbat services,” Wasserman says. Cisse, an artist in New York has family ties to B’nai Moshe, her grandmother is our member, Adelyn Greenberg. Wasserman happened to sit at the same Kiddush table with the family and started talking. Cisse had never thought about illustrating a children’s book but after she and Wasserman met the next Monday at the B’nai Moshe library and discussed the idea, Wasserman hired her. With an illustrator in hand, it was time to move her vision into high gear. Through emails and phone calls, the two worked together, sharing ideas for the illustrations. For instance, it was Cisse who thought of putting ribbons in the illustrations to hold the Hebrew verses from Exodus as well as giving Sarah a schnauzer to accompany her journey.
In the book, Sarah wants to share her knowledge of the importance of Shavuot and of what happened at Mt. Sinai with others. “So, I think Sarah is the teacher here” Wasserman explains. “She relates the story; she explains its importance and significance; she tells how to celebrate Shavuot and make it a part of our lives. She knows all of this and she is telling the reader, who may not know about the holiday, or why it is important and significant and so is worthy of being celebrated.”
Sarah shows love for the holiday, happiness in celebrating it, and understanding and acceptance of the need to join the two concepts (personal freedom and responsible behavior in a community) into her own life. “Each year as she celebrates Shavuot, she recommits to limiting her own individual freedom by living according to the mitzvot of Torah, she recommits to living ethically and morally in order to help create a just and ordered society for all mankind.”
Wasserman chose a girl to tell this holiday story because women should also be seen to love and live by the Torah. Yet, says Wasserman, “Sarah is not just a little girl kid. For me, she represents every girl, every child, every person (male and female) since everyone received the gift of Torah at Mt. Sinai and, on Shavuot, we are all standing at Mt. Sinai.”
“Shavuot is the forgotten festival,” says Wasserman, who hopes I Am Standing at Mount Sinai encourages children and adults to appreciate the holiday. “It is not celebrated or talked about like Passover and Sukkot. It does not have ‘fun’ elements like a sukkah or a seder. It falls at the end of the school year and is frequently not taught at all. But it does have great moral and ethical significance for the Jewish people and is, in my opinion, worthy of a great deal more respect that it is generally given.”
I Am Standing at Mount Sinai is available at Amazon for $20.
Mon, June 27 2022
28 Sivan 5782
Prayer Services
Today's Calendar
Shacharit : 7:30am |
Mincha/Maariv : 5:00pm |
Upcoming Programs & Events
Jul 7 Whiskey Tour & Tasting Thursday, Jul 7 7:00pm |
Jul 15 Shir Shabbat Rocks! Friday, Jul 15 5:00pm |
Jul 24 Detroit Tigers Game with Men's Club Sunday, Jul 24 1:00pm |
Aug 6 Tisha B'Av as a Community Motzei Shabbat, Aug 6 9:45pm |
This week's Torah portion is Parshat Korach
Shabbat, Jul 2 |
Candle Lighting
Friday, Jul 1, 8:57pm |
Havdalah
Motzei Shabbat, Jul 2, 9:57pm |
-
Thursday ,
JulJuly 7 , 2022
Thursday, Jul 7th 7:00p to 8:30p
Participants will learn about the art and science of the distilling process from grain to glass. We'll taste whiskey in the rickhouse. We'll talk history and sample a range of spirits including vodka, gin and of course...whiskey. -
Friday ,
JulJuly 15 , 2022
Friday, Jul 15th 5:00p to 7:45p
Musical Kabbalat Shabbat and Shwarma Dinner Let's all join together for a Friday night full of music, song, friendship, and good food! Is there a better combination that that? Join Our Summer Friday Night Live Musical Services and Shwarma Dinner on July 157 at 5:00 p.m. Sing along with Rabbi Shalom Kantor and our B'nai Moshe voices as they lead us in a service guaranteed to jumpstart your Shabbat! -
Sunday ,
JulJuly 24 , 2022
Sunday, Jul 24th 1:00p to 4:00p
Watch our beloved Detroit Tigers take on division rival Minnesota Twins -
Saturday ,
AugAugust 6 , 2022
Motzei Shabbat, Aug 6th 9:45p to 11:00p
Congregation Beth Ahm hosts the local Conservative congregations for this year's Tisha B'Av observance. Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av, marks the destruction of the first and second Temples, as well as a variety of other tragedies throughout Jewish history. This special service is marked by somber melodies, the chanting of the Book of Lamentations, and other liturgical poems. Maariv and the reading of the Book of Eicha (Lamentations) will be in-person at 9:45pm at Congregation Beth Ahm and also viewable on the Beth Ahm livestream @ .https://www.cbahm.org/livestream
.
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z"l
Learn from the mind of one of the world's foremost Jewish thinkers.
Calendar of Jewish Holidays
Do you wonder when Purim or Pesach is? Does Rosh Hashanah come "early or late" next year? You can find the listing of all the upcoming holiday dates
Upcoming Events- Jewish Federation
Stay current on Upcoming events by clicking on: JewishDetroit.org
Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places?
If you are single and looking for your besheret, click on JDate - Enroll
Your mother would be so
proud.