Happy Yom Ha'atzmaut! Today celebrates Israel and commemorates the establishment of the Israeli Declaration of Independence in 1948.
How will you and your family celebrate Israel this year? We have a few recommendations below!
Crafts and Activities
Check out our list of activities to learn about and celebrate Israel at home and in the classroom. Great for any time of year, they particularly come in handy today!
The Celebrate Israel Parade
The annual Celebrate Israel Parade, begun in 1964, is held every spring in the heart of New York City. Over thirty thousand marchers stroll up Fifth Avenue. The parade showcases groups from elementary schools, high schools, yeshivot, synagogues, Jewish community centers, and many other Jewish institutions. Colorful floats, award winning marching bands, politicians, and entertainers also participate in the parade, showing their support for Israel. Tens of thousands of spectators cheer on the sidelines. The Celebrate Israel Parade is a colossal party, graciously hosted by New York City.
Sounds like fun, but can't make it to Manhattan? Enjoy the parade vicariously with our new fall title Meg Goldberg on Parade about a shy girl with a big imagination who finds plenty of ways to join in the fun - coming soon to bookstores near you!
Explore Israel Through Books!
We love to explore Israel through stories and illustrations, and we have many books dedicated to doing just that!
Hare and Tortoise Race Across Israel, a classic fable retold in a unique environment, is the newest addition to Kar-Ben's Israel-focused collection. As good friends Hare and Tortoise embark on a race from Tel Aviv to the Dead Sea, they're drawn not to well-known landmarks in Israel, but are instead seen enjoying slices of everyday Israeli life. Hare watches soccer games and street performers while Tortoise enjoys falafel and rugelach, and they see the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as well as the Judean Hills and the desert.
The "Nature in Israel" series by National Jewish Book Award-winning author Allison Ofanansky pairs holidays with celebrations unique to Israel's landscape and features beautiful full-color photographs. Titles include New Month, New Moon, Harvest of Light, What's the Buzz, and Sukkot Treasure Hunt.
This week, we're celebrating The Patchwork Torah, winner of the 2014 National Jewish Book Award! Congratulations to author Allison Ofanansky and illustrator Elsa Oriol on the wonderful news! This very special book tells the story of David who, as a child, watches his
grandfather, a Torah scribe or sofer, finish a Torah scroll for the synagogue.
"A Torah is not something to be thrown away," his Grandfather explains. David's
grandfather carefully stores the old Torah his new one has replaced in his
cabinet, hoping to one day repair the letters so the Torah can be used again.
David grows up and becomes a sofer just like his grandfather. Through
the years, people bring him damaged Torahs they have saved from danger and
disaster - one damaged by Nazi soldiers during World War II, one damaged in a
fire in a synagogue, and one in flooding during Hurricane Katrina. David stores
each of these precious Torahs in his cabinet, until his granddaughter Leah gives
him the idea to make a recycled Torah from the salvaged Torah scrolls.
Below, watch the book trailer and read a guest post from author Allison Ofanansky about her inspiration for this very special story. You can get a copy of The Patchwork Torah here.
"The story of the Patchwork Torah was inspired by a real Torah put together from rescued and repaired remnants of old and damaged scrolls. Like the scroll that David puts together in the story, this Torah contains sections that were written by a number of soferim (scribes) that lived in different times and places. We don’t know the stories behind the sections in this Torah. The stories of the scrolls that David collects in the book are made up, though some are based on real historic events (the Holocaust, Hurricane Katrina).
A real patchwork Torah was purchased by my community in Tzfat, Israel in 2009. There are many Torah scrolls in synagogues in the city of Tzfat, but these are strictly Orthodox and women can’t come up for an aliyah or read from the Torah or dance with it on holidays. So a group of friends decided to buy a Torah to which women could have access.
We held an auction to raise money. People donated things to be auctioned off. (I donated some of the books in the Nature in Israel series.) Then we bid to buy each others’ donations (I bought a funny wax sculpture). We raised a fair amount of money at the auction, but not enough for a new Torah scroll, which costs between $15,000 and $30,000. Then we heard about a ‘recycled’ Torah which had been put together with parts of several damaged scrolls to make a whole, kosher Torah. We had enough money to buy it!
Once we got this Torah, we realized how special and beautiful it is. Throughout the year, as we read through the scroll, we can see the distinctive calligraphy of seven soferim who wrote various parts (three large sections and four small ones). Some wrote simple letters, others added fancy decorations. Even though there are strict laws for writing a kosher Torah, and each letter must be perfect, there is still room for soferim to express their individual styles. This Torah suits our community, because we also come from many different places, with our own individual styles, and together make something new.
We have enjoyed celebrating with this Torah over the past few years. My daughter Aravah (whose pictures you may have seen in my Nature in Israel books) read from it at her bat mitzvah. All four of her grandparents came up for an aliyah. On Simchat Torah, women and girls dance with the scroll. I’ve seen women who never had a chance before to touch a Torah scroll cradling it like a baby, with tears in their eyes.
I’d like to imagine that David’s granddaughter, who gives him the idea to make the recycled Torah, will read from their patchwork Torah at her bat mitzvah—maybe even become a sofer herself! (On women scribes-- soferot -- see http://www.womenstorah.com/)"
Aravah reading from the real ‘patchwork Torah’ at her bat mitzvah, with both her grandmothers beside her.
Aravah holding the Torah at her bat mitzvah.
Photographs by Eliyhu Alpern, 2012
We'd also like to congratulate author Jennifer Elvgren and illustrator Fabio Santomauro on The Whispering Town, named as one of two finalists for the National Jewish Book Award! The Whispering Town is available here.
Simchat Torah is just a few days away, and this year a very special book has us incredibly excited for the holiday - The Patchwork Torah. You can read more about it and see a book trailer below. We've also put together a handful of kid-friendly activities to help you celebrate at home or in the classroom!
Candy Torah Scrolls
A sweet (literally!) and easy way for children to make their own miniature Torah scrolls, this activity is great for the classroom as children can manage it without much help. When they've paraded with their scrolls, they'll have a treat to enjoy as well! From Challah Crumbs.
A Torah Poster This poster can be used year-round, or just on Simchat Torah, to remind children of all the stories the Torah contains. Putting the poster together on Simchat Torah is a great way to commemorate the past year of Torah readings, or it can be used to review and preview what will be read in the coming year!
Felt Torahs
Another sweet way for children to make their own miniature Torahs to celebrate with, these felt Torahs are more durable and lasting than the candy Torah scrolls. From JewishKids.org
Torah Blintzes or Sandwich Rolls
Celebrate Simchat Torah with a quick and fun snack - there are a slew of recipes on the Internet, including this one for blintzes with pretzel sticks, and this one, for turkey sandwich rolls with carrot sticks.
Candy Apples
Remember how sweet it is to learn the Torah with candy apples! Prepared ahead of time, they can even be used to top children's miniature flags for Simchat Torah celebrations. Try traditional candy apples, or try caramel apples for a just as sweet but less sticky treat.
Color the Israeli Flag
Israeli flags are also an important part of Simchat Torah celebrations. Use this printable flag and have children color their own to carry.
Read a Good Book!
Simchat Torah celebrates the Torah, the Jewish people's favorite story to read again and again - so what better holiday to celebrate with a good book? Our October Book of the Month is The Patchwork Torah. Take a look at the book trailer below, featuring beautiful art by Elsa Oriol, and find it on the Kar-Ben website.
You can also celebrate Simchat Torah with everyone's favorite spider in Sammy Spider's First Simchat Torah. Learn along with Sammy as he watches Josh Shapiro get ready with his own flag and candy apple, and learns about why the Torah is the Jewish people's favorite story.
Our October book of the month is The Patchwork Torah, by Allison Ofanansky. There are so many things we love about this book! It has warm, beautiful illustrations that accompany a touching and unique intergenerational story. Books for Simchat Torah aren't that easy to come by, but this is a great one, as it features two celebrations of the holiday. A message about recycling means that this book is a good fit for the spring and Earth Day as well. Below, watch the book trailer and read a guest post from author Allison Ofanansky about her inspiration for this very special story!
"The story of the Patchwork Torah
was inspired by a real Torah put together from rescued and repaired remnants of
old and damaged scrolls. Like the scroll that David puts together in the story,
this Torah contains sections that were written by a number of soferim
(scribes) that lived in different times and places. We don’t know the stories
behind the sections in this Torah. The stories of the scrolls that David
collects in the book are made up, though some are based on real historic events
(the Holocaust, Hurricane Katrina).
A real patchwork Torah was purchased
by my community in Tzfat, Israel in 2009. There are many Torah scrolls in
synagogues in the city of Tzfat, but these are strictly Orthodox and women can’t
come up for an aliyah or read from the Torah or dance with it on
holidays. So a group of friends decided to buy a Torah to which women could
have access.
We held an auction to raise money.
People donated things to be auctioned off. (I donated some of the books in the
Nature in Israel series.) Then we bid to buy each others’ donations (I bought a
funny wax sculpture). We raised a fair amount of money at the auction, but not
enough for a new Torah scroll, which costs between $15,000 and $30,000. Then we
heard about a ‘recycled’ Torah which had been put together with parts of
several damaged scrolls to make a whole, kosher Torah. We had enough money to
buy it!
Once we got this Torah, we realized
how special and beautiful it is. Throughout the year, as we read through the
scroll, we can see the distinctive calligraphy of seven soferim who
wrote various parts (three large sections and four small ones). Some wrote
simple letters, others added fancy decorations. Even though there are strict
laws for writing a kosher Torah, and each letter must be perfect, there is
still room for soferim to express their individual styles. This Torah
suits our community, because we also come from many different places, with our
own individual styles, and together make something new.
We have enjoyed celebrating with
this Torah over the past few years. My daughter Aravah (whose pictures you may
have seen in my Nature in Israel books) read from it at her bat mitzvah. All
four of her grandparents came up for an aliyah. On Simchat Torah, women
and girls dance with the scroll. I’ve seen women who never had a chance before
to touch a Torah scroll cradling it like a baby, with tears in their eyes.
I’d like to imagine that David’s
granddaughter, who gives him the idea to make the recycled Torah, will read
from their patchwork Torah at her bat mitzvah—maybe even become a sofer
herself! (On women scribes-- soferot -- see http://www.womenstorah.com/)"
Aravah reading from the real
‘patchwork Torah’ at her bat mitzvah, with both her grandmothers beside her.
It is a tradition on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, to eat apples or challah dipped in honey as a wish for a sweet new year.
In the Torah, Israel is called “the land of milk and honey,” because its climate is ideal for grazing animals and growing flowers.
People have collected honey from bees since prehistoric times. In Tel Rehov archeologists found clay beehives which are over 3000 years old!
In Israel today, there are more than 90,000 beehives in over 6,000 locations around the country. Most of the honey they produce is sold at Rosh Hashanah time.
To make one pound (half a kilogram) of honey, bees must collect nectar from two million flowers.
Visit a bee farm, and follow the bees, as they carry “kisses” from flower to flower, and return to their hives with their tummies full of nectar. Learn how the honey is extracted from the combs and makes its way from the hive to the table, to be enjoyed with slices of apples for a Rosh Hashanah treat.
Wonderfully unique, Harvest of Lightis a Hanukkah book with no spinning driedels, no shiny presents and no glitzy parties, just the simple gift of olives from nature and the joy a young family experiences during the olive harvest. The book is newly available in paperback, and is a wonderful Hannukah gift (perhaps along with a bottle or two of olive oil) for any family.
Here is a hello from Harvest of Light author Allison Ofanansky from her home in Israel:
After a week of much-needed rain, the olives in the Galilee of northern Israel have turned plump and purple, full of oil.
Along with friends and neighbors, our family is busy harvesting the olives and taking them to the press. So far this year we have taken over 600 kilograms of olives to the press, from which we got about 180 liters of oil, and we aren't done yet!
Before I moved to Israel I never lit a hannukiah with oil, and did not know that hannukah is also a harvest holiday--the harvest of the olives for oil. In addition to lighting the hannukiah with our oil, we also love eating latkes fried in it!
How can you incorporate olive oil into your Hanukkah celebration? Dip bread in olive oil at dinner Bake olive oil cake Have an olive oil tasting party Make a facial scrub and moisturizer with olive oil and give it as a gift Make flavored olive oils and give them as gifts Buy or borrow a lamp that burns oil and use olive oil
What does author Allison Ofanansky have in common with one of her favorite authors, A.A. Milne?
Both of them write about honey, Milne with his honey eating bear and Ofanansky with What’s the Buzz? Honey for a Sweet New Year. This new book uses words and photography to introduce kids to the process of making honey on an Israeli honey farm. We asked Ofanansky to tell us more about her writing and new book:
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
Because I love to read so much I wanted to create books for others, and because I want to share my experiences of living in Israel and interacting with nature.
What are you most excited about promoting in your new book?
I am excited about including so many of my daughters' friends in the next book. I have also enjoyed meeting the people at Dovrat Hatavor and seeing the interesting and engaging way they teach kids about bees and honey.
How do you hope your book will impact the Jewish life of a child? I hope that all the books in this series will show the connection between the Jewish holidays and nature, especially the way the seasons in Israel correspond to the different holidays. I also hope to show children a bit about how things can be made or done or found on their own—that not everything has to be bought in a store.
What are some fun facts about you?
I used to go on very long bike trips in the mountains, sometimes lasting weeks or even months. Now I enjoy gardening and hiking around near where I live in the Galilee.
The Celebrate Israel Parade
