Q&A with "Jumping Jenny" Author Ellen Bari

Get to know Ellen Bari, author of the recent Kar-Ben book Jumping Jenny, a playful and pointed story about the ways in which individualism can lead to global change.

In addition to penning books for Kar-Ben, Bari has worked with PBS, Sesame Workshop, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum to create award-winning multimedia programs and exhibitions. She is also the co-founder of Momasphere, a New York based organization dedicated to creating original programs and events for moms. A former student of miming and clowning in London, Ellen has plenty of stories to share! To learn more about her projects and features, visit www.ellenbari.com/.

Kar-Ben: What was your favorite book when you were a child?  EB: Pippi Longstocking

 

Kar-Ben: What’s your favorite line from a book?
EB: From George & Martha Encore : “The next day Martha had a terrible sunburn. She felt hot and itchy. But George never said 'I told you so.’ Because that’s not what friends are for. “

Kar-Ben: Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
EB: Patricia Polacco, James Marshal,  Roz Chast, Jon Scieszka

Kar-Ben: Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
EB: Children’s books are magic. In 32 pages, an entire universe is created…and they’re often enjoyed while sharing with someone. After years of producing interactive multimedia, with its large production teams, complicated process and individual use,  I wanted to create something for kids, that was simple to produce (relatively) and savored in that very special way. 

Kar-Ben: Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
EB: Just write (0r draw). Don’t edit along the way- not your thoughts, your grammar, your punctuation or your words. Don’t worry about how it will turn out. Just enjoy the process.

Kar-Ben: Where did you get the inspiration for your latest Kar-Ben book?
EB: The inspiration for Jumping Jenny came from a number of places. First of all, I never met a kid who didn’t like to jump and I myself was a jumper--in fact I could go up and down stairs on my pogo stick and once jumped a historic 1,000 jumps.  It was a big deal in my neighborhood and there are a few people from the ‘old neighborhood’ who still consider that my greatest accomplishment to date! The inspiration for the charity project came from my daughter’s wonderful Jewish day school which raises money for its sister school in Uganda. Overall, I wanted the message to be loud and clear: follow your passions- they will lead to something good.

Kar-Ben: How do you hope your book will impact the Jewish life of a child?
EB: Everyone, no matter how young or old, can do small acts that can make the world a better place- tikkun olam.  If you start young, it will become part of who you are for the rest of your life. 

-Max Edwards

 

Abracadabra! A Magical Jewish Connection

In Kar-Ben’s The Mitzvah Magician by Linda Elovitz Marshall, Gabriel the Great learns the power of mitzvoth through magic. While there might only be one Mitzvah Magician, many Jewish magicians have been part of the world of magic for quite some time.

Perhaps the most famous magician of all time, Harry Houdini, was born in Budapest as Erik Weisz, the son of Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weisz and Cecelia Weisz. When Harry was four, his family moved to Appleton, Wisconsin where his father led a Zion Reform Jewish Congregation in worship for nine years. Harry and his family then moved to New York City, where Harry began to cultivate and develop his skills as a magician. As a noted escape artist, Harry was world renown for his ability to escape any sort of obstacle or restraint. He died in 1926 and is buried in Machpelah Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery in Queens, New York.

If we then fast forward 30 years, almost to the exact day, illusionist David Seth Kotkin was born. Arguably, the most famous magician in the world, you might know him by his stage name, David Copperfield. Copperfield was born in Metuchen, New Jersey to Jewish parents Hyman and Rebecca Kotkin. Copperfield is known for his way of combining storytelling with illusion, earning him an astounding 21 Emmy awards!

What’s more? The famous adage “abracadabra” is of Jewish origin! The saying comes from Aramaic, the lingua franca of the Jews during the Second Temple Period (539 BCE - 70CE) and the main language in the Talmud. Similar to Hebrew, the word abra (אברא) in Aramaic means “I have created,” and the word cadabra (כדברא) means “by my speech.” Hence its use by magicians is meant to showcase their ability to create simply through their words.

-Max Edwards

Inside the Belly of the Whale

In the Jewish tradition, the ten days starting with Rosh Hashanah and ending Yom Kippur are known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim). These days are customarily meant to be a time of introspection and self-examination, a time to ask forgiveness from God. Tradition has it that God has books, which we at Kar-Ben can appreciate. According to the Talmud, God opens the Book of Life on Rosh Hashanah, giving his people the opportunity to ask for forgiveness and to solidify their name being inscribed in the Book of Life on Yom Kippur.

The Book of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur, showing us the importance of forgiveness and second chances. We read of God giving the Ninevites a second chance and learn through Jonah’s actions the importance of gratitude and having an appreciatory mindset through life.

This Yom Kippur, explore these ideals with Oh No, Jonah! by Tilda Balsley. In this playfully written children’s version of the Book of Jonah, children are introduced to these Jewish principles, showing that everyone deserves the opportunity to change and be forgiven. Come explore Jonah’s journey!
by Max Edwards

illustration by Jago, from Oh No, Jonah!

Fall Jewish Holidays 2012 Products from Kar-Ben Publishing

Post, Pin and Tweet These Free Rosh Hashanah Greetings

Love to connect with friends and family using Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter? Send wishes for a wonderful New Year--feel free to repost and use these images (as is, without altering) on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter to usher in 5773!

 

 

 

 

Have a Sweet New Year with Honey Fun Facts

 

• 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.

Excerpted from What's The Buzz? Honey for a Sweet New Year by Allison Ofanansky and photographed by Eliyahu Alpern.

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.

Janusz Korczak and the Power of Storytelling

Though the Holocaust is unequivocally understood as a time of pain and suffering, of fear and distress, it was also a time of unshaken loyalty and devotion, showing the world that light can still exist in a period of darkness.

Kar-Ben author Gloria Spielman’s book, Janusz Korczak’s Children, illuminates this important aspect. In 38 pages, we hear the extraordinary story of Janusz Korczak, a Polish doctor, writer, and orphanage head who provided hundreds of children with food, shelter, and a sense of purpose. Though ultimately overtaken by the Nazis, Korczak stood by his children until the bitter end.

At night when the children were sleeping, Korczak would write children’s books that he would share with the children in his orphanage, sparking their imaginations and dreams. One of his books, Kaytek the Wizard, was recently translated into English. The book tells the story of a Polish boy that travels the world looking for meaning, only to realize that his home and family are what matter most.  Kaytek the Wizard was recently reviewed by Jewish Book Review blog.

Janusz Korczak’s Children teaches one of the most important lessons a child can learn: even in the harshest conditions, the human capacity for good remains, and the potential for light is ever-present.

 -Max Edwards

Purchase a print copy or eBook of Janusz Korczak's ChildrenDownload a free Teacher's Guide for this title