STN Something Extra

A Siddur For Kids

With younger congregants in mind, Rabbis Sandy Eisenberg Sasso and Jeffrey
Schein have created Siddur Kol Handar• The Voice of Children ($24;
Reconstructionist Press, Elkins Park, Pa.)
Published through the Reconstructionist movement, the siddur (prayer book)
is designed as a new way to introduce children ages 5-9 to prayer.
"I have always believed, and research confirms, that children have an innate
spirituality," said Rabbi Sasso, an author of Jewish books for children as well as
the rabbi at Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in Indianapolis. "Our responsibility
is to nurture it."
The 96-page hard-cover siddur was funded by an initial gift by an anonymous
donor through the Shefa Fund in memory of Rabbi Devora Bartnoff and then
added to by gifts from grandparents of children in Reconstructionist congrega-
tions.
"The Reconstructionist movement is about lifelong education," said Rabbi
Schein, senior consultant for education for the Jewish Reconstructionist
Federation. "What we have created with this siddur was a tool for children.
Kids have an amazing capacity for imagination. They have an eagerness to talk
about God."
The siddur includes poetry written by children from Reconstructionist con-
gregations, illustrations created by artist Joani Rothenberg and stories from
Jewish sources and folklore.
The siddur will be published in two versions: with and without English

Exploring The City

Fourteen students from
the University of
Michigan's Sol Drachler
Program in Jewish
Communal Leadership
took New York City by
storm, visiting with
high-level Jewish com-
munal executives and
their agencies, sightsee-
ing, checking out kosher
restaurants and perform-
ing a service project.
Their recent trip was
made possible by the
Mandell L. and
Madeleine H. Berman
Foundation. The group
Front row: Meredith Einsohn, Janna Rogat,
chose New York City
Rachel Rosenthal Robyn Gottlieb
because of its major role
Second row: Elisa Usher, Sarah Mountain,
in the history of the 350
Alyssa Cohen
years of Jewish life in
Third row: Robin Axelrod Drachler program
America.
director; Siegal Eli-Gers, Shoshanna Richter,
An intensive learning
Rachel Conroy, Glenda blucher
experience, the graduate
Back row: Gloria Harrington, administrator; Julia
students learned from
Kessler-Hollar, Vicki Sitron, Jennifer Noparstak
Jewish leaders the chal-
lenges awaiting them as
they plan to enter the Jewish professional world. They also were inspired by their
commitment to build community.
The group also visited the Central Synagogue, New York's oldest Reform con-
gregation; the Crown Heights' Lubavitch community and Bnai Jeshurun, a non-
affiliated congregation known for its dynamic Shabbat services and intense com-
munal involvement, as well as Jewish historic sites around the city.
Along the way, they also found time to welcome Shabbat with residents of
Jewish Home and Hospital, a health and social services agency serving all of New
York City.

— Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor

transliteration, which both
Rabbis Sasso and Schein feel
will make the prayer book
appealing to other Jewish
movements.
"Our philosophy in writ-
ing the siddur was that the
best way to enter prayer is
sr R^881 SA
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through narrative," said
SASSO
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,SCREIN
Rabbi Sasso, who was the
first woman ordained from
the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College in Wyncote, Pa. "Each
narrative in the siddur has questions that encourage dialogue."
According to Rabbi Sasso, translations used for the prayer book are accessible
to children. "They are clear enough to be understandable, poetic enough to be
inspiring, concrete enough to be connected to a child's experience and open to a
continuing conversation," she said.
The siddur is available by accessing the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
Web site at: www.jrforg or by calling JRF at: (215) 782-8500.

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— Shelli Liebman Dorfman, staff writer

Calling All Authors

The Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit is seeking local Jewish
authors or authors of books with Jewish content to participate in its Local Author
Fair on Sunday, Nov. 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., as part of the 54th Annual Jewish
Book Fair.
Twenty local authors will be selected to participate in the fair. Book Fair attendees
will have the opportunity to meet the authors and buy autographed copies of their
books. Books must have been published between November 2004 and November
2005 to qualify Interested authors should contact Elaine Schonberger at (248) 432-
5577 by Aug. 15.
The Book Fair will feature thousands of Jewish books available for purchase and
more than 30 speakers. The Book Fair will run from Nov. 3-13 at JCC locations in
West Bloomfield and Oak Park.

— Keri Guten Cohen, story development editor

Yiddish Limericks

"It's tough in the ER," said Nate.
"Each day, I decide people's fate.
In triage I've learned,
Where health is concerned,
That what's not geftrlach* can wait!"

— Martha Jo Fleischmann

* of terrible consequence; dangerous

PLEMET 'cha Don't Know

As a result of political Zionism, several mass Jewish immigrations to Israel
took place from the 1880s forward. What Jewish immigration to Turkish
Palestine was there before then?

—Goldfein

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1SOUTre ‘kmivao .1116 t at.p. ur pAap ppom pQs -eaottr JO QSTIEDQg Liamsuy

8/ 4
2005

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