ALMOST A MINYAN
by
by
LORI S. KLINE
ARTWORK BY SUSAN SIMON
Genre: Picture Book / Jewish Traditions
Date of Publication: April 5, 2017
Number of Pages: 40
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Will she be the one to take Grandfather’s place?
According to Jewish tradition, a quorum of ten adults is required for public worship. Almost a Minyan traces the story of a young girl whose father and grandfather are regular participants in the town’s minyan - until her beloved Zayde passes on.
Without him, it is even harder for her father to find enough people to make a minyan. Then one day, he brings Zayde’s tefillin to his eldest daughter. A striking new addition to the diverse books movement, Almost a Minyan shares important Hebrew terms and religious concepts through a compelling and beautifully illustrated story for children.
* * *
PRAISE FOR ALMOST A MINYAN:
“A warmhearted introduction to coming-of-age in a worship community.”
Kirkus Reviews
“A story of inclusion, belonging and equality. I loved the modern, egalitarian, and traditional values shared in this meaningful story. This is a wonderful modern story for our children and grandchildren!”
Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray
Congregation Shir Shalom, CT
Founder of the Women Cantors’ Network
“A delightful read for girls and boys alike, this poetic family tale brings a wonderful sentimentality to daily Jewish prayers. Moreover, the beauty of the illustrations contributes additional warmth to this snapshot of Jewish life. A nice addition for all libraries and all ages.”
Rabbi Jimmy Kessler, DHL, DD
Congregation B’nai Israel, Galveston
One Generation at a Time
Guest Post by Lori S. Kline
I have been asked many times how
and when it was that I first started writing. I think it possible that I was holding a pencil in utero during my
Mother's pregnancy. I hear it was an
uncomfortable time for her, and I am guessing that there was not enough womb in
the womb for my creative expression to take form. In the decades since that time, I believe it
has taken the form of writing children's stories and poetry, geared both toward
children and adults. Almost a Minyan is an expression of many
heartfelt thoughts, feelings and values that emanate from my love of Jewish
practices and traditions. It is my hope
that children reading this book, by themselves or with adults dear to them,
will add pleasure to their Jewish experience through the eye of the daily
minyan.
My book utilizes rhythmic wording
and child-like language to address several serious issues confronting American Jewry today. We
see Jewish communities struggling to bring together members for even the shortest of prayer
services, and that is truly a shame. The
book also highlights the critical nature of transmitting Jewish traditional
practices from one generation to the next, through the sweet, devoted
relationships between the “tween” girl, her father, and the girl's “Zadie” (grandfather). Most of all, however, Almost a Minyan is a coming-of-age book, in which I hope I have
relayed the empowering nature and thrill that can accompany becoming an adult
in the eyes of Judaism.
But let's back up for a
moment. What is a minyan? It is a gathering of 10 adult Jews who form a
quorum for prayer. One of the basic pillars of the Jewish religion is
Community, and the minyan is a subset of that community. For many
congregants in mourning, gathering a minyan to recite Mourner's Kaddish
feels especially critical, as it is also on the Hebrew anniversary date. Other prayers also require the presence of a
minyan. All told, these prayers remind
us that we are one People with sacred traditions and practices that bind us to
our shared God and to each other as a community.
Almost a Minyan addresses several
issues I never encountered as a girl from a larger city. For me, it was easy being Jewish. Learning to speak and read Hebrew had the
magical feel of a secret code in addition to connecting me to my People. Keeping Kosher—observing the Jewish dietary
laws that include refraining from eating dairy and meat in the same meal—felt
almost like a distinct handshake that identifies one member to another within a
special club. My friends and I
celebrated Jewish holidays and weekly Friday night dinners at home with family
and friends. I eyed my mother with
admiration as she lit the Sabbath candles each Friday night, and I never
questioned that it was only males who could lead services and read from the Torah. But for many women—especially in small
towns—not being included in a minyan felt exclusionary and prevented
their congregations from reciting prayers that were important to them both
personally and as part of their Jewish community. It was only when I relocated to Austin,
Texas, in 1984, to attend college, that I was exposed to small town issues and
my writer's hand began to twitch.
Egalitarian shifts were taking
hold. At first, simply seeing women
standing on the, bimah (sanctuary stage) and “being counted” as part of a
minyan felt very odd—almost heretical. Then I, myself, learned to chant
Torah and became a lay liturgical leader. I taught elementary-age religious school, served as a bar- and bat
mitzvah tutor and later lead Tot Shabbat services for years. I wrote and directed many silly, yet
informative theatrical plays to engage the kiddos in biblical stories. I firmly believe that if we instill fun and
love for Judaism in our youngsters, it holds the power to continually transform
them into loving Judaism as they mature. Writing has long been my gift and thus, it is the vehicle by which I
share my passion and devotion to Judaism. It is my hope that Almost a Minyan
plays a small role is my furtive attempt to see that the transmission of
our Jewish tradition and practices continue through our children, “l'dor
vador,” one generation at a time.
Lori Sales Kline heralds from Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh, PA, which hosts a wonderfully rich Jewish community that fueled her love for Jewish tradition, ritual and practice at home and at, “the shul.” Following her undergraduate and graduate work at the University of Texas in Austin, Lori chose to make Austin her home, largely due to the spiritual connection she felt in the close-knit Austin Jewish community. In her spare time, Lori enjoys camping, celebrating Judaism with her husband and son, and friends. She previously authored the children’s picture book, Josiah’s Dreams.
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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
One Signed Copy of Almost A Minyan
March 24-April 7, 2017
(U.S. Only)
CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:
3/24
|
Illustration Preview 1
| |
3/25
|
Review
| |
3/26
|
Author Interview 1
| |
3/27
|
Review
| |
3/28
|
Guest Post
| |
3/29
|
Promo
| |
3/30
|
Review
| |
3/31
|
Illustration Preview 2
| |
4/1
|
Review
| |
4/2
|
Author Interview 2
| |
4/3
|
Review
| |
4/4
|
Excerpt
| |
4/5
|
Illustration Preview 3
| |
4/6
|
Review
| |
4/7
|
Author Interview 3
|
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Nice post! Worth my time.
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