Miriam and Her Dancing Shoes

The first woman rabbi ordained by the Reconstructionist movement, Sandy Eisenberg Sasso has used her career as an award-winning author to change how children and adults think about women in Jewish tradition. Sandy and Dennis Sasso became the joint leaders of Congregation Beth-El Zedeck in Indianapolis in 1977, where Sandy served until her retirement in 2013. A prolific writer, Sasso has written a number of Jewish children’s books, winning Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Book of the Year Award for But God Remembered: Stories of Women from Creation to the Promised Land in 1995 and A Prayer for the Earth in 1996. She has also written resources for parents and a book on midrash. Sasso continues to work with her cohort of fellow first women rabbis from the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements, speaking about their experiences. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.Joani Rothenberg is a fine artist whose work includes illustrations, Judaica art, murals and landscape paintings. She has been appointed Artist-in-Residence for numerous academic, faith-based and arts institutions. During these placements, she creates murals, conducts workshops, or develops art instruction curricula. She is also a board-certified art therapist, and has created programs and teaching modules to articulate the benefits of art therapy. Joani’s work — which has been presented in several prestigious exhibitions — has also been featured in numerous national publications. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

"A religious picture book that takes place during the biblical book of Exodus and highlights the importance of a female character, Miriam. Sasso's story is a loose adaptation, playing with the timing of events to emphasize a deeper truth. The story contrasts the positivity of Miriam, who celebrates the newfound freedom of the Jewish people, against the complaints of the others who are more concerned about the difficulties of the journey ahead. The uplifting message is about finding reasons to celebrate the successes of life, even when times are tough. This unique focus sets it apart from less creative adaptations. The illustrations use deep and rich colors, giving the feeling of older paintings. The vibrancy of the pictures is unique and alluring. The high contrast might even expand this interest to slightly younger audiences. Shying away from realism allows readers to imagine what these historical figures may have looked like. VERDICT A nice addition to libraries where religious stories are of high interest."—School Library Journal"Sasso and Rothenberg’s creative interpretation of the Exodus story focuses on Miriam, Moses’ spirited sister.Preparing to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, Moses tells them to bring only what is necessary. To his annoyance, Miriam puts on her bejeweled dancing shoes and brings her timbrel, an instrument similar to a tambourine. Adding a refreshing layer of humor to the familiar story, the Israelites immediately start complaining: “The journey will be long!” “We’re lost.” “This mud is smelly!” But each time the people seem ready to give up, Miriam begins to dance. Those who are lost follow her shining shoes and the jingle of her music. As they dance, they lift their feet out of the slippery mud. Everyone stops complaining and joins in, singing and dancing their way to freedom. When Moses wonders why he never heard this beautiful song in Egypt, Miriam tells him it is the sound of hope. Illustrations imply that the song is the Mi Chamocha (“Who Is Like You?”) prayer. Saturated jewel tones echoing the colors of Miriam’s sandals cover the pages; the text itself is one of the few uses of white. Fluid, abstract backgrounds impart emotion, movement, and musicality. Extensive backmatter includes an author’s note, a song (sheet music, lyrics, and a link to listen), a tambourine-making craft, a scene for dramatic play, a summary of the Exodus story, and more information about Miriam’s story and symbols.A joyfully imaginative take on a key biblical tale."—Kirkus Reviews