Deborah Bodin Cohen – författare

A Rosh Hashanah story based on the first historic train ride from Jaffa to Jerusalem in 1892, shortening the journey between the two cities from 3 days to 3 hours. Engineer Ari''s train is coming to Jerusalem collecting goodies along the way to celebrate the Jewish new year, and he learns an important lesson along the way.

For generations Nachshon’s family has been enslaved by the Egyptian Pharaoh. Nachshon is afraid it will be his destiny too. Then Moses confronts the fearsome Pharaoh, and Nachshon’s dream of freedom begins to come true. But soon he has to overcome his own special fear. The story of the brave boy who was the first to jump into the sea will inspire young and old alike.

As Engineer Ari drives his train to Jerusalem, he stops as friends along the way help him gather branches and fruit for his backyard Sukkah. When the Sukkot holiday begins, he is sad that those friends aren’t with him to join the celebration. But what surprise do his pals Jessie and Nathaniel have waiting for him at the train station? The sequel to Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride, this book celebrates a very special Sukkot with both new friends and old.

Hurrying home to celebrate Hanukkah, Engineer Ari screeches his train to a halt to avoid hitting a stubborn camel sitting on the tracks. The camel’s Bedouin owner invites Ari to his tent to await help, where the two have an impromptu Hanukkah celebration, and become friends.

Not long after the world was created, Lilith, the first woman, was expelled from the Garden of Eden. She built an ark, a magic box, in which future biblical women could hide their most prized possessions. And so, Lilith's Ark became a place for women to share their own experiences of adolescence with future generations of girls... The women of Torah grew up at a time when gender roles were rigidly defined and girls were considered women at an early age. Still, the Torah hints that young biblical women faced challenges similar to those that teenagers encounter today: first loves, burgeoning identities, developing sexualities, and blossoming spirituality. Building on textual sources, Deborah Bodin Cohen has created a collection of midrashim about the teen years of 10 women in Genesis that will resonate with 21st-century readers. Lilith's Ark melds text, biblical commentaries, and historic details about the ancient world with the experiences of modern girls and women and the author's own imagination. A discussion guide for each story enriches the reading experience. This is a book that will speak across time to the anxieties and aspirations of today's growing girls.

Engineer Ari rushes to complete his final train ride to Jerusalem before Passover begins, but will he run out of time before getting the items he needs for his seder plate?

Kar-Ben Read-Aloud eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting to bring eBooks to life! Engineer Ari rushes to complete his final train ride to Jerusalem before Passover begins, but will he run out of time before getting the items he needs for his seder plate?

Kar-Ben Read-Aloud eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting to bring eBooks to life! Engineer Arielle drives a train in Jerusalem, just like her great-great-grandfather, Engineer Ari. Except she drives a light rail train, and today is a special day. It''s Israel''s Independence Day! Arielle works all day taking people to their holiday destinations—but how will Arielle celebrate? Her brother Ezra, a pilot in the Israeli Air Force, has something special in mind.

In this adaptation of the creation story, God creates desert canyons and riverbeds as a potter would, the leopard''s spots and the zebra''s stripes as a painter would, and the voices of laughter as a musician would.

With warm watercolor artwork and a gentle storyline, this picture book sensitively looks at the issue of interfaith families. "Why can''t you be Jewish like me? Why can''t I be Christian like you?" To answer these questions posed by his granddaughter, a modern grandfather tells her the parallel story of Jethro, the famous non-Jewish grandfather of the Bible.

"Families looking for a new take on celebrating the Passover seder will be delighted by this Haggadah..." —Association of Jewish LibrariesIn The Heroes Haggadah: Lead the Way to Freedom, the traditional texts and songs of a 30-45 minute Passover Seder are paired with profiles of 46 influential and diverse Jewish people in fields ranging from pop culture to science, art, and political activism, whose biographies add to the heroic and enduring story of freedom that began with the ancient Exodus.More than any other Jewish book, the traditional haggadah is continually renewed and rewritten. In this haggadah, each traditional section is also connected to a particular theme, such as commitment, sustainability, hope, activism, perseverance, gratitude, and rejuvenation. Each theme is reflected in the profile of a modern hero as well as in quotes and interpretive English translations of traditional Hebrew blessings, capturing how human heroes partner with God to better our world.Profiles include: Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Israeli activist Anat Hoffman, one of the founders of Women of the Wall; Polish resistance fighter Tuvia Bielsk; Regina Jonas, first woman to be ordained as a rabbi; Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, first Asian American Cantor and Rabbi: Helen Suzman, for years the sole member of the South African Parliament to stand against apartheid; Eliezar Ben-Yehuda, champion of the rebirth of Hebrew as a spoke language; Pnina Tamano-Shata, first Ethiopian-born woman to serve in Israel's Knesset; Gershom Sizomu, the first native-born Black rabbi of the Abayudaya community in Uganda; Black Jewish rapper Daveed Diggs, and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Short biographies of all those profiled are included in an index at the back of the haggadah. Space among the profiles is reserved for participants to include a hero from their own family or community.The haggadah is welcoming of participants from any background and presents all prayers and blessings in Hebrew, transliteration, and English translation. Songs included are Dayeinu, Eliahu Hanavi, Echad Mi Yodea (Who Knows One), Chad Gadya, and Adir Hu, all presented in English, Hebrew, and transliterated Hebrew. A seder planning guide is provided, along with seven recipes, including a Ugandan Charoset from the Sizomu family, a West African Brisket and a Caribbean Compote, both from cookbook author Michael Twitty, and Groucho Marks' Matzah Balls."The idea that it’s possible to move from slavery to freedom and from darkness to light and from despair to hope—that is the greatest Jewish story ever told." —SHARON BROUS, FOUNDING RABBI OF IKAR (from The Heroes Haggadah)

"A favorite...This book is recommended for those who want to continue additions to this popular series." —Association of Jewish LibrariesAvi the Ambulance is back in this fourth book of the beloved series about emergency vehicles in Israel. This gentle story centers the importance of teamwork and appreciating the different skills and abilities we all bring to our work and relationships. For readers ages 4-7.Avi the Ambulance was excited to go to the beach and meet his partner Zach's friend Esti. Esti has a new ambulance partner, and Avi loves to make new friends. After making sure his tires are nice and full of air, Avi and Zach head out along the busy streets of Israel.When they arrive at the beach, Avi is confused to meet Noah. Noah is a boat in the lake, but he says he's an ambulance like Avi. But Noah doesn't have tires, so Noah can't drive through Israel to bring people to the hospital. How can Noah be an ambulance when he doesn't look like Avi?

"An uplifting historical tale exploring the intersection of art history and religion." —Kirkus Reviews"Refreshing....This title is recommended for all libraries." —Association of Jewish LibrariesA Junior Library Guild SelectionIs there a story behind Rembrandt's famous painting of Queen Esther?In Rembrandt Chooses a Queen, the famous artist has a problem. He wants to paint a scene from the biblical Purim story, but his model is too vain to portray the beautiful yet humble Esther. Samuel, a Jewish apprentice in Rembrandt's workshop, believes his sister Isabel would be the perfect replacement. She knows the Purim story well, is inspired by Esther's bravery, and proud to be Jewish. Now they just need to convince the great artist.Based on the real Rembrandt painting Ahasuerus and Haman at the Feast of Esther, this inspiring story of Judaism and art intersecting in 17th century Amsterdam includes an author's note about Purim and a short biography of Rembrandt by a professor of art history.

How long will a dreidel spin in outer space? Who created the first teddy bear? How big was the world's largest matzah ball? Why do Russian Jews put salt in their pockets?In their 5,000-year history, the Jewish people have done some astonishing things. Inspired by the Weird But True series and other books of fun facts, this book brings together 180 surprising facts about the Jewish people, culture, and history. These bite-sized info-morsels are collected from across the Jewish universe on subjects ranging from holidays to entertainment, science, pop culture and more.Bright eye-catching images and humorous details will captivate children and adults alike, including trivia enthusiasts and reluctant readers.What a fun gift!

"This enlightening title is recommended for all." —Association of Jewish Libraries"Peppy and personable" —Jewish Book CouncilIn time for the 2025 Maccabiah Games, this picture book biography tells the origin story of the third-largest international sporting event and the unique problem-solving creator Yosef Yekutieli employed to make his dream possible.In 1912, 15-year-old Yosef Yekutieli listened to radio broadcasts from the Stockholm Olympics and hatched an idea: an Olympic-style competition for Jewish athletes from around the globe in the brand-new city of Tel Aviv.People initially didn't take him seriously, but that wouldn't stop Yosef. For the next two decades, he worked to make this idea a reality. There was no stadium, pool, or running track anywhere in British Mandate Palestine. But Yosef wasn’t deterred.There was one big problem left: there was no easy way to tell athletes about the games!The solution: Motorcycles. Riding thousands of miles, over mountains and through deserts, motorcycle brigades announced the games to the world Jewish community. In 1932, the Maccabiah Games were born.

From award-winning author team Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, these portraits of 26 Jewish role models from A to Z cover a wide array of historical and modern public figures, one for each letter of the alphabet.Alliterative one-line biographies introduce a diverse collection of activists, scientists, athletes, artists, directors, musicians, and more, with colorful, eye-catching portrait illustrations and inspirational quotes. Heroes are people who make the world a better place, and children are prompted to imagine how they might make a difference too.

*STARRED REVIEW*"A wonderfully detailed yet succinct biography focusing on Sheinbaum's impact on the world, this is a great first purchase." —School Library Journal*GOLD MEDALIST* Eureka Book Award, California Reading Association"This book puts forth traits of curiosity, persistence, collaboration, and ingenuity as admirable, especially when used for the benefit of many. Gorgeous illustrations complete the warm tone of the narrative." —Booklist"This book tracks a remarkable woman's remarkable life." —Foreword Reviews"Highly recommended" --The Jewish Book CouncilFrom social justice activist to Nobel-winning scientist to the first woman (and first Jewish!) president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum faces each new challenge by saying, "sí!", "yes, I can."Just like the migrating butterflies in Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has grown and changed.As a little girl, she was fascinated by nature and the beautiful mariposas that would flutter around Mexico City, signifying the coming holiday of Hanukkah. She was a dancer, an advocate for equality, and a professor of environmental science. With each new role, Claudia needed to undergo her own metamorphosis, but the challenge was worth the effort.All her hard work brought her to the mayor's office to fight pollution, and Claudia saw yet another new path forward where she could make the laws that would help bring about more than just a change in herself, but for all of Mexico.

SPANISH LANGUAGE EDITION*STARRED REVIEW*"A wonderfully detailed yet succinct biography focusing on Sheinbaum's impact on the world, this is a great first purchase." —School Library Journal"This book puts forth traits of curiosity, persistence, collaboration, and ingenuity as admirable, especially when used for the benefit of many. Gorgeous illustrations complete the warm tone of the narrative." —Booklist"This book tracks a remarkable woman's remarkable life." —Foreword ReviewsFrom social justice activist to Nobel-winning scientist to the first woman (and first Jewish!) president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum faces each new challenge by saying, "sí!", "yes, I can."Just like the migrating butterflies in Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has grown and changed.As a little girl, she was fascinated by nature and the beautiful mariposas that would flutter around Mexico City, signifying the coming holiday of Hanukkah. She was a dancer, an advocate for equality, and a professor of environmental science. With each new role, Claudia needed to undergo her own metamorphosis, but the challenge was worth the effort.All her hard work brought her to the mayor's office to fight pollution, and Claudia saw yet another new path forward where she could make the laws that would help bring about more than just a change in herself, but for all of Mexico.

Praise for An Etrog from Across the Sea by Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen:Sydney Taylor Book Award WinnerPapa has promised to bring home a perfect etrog for Sukkot from his journey across the sea. Leah and Aaron go to the docks every day to wait for his ship. But Rosh Hashanah passes, then Yom Kippur, and still Papa''s ship doesn''t arrive. Grandpapa Luis comforts Leah with a beautiful silver etrog cup, but will her papa return in time for Sukkot, bringing the promised etrog?

Praise for An Etrog from Across the Sea by Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen:Sydney Taylor Book Award WinnerPapa has promised to bring home a perfect etrog for Sukkot from his journey across the sea. Leah and Aaron go to the docks every day to wait for his ship. But Rosh Hashanah passes, then Yom Kippur, and still Papa''s ship doesn''t arrive. Grandpapa Luis comforts Leah with a beautiful silver etrog cup, but will her papa return in time for Sukkot, bringing the promised etrog?

Kar-Ben Read-Aloud eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting to bring eBooks to life! Praise for An Etrog from Across the Sea by Deborah Bodin Cohen and Kerry Olitzky, illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen:Sydney Taylor Book Award WinnerPapa has promised to bring home a perfect etrog for Sukkot from his journey across the sea. Leah and Aaron go to the docks every day to wait for his ship. But Rosh Hashanah passes, then Yom Kippur, and still Papa''s ship doesn''t arrive. Grandpapa Luis comforts Leah with a beautiful silver etrog cup, but will her papa return in time for Sukkot, bringing the promised etrog?

Doing gymnastics, Ágnes Keleti feels free—until the day her coach tells her there''s a new law in Hungary barring Jewish athletes from the gym. Once Germany sends soldiers into Budapest, they are impossible to ignore and Ágnes hatches a plan. With identity papers from a Christian woman, she goes into hiding in a small farming village. She does housework for a family who support the Nazis, but she never stops dreaming of the day she will be able to compete at the Olympics.

Doing gymnastics, Ágnes Keleti feels free—until the day her coach tells her there''s a new law in Hungary barring Jewish athletes from the gym. Once Germany sends soldiers into Budapest, they are impossible to ignore and Ágnes hatches a plan. With identity papers from a Christian woman, she goes into hiding in a small farming village. She does housework for a family who support the Nazis, but she never stops dreaming of the day she will be able to compete at the Olympics.

Kar-Ben Read-Aloud eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting to bring eBooks to life! Doing gymnastics, Ágnes Keleti feels free—until the day her coach tells her there''s a new law in Hungary barring Jewish athletes from the gym. Once Germany sends soldiers into Budapest, they are impossible to ignore and Ágnes hatches a plan. With identity papers from a Christian woman, she goes into hiding in a small farming village. She does housework for a family who support the Nazis, but she never stops dreaming of the day she will be able to compete at the Olympics.