Sidura Ludwig – författare

This stunningly intimate collection of stories is an exquisite portrait of a Jewish community — the secular and religious families who inhabit it and the tensions that exist there — that illuminates the unexpected ways we remain connected during times of change. When Uncle Isaac moves back from L.A. to help his sister, Elaine Levine, care for her suddenly motherless grandchildren, he finds himself embroiled in even more drama than he would like in their suburban neighbourhood. Meanwhile, a nanny miles from her own family in the Philippines, cares for a young boy who doesn’t fit in at school. A woman in mid-life contends with the task of cleaning out the house in which she grew up, while her teenage son struggles with why his dad moved out. And down the street, a mother and her two daughters prepare for a wedding and transitions they didn’t see coming. Spanning fifteen years in the lives of a multi-generational family and their neighbours, this remarkable collection is an intimate portrait of a suburban Jewish community by a writer with a keen eye for detail, a gentle sense of humour, and an immense literary talent.

An Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Honor BookA quiet, joyful story celebrating a Jewish mother’s tradition of making challah with her child merges a lyrical text with stunning illustrations – and includes the author’s favourite recipe.“Draws connections between kitchen chemistry, timeless traditions, and the pleasures of everyday life.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)Melt into the nooks and crannies of this book’s unhurried pages, offering a place to rest and spend time counting your many blessings – current and imminent. Here, a child and a mother measure, mix, knead, shape, and tuck their dough under a towel like a sleeping baby. Then, as they do every week, they wait while their dough rises, soon to be baked and gratefully shared at a Shabbat gathering with loved ones.Whatever their background, readers will be happy to find the author’s go-to recipe for challah at the end, along with a glossary and an author’s note describing the personal meaning of her family’s weekly ritual.“A meditative look at Shabbat preparations. . . . conveying the beauty of taking time to rest and appreciate loved ones.” Kirkus Reviews

A joyful picture book story celebrating a Jewish mother’s tradition of making challah with her child – and includes the author’s favourite recipe.Perfect for children who love to bake, this poetic, meditative narration paired with illustrations full of light and warmth captures the experience of a Jewish family as they make challah – a lesson in patience, slowing down, faith and family.A child and a mother measure, mix, knead, shape and tuck their dough under a towel like a sleeping baby. Then, as they do every week, they wait while their dough rises, soon to be baked and gratefully shared at a Shabbat gathering with loved ones.Includes the author’s own challah recipe, a glossary of terms and an author’s note describing the personal meaning of her family’s weekly ritual.