Menahem Halberstadt – illustratör

'I plant a fig, I plant a gift. For children, for the coming generations.'When the Emperor Hadrian gallops into the village, its inhabitants hide in fear. All except one. An old man, almost one hundred years old, comes outside to plant a fig tree.Hadrian stops his horse. 'What are you doing?' he asks the old man. 'That tree is so small and you are so old! Surely you won't live long enough to eat its fruit!' The old man responds: 'if I don't, then my children will.'Three years later, Hadrian returns. Meeting the old man again, he is shocked to see that the tree has grown and it is covered in figs. The old man's prophecy of gifts for future generations has come true.Recreating one of the Midrash's most beautiful tales, A Basket Full of Figs teaches the importance of caring for the environment and consideration for our fellow human beings. Ori Alon's enchanting storytelling and Menahem Halberstadt's stunning illustrations bring this wise fable to life on the page, to inspire and delight young readers.

“Got a question?” asks Mom.Definitely! I thought. “Who invented spoons?” I ask. “What kind of meal is a matzoh meal? Can spicy stuff make you breathe fire?”In their apartment, the ever-inquisitive Sami is watching his mother prepare pot roast for the Passover seder. Noticing that both ends of the roast have been cut off, Sami wants to know why, but his mother can’t give him an answer – only that her mother always did it. Determined to get to the bottom of this, Sami runs upstairs to his Grandma Shirley’s apartment to ask her – amongst other things – the same question. But Grandma Shirley can only give him the same answer as his mother: “Because that’s how my mother always did it”. Not giving up, Sami runs up one more flight of stairs to ask Great-Grandma Lee, who finally gives him an answer and encourages him to keep asking questions, no matter what.This beautifully illustrated, light-hearted story has family and Jewish traditions – in particular Passover and the Four Questions – at its core. It teaches young readers about the importance of being curious, asking questions and not giving up until you find an answer.

The cats in the city of Jerusalem get up to a lot! Follow them around as they peek down alleyways in the Jewish Quarter, take a nap on the Mount of Olives, stretch out at the Shrine of the Book, strut by the King David Hotel, and much more.Cats in Jerusalem is a joyous tale for young readers that will take them on a unique and engaging tour of the city of Jerusalem and some of its iconic landmarks. Children will be delighted by the high jinks of the cats and Menahem Halberstadt's beautiful illustrations while also learning about the culture of Israel’s capital city.Menahem Halberstadt studied painting and drawing under the instruction of the famous Israeli artists Leonid Balaklav and Aram Gershuni. Following this, he studied animation at the Bezalel Academy and graphic design at Hadassah Academic College, Jerusalem. He is the illustrator of a number of Green Bean books for children, including A Basket Full of Figs, In the Market of Zarobat and The Curious Case of the Passover Pot Roast. He is also the author-illustrator of Just One Thing… And Then Bedtime.

Speedy is the fastest animal in the forest, and always loves a challenge and a chance to show off his skills. But one day, while getting ready for an archery contest, Speedy finds himself facing his biggest challenge yet - to run faster than the words that came out of his mouth.Frustrated and letting his temper get the better of him, Speedy says something unkind about his best friend Ellie the Elephant that he immediately regrets. Will he make it across the forest and catch up with his words before they reach Ellie’s ears and hurt her feelings?Based on the Jewish idea of lashon hara, this thought-provoking tale shows the harm that unkind words can do and offers lessons on the importance of honesty, forgiveness and friendship. Menahem Halberstadt’s charming illustrations bring this story to life on the page, making for an engaging, educational tale that young readers will both thoroughly enjoy and learn a lot from.