This week we have been celebrating the release of Jessica Hickman's title Alligator Seder. This cute little board book is her debut book in the world of children's literature. Read through our interview with the debut author and learn about her process and why she thought alligators have Seders!
Posted by Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh on 1/3/2020
to Israel
“Meow! Meow! Meow!”
Who said that?
I stood on my sister-in-law’s porch in the southern Israeli suburb of Omer, trying to find the culprit. The streets there are filled with strays—multicolored calicos, black-and-white tuxedos, even fancy longhairs—but they’d all run away when I got close. This one sounded like it was calling to me. I searched until I found it. High in a tree, overlooking a construction site next door, was a tiny, orange kitten.
“Come!” I said. “I have food.”
The kitten climbed down and raced straight to me!...
Posted by on 12/31/2019
to Israel
Cats are
very communicative animals with many different ways to show a person how they
are feeling. From meowing or purring to flicking of the ear or tail, cats will
let you know what they need or how they feel about you. Here are five of the ways
a cat displays affection towards a human.
Posted by on 12/30/2019
With the coming of January is the piling of snow on the ground, warm nights inwith family and loved ones, and a new book season. Anticipate the coming of flowers and warm weather with us at Kar-Ben Publishing, an imprint of Lerner Publishing, proudly the largest publisher of exclusively Jewish-themed children’s books in the world!
What have you’ve used to make a Hanukkah menorah?
In Temple times, crafted from gold, the menorah had seven branches- instead of the nine used today - branching out from the Shamash to host eight shimmering lights. Our menorahs today traditionally sit in a window, lit at night, for those passing to see the celebration in progress.
A menorah can be made out of a variety of different materials. Some are crafted from metal or clay. Some are made with plastic and use lightbulbs as flames. Some are made as school art projects. And some are made from the most unlikely materials.
December comes during the summer in Antarctica. This means that it’s part of six months of constant sunlight. For those who celebrate Hanukkah, recreating the warm celebratory glow of the menorah becomes a concern...
Posted by Jacqueline Jules on 12/13/2019
to Hanukkah
Families lead busy lives, often running from one activity to another. It is not easy to fit in sports, play dates, music lessons, dinner, and homework in the few hours between school and bedtime. By December, young families may feel exhausted. Is it possible to pause for Hanukkah? Could eight days of candle-lighting become an opportunity to slow down, reflect, discuss, and share?
Unlike Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, Hanukkah is not observed in the synagogue through long religious services. Unlike Passover, it does not require extensive preparation. We don’t dress up in costume the way we do on Purim or build an outdoor structure the way we do on Sukkot.
By contrast, Hanukkah is simple: Candles, gifts, potato pancakes, and jelly doughnuts. What’s more, it is customary not to work while the candles in the menorah are burning. The average Hanukkah candle lasts less than an hour. This is the perfect amount of time to spin the dreidel or play a board game together as a family. The Hanukkah lights can help us be mindful of the ones we love and to appreciate each moment in their presence.
September always feels like a new beginning—the start of the school year, the launch of a new book season, and the start of the Jewish New Year. All three converge at Kar-Ben Publishing, an imprint of Lerner Publishing, proudly the largest publisher of exclusively Jewish-themed children’s books in the world! Just as the new year (which happens to be 5780) begins on Rosh Hashanah, Kar-Ben’s new book season kicks off with a Rosh Hashanah board book featuring an old friend. In Shanah Tovah,Grover!, Grover and his Sesame Street friends prepare for the holiday and wish each other “Shanah Tovah” (Hebrew for “a good year”)!
Posted by Kar-Ben Publishing on 8/6/2019
Tisha B’Av, the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av (tisha means 9 in Hebrew), is a day for mourning the loss of the ancient Temples in Jerusalem. According to Jewish tradition, both of the Temples were destroyed on that day: the first in 586 BCE and the second in 70 AD. For many centuries, the Temples were the center of Jewish life, and where people came to pray on the holidays of Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot.
Summer is a time to say goodbye to long days in school, and say hello to long summer days in the sun relaxing with friends. But for some, summer is also time for new places, new people and new experiences. The unique experience of a Jewish summer camp, with Shabbat celebrations, special songs, dances, art, and activities introduces campers to the richness of Judaism and helps build Jewish identity. But going to camp for the first time, may bring worries about making friends, getting homesick, and trying new things. Even veteran campers may want to try out these books to see a slice of life at a Jewish camp.
Many schools and community organizations create programs to observe the gravity of the Holocaust and to educate and create awareness among future generations. Creating compelling programming for schools can pose a challenge, especially for children in younger grades who have not yet learned about the magnitude of the Holocaust. Children's picture books can be important tools for teaching about the Holocaust. Our books give children a first glimpse at history through unique lenses--modern cave exploration, collecting paper clips, a journey into space, and even from through perspective of a neighborhood cat.
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| Welcome to Kar-Ben's blog, a place for ideas and activities to inspire, entertain and educate young readers and their families. |
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Meet a Kar-Ben Author
High Holidays
Hanukkah
Tu B'Shevat
Passover
Shavuot
Shabbat
Israel
Bible
Holocaust
Jewish Values
Meet Jessica Hickman, Author of her Debut Children’s Book "Alligator Seder"
Could You Save this Cat?
5 Ways Cats Show Affection
Anticipate Spring with Kar-Ben
Sea urchins: An Unlikely Menorah
January 2020
December 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
April 2019
February 2019
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November 2018
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December 2017
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December 2016
November 2015
December 2014
November 2013
October 2013
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