The Shofar Must Go On

The picture book "The Shofar Must Go On" was written by Lina Schwarz, illustrated by Yong Chen, and published by Harold Grinspoon Foundation in the Spring of 2016

Book Summary: ...Harry's mom steps forward to blow the shofar, she is doing a mitzvah. Not only is she commemorating the occasion ofRosh Hashanah, but she is using her talents in service to her community. Her righteous actions set an example that her community appreciates and her son can follow.

The Story:

One bright autumn afternoon, Harry visited an apple orchard with the other kids in Mr. Nelson’s first-grade class. It was just a few days before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year.

Harry collected red, yellow, and speckled apples and put each one gently into a small basket. He loved the sweet smell of the apples and the hollow sound they made when he bit into them. And he loved the rustling of the leaves above his head.

It was a perfect day. Well, almost.      

There was just one problem: Harry’s mom wasn’t there. Last year, she had held him up high to pick apples that he couldn’t reach. He remembered spending a lot of time with his mom before Rosh Hashanah, making applesauce and coloring holiday cards while his dad practiced blowing the shofar. But this year his mom was away, and she wouldn’t be back until Rosh Hashanah.

Harry could reach lots of apples on his own now. He had grown almost three inches since his last trip to the orchard. But he missed his mom anyway.

When Harry’s dad picked him up that afternoon, he was coughing a little. His cheeks looked like two shiny, pink apples.

“Did we get an email from Mom today?” Harry asked as they climbed the stairs to their apartment.

“Sure did! She even sent a picture of the concert hall where she’s going to play. Wait ‘till you see.”

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