Category Archives: For Children

Mark knew he was really in trouble this time, more trouble, far more trouble, than he ever wanted. He had been getting into bigger and bigger trouble all year long without even really thinking about it. He just did things that got him into trouble, things he didn’t even particularly want to do. It allContinue reading “The Silver Bullet (a High Holiday story)”

Marty knew he should be thinking about his father and his family, but all he could think about were himself and hockey camp. His father had been hurt last summer in an accident and hadn’t been able to work since then. He could barely move around the house, and then only with the help ofContinue reading “Acts of Loving Kindness”

The two girls were too busy with the work their mom had given them in the yard to notice the figure approaching. Although they were only 11 years old, they were expected to help out taking care of the crops and the animals. They lived on a small farm in Canaan. The work was veryContinue reading “The One God”

Sarah didn’t want to go to school. Ordinarily she loved school; well, she loved her old school, with all her friends. But on Friday her family moved to a new city. She didn’t want to go, but her dad had started a new job. She had no choice. Today her mom would take her toContinue reading “The New Kid”

The first Seder had been awful. Edward didn’t like matzah and he said so. “This stuff is like cardboard. Do we really have to eat this junk all week?” He thought the whole idea of a Seder, the special Passover meal, was stupid, all the ritual this and symbolic that. The Four Questions that childrenContinue reading “The Wicked Child”

Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day in the counting of the Omer, started as a celebration in a time of great despair throughout all of Israel. In Rabbi Akiva’s day, a terrible plague swept Israel. Thousands died. The people were desperately afraid. They thought the plague would never end and they despaired. But on Lag B’Omer,Continue reading “Despair and Hope (a Lag B’Omer story)”

It was a sad scene at the Kaplan home in the days leading up to Halloween. The gloom, however, had nothing to do with ghouls and goblins. Rather, the problem had to do with Shabbat. Now, you might ask, what does Halloween have to do with Shabbat? Absolutely nothing, of course, at least usually. ButContinue reading “Shabbat Ghosts (a Halloween story)”

Naomi was sad. She missed her mommy. Mommy had been gone for more than a week. She was in the hospital. Naomi’s father took her and her little brother to see their mommy almost every day, but it wasn’t the same as having her home. Mommy wasn’t really sick at all. The doctors made herContinue reading “Creation Story”

The ninth day of Av, Tish’ah Be’av, is considered the saddest day of the Jewish year. It is said that on that day the spies returned from Canaan with their discouraging reports about a land of giants that the Jews could not conquer, showing their lack of faith in God. It was also on saidContinue reading “Simon’s Bad Day”

Robert and his friend Kevin were so busy playing in the basement that they didn’t realize how hungry they were until Kevin’s mother called them upstairs for a snack. Kevin’s mom seemed really nice. “I heated up some pizza for you boys,” she called. The boys raced up the stairs to the kitchen. The pizzaContinue reading “Extra Effort”