But God Remembered by Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso

Naamah knows that means the dandelions too. God tells her again to gather seeds of every plant. I write that as Naamah was collecting all the plants to bring on the ark, she passed by the dandelions. I imagined that Naamah collected two of every seed, planted a garden on the ark and replanted the earth’s garden after the Flood. Naamah means “pleasing” and Emzerah, “Mother of Seed.” That wasn’t much to go on, but it was enough for a story. I decided to look at rabbinic sources to see if they might tell me something. When a student once asked me who Noah’s wife was, I had nothing to say. RSS: Often when I read Biblical narratives what fascinates me the most is the voice that is missing. How much, if any, of the Naamah character is based on anything hinted at in the Biblical text? What can we learn from the Noah story about the world we live in now? Are there any lessons we can carry away with us? Please tell us about your vision of Naamah and why you think she is an important figure for the youth of today. MHM: The new Noah movie has reawakened interest in the old Bible tale and one is reminded that you wrote a book only a few short years ago featuring Noah’s wife, Naamah. When I write, I address a number of questions: How might children experience the sacred in their daily experiences? How might they come to understand Bible tales as more than ancient texts, as living stories of which they are a part? How can story be a way honoring the spiritual lives of children and encourage a continuing conversation? Writing about the sacred, the divine, doesn’t mean simplifying the concept, just the language. Often adults are afraid of the conversation.

Children have an innate spirituality and they are capable of talking about life’s big questions. Most of the children’s literature in these areas was either too preachy or contained ideas that children would be prone to reject when they grew older. I wanted books about God, spirituality, and the Bible that I could read to my own children and the children I taught. Rabbi Sandy Sasso: I began writing for children in the late 1980s. Can you tell us a bit about your overall philosophies and how you are able to transmit some of that feeling to a new generation? Michal Hoschander Malen: Rabbi Sasso, your lovely books, although geared to young children, are filled with spiritual connections and a sense of reaching beyond our daily lives.

JBW ’s Michal Hoschander Malen interviewed Rabbi Sandy Sasso about the many children’s books she has authored and about where she finds the inspirations for her stories.

But God Remembered by Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso