That Elul Time of Year
Calendars, books, an interview with children's book author/illustrator Ann Koffsky, and a delicious apple recipe because we could all use something sweet right now
Day 334 #bringthemhome
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We are a people in mourning — still, from October 7, but also anew, since the brutal execution of six hostages this past weekend. May the memories of Eden, Hersh, Carmel, Almog, Ori, and Alex be a blessing.
And yet, while time seems to have stood still, it’s moving forward anyway. If I weren’t already sure of it, Hebrew calendars from various Jewish organizations arrive daily to remind me: no matter what, the world continues to spin. All we can do is to live fully and kindly, in ways that honor the lives so tragically lost.
As I do each Elul, I have begun the process of making a personal accounting. A tally of where I went wrong this past year and how I want to improve in the year ahead.
And as I do each Elul, I will choose a calendar from this assortment to hang on our refrigerator, holding space for lifecycle events, yahrzeits, and doctor appointments.
When I was a child, I was terrified of the calendar pinned with magnets to my grandparents’ refrigerator. Sponsored by the local funeral parlor, their illustrations were stark, ominous, artistic representations of the biblical stories I adored. I suppose the images were meant to instill in us reverence and awe. Now that I get to choose, I opt for the one with the prettiest pictures. I find my sources of inspiration for awe and reverence in other places.
After all, our hopes for healthier, happier, more peaceful things are the essence of what we pray for. And if, at first, we — as individuals and as part of Klal Yisrael — don’t succeed, we have to try again and again, doing the best we can to hope and pray and look for the light and the good.
Book news and what I’m reading now
This Friday, September 6, is National Read a Book Day, an informal annual observance to encourage folks to immerse themselves in the pleasures of reading.
Isn’t every day reading day?
Miro and I were on a road trip last week that took us through the Shenandoah Valley to New Gorge National Park (the gorge is ancient; the park is new), and the Great Smokey Mountains. The views were fabulous, but so was all the reading I got done over Shabbos.
First, I read Anita Shreve’s 1995 book Resistance, a World War Two story about a captured American soldier in a Belgian village. Many of the themes felt eerily relevant in our present moment. Second, I breezed through Binnie Kirshenbaum’s 2005 novel An Almost Perfect Moment, which I enjoyed until the final chapters made me mad.
We spent one morning in Asheville, NC, where we had coffee and I popped into Malaprop’s, a sweet independent bookstore. They were offering free advanced reader copies of several books. I chose the only one by a Jewish author :), Isola by Allegra Goodman. I loved its mesmerizing tale, based on the true story of a 16th century French noblewoman marooned on an island off the Canadian coast. Watch for it when it comes out in February 2025.
Next book up: Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo.
#thecreativepause, with author & illustrator Ann Koffsky
This month, I spoke with my friend Ann Koffsky, an award-winning writer and illustrator, about what inspires her to make art, how the Shabbos pause cultivates her creativity, and the ways being an artist can, in fact, be practical. Law school isn’t for everyone, right?
When did you know you were an artist?
I have a vivid memory from kindergarten of copying a bird from a picture in one of our activity books. My drawing was good enough to impress Stuey, the coolest kid in the class. That’s the moment I knew I could draw.
Though I had a passion for art, I thought I had to be practical in college, to major in something that would get me a “real” job, like law. Everyone knows that being an artist isn’t practical. I majored in art anyway – and never stopped.
Describe the journey from art major to illustrator and children’s book author.
At trade shows, I showed my portfolio to publishers, greeting card company reps – anyone who worked with illustrators. But 99.7% of the time, they didn’t call with work. I thought offering to write the stories AND illustrate them would make me stand out. It was my ticket through the door.
My initial gigs were illustrating Jewish educational workbooks and creating greeting card designs for a Judaica company. I finally broke into proper publishing with my first book, Noah’s Swim-a-thon, put out by URJ Press.
I think you’re pretty famous within the niche of Jewish children’s books.
Famous? Ha, ha! Maybe I achieved a little bit of fame when PJ Library selected Noah’s Swim-a-Thon for its readership. I mean, PJ is a big deal. Then it received an honorable mention from the Sidney Taylor Awards in 1997 and that was like, Whoa!
Describe the connection between your art and your Judaism.
I’m a frum Jew so I naturally process everything through a Jewish lens. For example, my book Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor aims to encourage children who are afraid to get their shots. I rooted the story in the super important Jewish value of safeguarding our wellbeing. On a professional assignment that really has no inherent Jewish connection, I can maybe keep the Jewish part of me out of it. Sometimes, it shows up anyway.
Where does your inspiration come from?
From anywhere, really. For ages, I’ve kept a folder of my ideas. It’s pretty full. While there are prodigies out there, most people with talent start with inspiration and then work really hard to be good. Even harder if they want to be great. I practice, work on my skills, participate in critique groups to keep my work fresh and interesting. For my readers, but also for me.
How does Shabbos play into your creative process?
Before I lost my daughter, Shabbos was an opportunity for my brain to disconnect from the everyday. My creativity flowered in the quiet. I’d have tons of ideas to write down after Shabbos ended. Now, without the mundane distractions, I think mostly about the loss. So I steal from my ideas folder when I don’t have the headspace to come up with new ones.
Tell me about your latest project, Ping -Pong Shabbat: The True Story of Estee Ackerman.
I became enchanted with Estee’s story years ago. By age eleven, she’d made it to the US National Table Tennis Championship finals with only one player left to beat for the gold. Unfortunately, that last match was scheduled on Shabbos and the judges wouldn’t change it.
What I adore about Estee’s story is that as much as she loves ping pong, as much as she rules the game, she loves Shabbos more. The stakes were pretty high. Yet she never demanded that her observance be accommodated. She just quietly and maturely did what she believed was right.
These are crazy times to be marketing a book with a Jewish theme to the general public.
Estee’s story is really timely. Here’s a regular girl who happens to be an Orthodox, ping pong rockstar, who says, “I know who I am and I’m proud of it.” That positivity makes us a little less strange, a little less different to the wider world. Plus, it’s a message we should all take to heart, especially now. Staying true to yourself ultimately wins the day. Estee took home the gold the following year. That match was held on a Tuesday.
Celebrating apple season with apple dumplings
I haven’t gone apple-picking in ages. I haven’t even written about it since 2016, when my first Close to Home column appear in the New Jersey Jewish News. You can read that story here. And check out one of my favorite poems, After Apple-Picking, by Robert Frost.
Anyway, I’m hoping to get to an orchard one day before Rosh Hashana because there’s nothing like noshing on freshly picked apples — or baking with them. No need to wait until the New Year to enjoy this recipe, however. I think we could all use something to sweeten our days right now.
Apple Dumplings
1 package puffed pastry squares 6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled & cored 1 stick butter or margarine 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup total of your choice (chopped nuts, raisins, chopped dates) 3 cups water 2 cups white sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
On the counter, lay out six squares and place an apple on each. Cut the butter into 8 pieces; reserve 2 for later. Place one piece inside each apple. Divide the brown sugar, putting some inside each apple opening and the rest at the base. Divide the nuts/raisins/dates — whatever blend you choose — and place inside the core space. With wet fingertips, pinch the four corners of the pastry square at the top (where the stem was) and seal tightly. Set the apples in the baking dish; leave enough room between them.
Prepare the sauce in a pan, combining the water, white sugar, and vanilla. Bring to boil over medium heat, then simmer on low until the sugar dissolves (about 4 minutes). Pour over apples. Bake 30-40 minutes. Apples should be easily pierced with a fork and the pastry golden. Serve warm. Gild the lily with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Thanks for being here
I’ve been told that the best way to get new subscribers is to ask. So, here I am, asking. Sign up to receive Days of Rest free in your inbox. Just use the link above. And thank you from the bottom, top, and middle of my heart. Why do we say the bottom anyway?
Wishing you a beautiful week. May we be blessed with better things in the days ahead.
Love,
Merri
I appreciate these interviews and hearing the process of other writers and artists, etc. I'm so sorry to hear about Ann's loss.