And so we begin again…I am constantly amazed that no matter how many times one listens to a Torah reading and discusses it, there is always something new to extract from the text.

Although the text never changes- it is a constant- we change through experience, through aging, through changes in our surrounding, through education, through emotional growth. We are always bringing a new self to the old words.

We are able either ourselves or through guided interpretation to particularize these universal stories of mankind’s journey.

Illustrated versions of the story also lend themselves to interpretation and are accessible to younger readers. They should also resonate with adults.

To help you on your way into the newest Torah cycle, here are some books about beginnings, Genesis.

Reading Genesis: beginnings is a collection of essay which use insights from psychology, law, political science, literature and other fields  to shed light on the stories in Genesis.

Feiler, The First Love Story: Adam, Eve and us explores the symbolism in this Torah story and the characters’ role in shaping our feelings about relationships, family and togetherness.

Fisher, The Seven days of Creation is a brief picture book retelling of the story. (Juvenile)

Mitchell, Genesis is a thoughtful interpretation of the story of creation filled with glowing, richly colored illustrations (Juvenile)

Rosenblatt, Wrestling with Angels: what the first family of Genesis teaches us about our spiritual identity, sexuality and personal relationships.

Sacks, Covenant & Conversation, a weekly reading of the Jewish Bible: Genesis, the book of beginnings

Shahn, The Alphabet of Creation: an ancient legend from the Zohar

Waldman, Light: the first seven days dramatically but simply retells the story of creation in arresting illustrations (Juvenile)

Zager, And There was Evening and There was Morning is a beautiful interpretation of creation told in simple verse and featuring illustrations imbedded with Hebrew words and letters. (Juvenile)

Zalben, Light retells the midrash about the creation of light. (Juvenile)

Zevit, What Really Happened in the Garden of Eden? relates a story from the Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical text, about how God created the world through the letters of the alphabet. Compare to the Shahn book above.

Zornberg, The Beginning of Desire is a series of essays intended to help the reader be a “co-creator” of meaning of the Book of Genesis.

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Aileen Grossberg

Aileen Grossberg, a professional librarian, is a long-time congregant and serves as volunteer librarian for Shomrei's Lampert Library. The library, one of the best-kept secrets at Shomrei is used by the Rabbi, congregants, students and teachers of the JLC (Hebrew School) and Preschool. It's a tremendous resource completely supported by your donations and gifts. Aileen also heads the Shomrei Caterers, the in-house food preparation group. Can there be any better combination…good food and good books!

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