Guitar Zero

Joel Lurie Grishaver

I saw The Artist this weekend. It is the story of a publishing company in the age of technology. I also learned how hard it is to get text for an article off my Nook. E-books, for the most part, can’t be down loaded into a text file, so you have to retype them. I tried photocopying the screen to get a hard copy. Simple to say, it was a failure. That left me typing off the screen. The bad news is if you have to retype text from the screen that screen dies if you don’t touch it—which is rather hard if you are typing with two hands.

Richard Louv and Tu B’Shvat or It is not Jewish to Stay Inside

Idie Benjamin and Dale Cooperman

The child of a certain rabbi used to wander in the woods. At first his father let him wander, but over time he became concerned. The woods were dangerous. The father did not know what lurked there. He decided to discuss the matter with his child. One day he took him aside and said, “You know, I have noticed that each day you walk into the woods. I wonder why you go there?” The boy said to his father, “I go there to find God.” “That is a very good thing,” the father replied gently. “I am glad you are searching for God. But, my child, don’t you know that God is the same everywhere?” “Yes,” the boy answered, “but I’m not.” (A Hasidic story)

Outside, much of the Western Hemisphere is in the throes of winter, and often we allow the cold to keep children from going outside. Then Tu B’Shvat arrives to remind us that it is not Jewish to stay inside.

The Duct Tape Tallit! (Yes, you can!)

Rabbi Janie Grackin

A few years ago, Rabbi David Goldstein gave a Rosh ha-Shanah sermon about duct tape. With duct tape, you are prepared for everything life can throw at you. Of course, I think he was really talking about God here.

Some of you will understand when I say that I do a lot of problem solving and creating in my dreams. One night I had a really strange experience. I dreamed that I made a tallit from duct tape, so when I woke up, I went to Michael’s and bought two types of duct tape (now available in more than 24 different colors and prints). I went home and created this:

Tech-i-ya 2.4

Adrian Durlester

Pinterest! That’s the latest rage. (Well, as the ads say, that may be so 27 seconds ago.)

Pinterest is yet another variation on the “social bookmarking” application theme, but unlike previous attempts at similar services, Pinterest is catching on because it is so easy to use. There are tools like Diigo, Delicious, Evernote and many more that attempt to extend the value and usability of all the bookmarks/favorites you collect in your wanderings of the the web. Pinterest is a great way to do this with more of a visual component.

Introducing New Big Books for Purim and Shavuot

Two new Big Books are  available!

Big Books are ideal for group story time. The larger, colorful illustrations make details more easily seen by children in a shared story time. The story becomes more visually engaging and helps to develop attention and listening comprehension skills. These two new Big Books for Purim and Shavuot are written by Idie Benjamin and Dale Sides Cooperman, authors of Torah Aura’s Drops of Honey material.

The Story of Purim Big Book

In Shu-Shu-Shushan long ago, it was all about heroes. The Big Book format welcomes children to explore the palace and hear the story of Queen Esther. A child-friendly and appropriate text tells the story while engaging illustrations bring the characters to life. Big Book Purim [Item #15324]   $29.95

Shavuot Big Book

What is the greatest gift given to the Jewish People? The Torah! How do we know how to be Jewish? The Torah! Continue the journey for the Red Sea to Mount Sinai, so that the Jewish people can receive the Torah. Along the way, children will have opportunities to think about being Jewish and what is about to happen. Big Book Shavuot [Item #15325]   $29.95

 Click on the titles to preview these books.

Order books online @ http://www.torahaura.com,
or by phone @ (800) 689–0793.