Once Upon a Siddur: Stories that bring meaning to tefillah by R. Lev, Hardcover

Malky boards the bus and finds no one wants to sit with her, yet Someone sees her tears. Stories like this, drawn from children's everyday lives, help young readers connect the words of the siddur to their own experiences, with illustrations by Ruth Beifus.

Stories that bring meaning to tefillah

"Rivky! Rivky!" Malky called as soon as Rivky boarded the bus. "There's room here for you. Come, we'll trade nosh."

"I'm not trading any nosh," Rivky said. She put her knapsack down next to Yaffa instead of going to sit with Malky. "I like only my nosh."

Now Dassy stepped onto the bus.

"Dassy, come over here! I saved you a seat!" Malky announced.

But Dassy put her bag down next to Elisheva. "I have a seat already," she said, and she sat down next to the other girl.

Malky watched to see who was left without a seat. Didn't anyone want to sit next to her?

Then Malky saw Rivky giving Yaffa a big candy that changed colors, and Yaffa gave her a purple Laffy Taffy. Didn't Rivky say she wouldn't trade nosh with anyone?

Rivky noticed that Malky was looking at her. She whispered something to Yaffa. Malky couldn't hear what Rivky had said, but it sounded like "She's jealous," and then Yaffa and Rivky both giggled together.

Malky quickly turned away. She didn't want them to see her tears.

But Someone did see her tears. Someone who was watching over Malky.

Someone who watches over all of us.

Our Father in Heaven can do anything and does everything for us, like any father helps his children.

Hashem helps us whenever we are in trouble. But we don't always remember that He is there for us.

Join Malky and her brother Eli at home, in class, on the bus, and in the park as they face problems that every child faces in life. Each time, usually with the help of their mommy and tatty, they learn how Hashem is there for them at every step.

Often children (and many adults) don't connect the things that happen to them to the Hand that is guiding their path. They don't realize that whenever they are hurting, He hurts as well and they only need to turn to Him for help. They also don't remember to thank Him for everything they have.

Once Upon a Siddur explains the words of tefillah through real-life stories, showing how HaKadosh Baruch Hu does everything for us and how He loves us so very dearly.

by R. Lev

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