Bracha Goetz is the author of thirty Jewsih picture books — from board books for the very young to early reader for kids to read on their own. A number of her books touch on complex subjects, making it easier for parents to discuss difficult topics with young children. In this post, she tells us about her writing journey.
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I feel that one of my missions in life is to write about deep and sometimes difficult subjects in as simple and upbeat a way as possible, so that children can grasp the concepts.
My background is that I graduated from Harvard University and then went on to medical school, with plans to become a psychiatrist. During the summer between my first and second year of medical school, I went to Israel during my six week break to volunteer in Hadassah Hospital. While there, I began learning about Judaism at the women’s division of Ohr Someyach, in a depth I had not known.
A thread throughout my life is that I was always seeking out truth. So when I began to learn about the wisdom in the Torah, I began to try to follow the Torah’s guidelines, and soon after that, I started writing the kind of books that I would have wanted to read when I was a very young child. I sought to write books that could help our littlest ones to see the world with a joyful Jewish vision, integrating life’s truths as early as possible.
Children can readily absorb that at their core there is an infinite potential for joy and goodness. Picture books can help to foster a loving self-awareness that remains for life. For instance, Invisible Book
Soon, G-d willing, there will be a new book released that will hopefully help children in our community to have a better understanding and appreciation of the abilities of people who have disabilities. It’s called Let’s Appreciate Everyone!
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Here are some of Bracha Goetz’ books on complex subjects:
For more of Bracha Goetz’ books click here.