‘Naomi’s Song’

Posted on March 28, 2009 at 8:00 am

One of the tenderest stories in the Bible is the tale of Ruth, the young widow who chose to stay with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Although it fills only four short chapters, the two characters are vivid and their story involving and touching. Joined in their love for Ruth’s late husband, they stay together until Naomi arranges for Ruth to marry the kind Boaz.

In the 1950’s, Selma Kritzer Silverberg wrote Naomi’s Song, the story of Naomi’s early life, but her manuscript was not discovered until 2005 by Silverberg’s daughter, who felt that its story and its message would be meaningful to young women. The daughter, Judy Vida, writes in the introduction that the book’s publication “brings to fruition lifelong goals of teaching, Bible storytelling, and empowering girls to have ‘that necessary courage and conviction.'”

Silverberg immerses the reader in the era, giving us insights into the experiences and qualities that made Naomi such a strong and dedicated woman. She faces enormous challenges in her early life and she must overcome personal tragedy and community upheaval. She responds with loyalty and perseverance, developing the strength and understanding that would make her a wise and loving mother-in-law for Ruth. It is easy to understand why Silverberg’s daughter would want to share this story with others. Like the story her mother tells, the story behind it is an example of sharing history and values l’dor vador, from generation to generation.

I have one copy of the book to give away to the first person who sends me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with “Naomi” in the subject line. Good luck!

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‘Law of Attraction’ Movie Gallery

Posted on March 15, 2009 at 9:00 am

Brent Marchant has written a book called Get the Picture: Conscious Creation Goes to the Movies, about movies that demonstrate the the idea that “that through our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings, we create our own reality.” For Beliefnet, he has created a list of 10 lessons from movies about the “law of attraction.” Movies can teach us to “write our own script,” “embrace alternate endings,” and “face our fears.” Some of the movies he recommends are classics like “The Wizard of Oz” and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” but he has some unusual selections like “What Dreams May Come,” with Robin Williams as a doctor devastated by the death of his child, and “The Turning Point,” about two dancers, one who chooses family and one who chooses her career, who envy each other. I like the way that Marchant has located the themes of taking responsibility for one’s actions and one’s aspirations in such a wide range of films.

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Books For Your Netflix Queue

Purim!

Posted on March 8, 2009 at 7:00 am

Purim, which comes this year on March 10, is the celebration of the triumph of Queen Esther over the plot of Haman to kill all the Jews. Jewish children love to dress up and to hear the “purim shpiel,” the megillah’s story of how Esther, a Jew, married King Ahasuerus. They shake their groggers (noisemakers) whenever the storyteller mentions Haman, the evil adviser to the king who wore a tri-cornered hat. Haman hated the Jews because Esther’s uncle Mordecai refused to bow to him, saying he would bow only to God.

There are some fine books for children about Purim, including The Whole Megillah and It Happened in Shushan: A Purim Story.

And there are some movies including the Veggie Tales’ Esther, the Girl Who Became Queen and One Night With the King.

And don’t forget to try some Hamantaschen, the delicious triangular cookies filled with jam or poppyseeds.

Lights, Camera, Faith — Inspiration and Meaning in the Movies

Posted on February 21, 2009 at 8:00 am

The Lights, Camera … Faith! A Movie Lectionary book series by Peter Malone, MSC with Rose Pacatte, FSP, explores movies that highlight themes or issues emphasized in the Gospel. The books propose practical points for reflection, conversation and personal growth, in addition to insightful film analysis and information about the film and the people who made it. Sr. Rose, FSP director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City, CA, and a fellow Beliefnet spiritual movie award judge, has a blog that includes thoughtful commentary about movies and media literacy.

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Books Spiritual films

Middle School Confidential: Be Confident in Who You Are

Posted on January 25, 2009 at 8:00 am

Most adults still shiver a little when the subject of middle school comes up. It is a time of the most polarizing extremes as we first begin to question everything we have been told and everything we thought we knew on our path toward becoming our true and individual selves. This new book is a welcome guide for kids from ages 11-14 by Annie Fox, an online adviser at The Insite.

I like the way she makes it clear up front that there is no one way to be and no one right answer by focusing not on one generic kid or on a lot of generalized rules but creating six different characters to illustrate different situations and responses. Since middle school is a time of a lot of internal and peer-imposed stress about conformity, she begins by talking about teasing and bullies and gets to an important question right away: “If nobody teased you, would you totally accept yourself the way you are?” This lets kids know right away that they need to think about the extent to which their anxieties are based on what goes on inside their own heads and not in what someone else said about them.

The book has comments from real-life kids about their problems and how they deal with them and helpful suggested scenarios and resources. It covers dealing with self-esteem and anger problems, empathy, kindness, and problem-solving. Today’s middle schoolers will probably still shiver decades from now when they remember their tween years, but this book will help them get through a little more smoothly.

I have one copy to give away. The first person to send me an email at moviemom@moviemom.com with “middle school” in the subject line will get the book!