A new children's book has come out just in time to help children understand the momentous event about to take place, as the sun returns to the original site and time of its creation.
Once in every 28 years, the sun returns to the same position in the sky - at the same time of the same day of the week - that it occupied when it was first positioned in the heavens. On this day, the People of Israel recite a special blessing and give thanks to G-d for His creation. Some also add a blessing for having lived to see the day.
Author Sandy Wasserman's new book, "The Sun's Special Blessing," explains to children in an entertaining and informative way how Jews celebrate this special occasion across the globe.
Wasserman's book (Pitspopany Press, March 2009) tells the story of a third grade class learning about this special blessing. Their teacher, Mr. Jacobs, relates the story of his own third grade class burying a time capsule filled with mementos of the year 1981. As they buried the time capsule, he remembered, they recited the special Blessing on the Sun.
With shovels in hand, Mr. Jacobs takes his class outside to find the spot where he and his fellow students buried their time capsule decades ago. Together, they dig up the memories of 1981. Mr. Jacobs then announces there will be an extra day of school, on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Nissan (this Wednesday), 2009, just so the class can bury their own time capsule as they recite the special blessing once again.
As each child goes home to ponder what he or she will contribute to the time capsule for someone to find 28 years from now, they are also inspired to consider what matters to them most. What does this period of time mean to them?
Wasserman, a long-time teacher of gifted and talented students in New York City and Long Island, chose to write about an actual experience: The third grade class she taught in 1981 did in fact bury a time capsule, with an eye towards the 2009 "Sun's Special Blessing."
The last page of Wasserman's 36-page book is an explanatory set of End Notes that lists the dates for Birkat HaChamah (the Blessing on the Sun) from 1925 to 2093. Included is a complete explanation of the blessing and the conditions under which it is recited.
A large, hardcover work, it is beautifully illustrated with bright, colorful paintings created by Ann D. Koffsky.