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Sharon Morton was the Director of
Education at Am Shalom in Glencoe, Ill., for 32 years. Her profession was
Jewish education,and her passion was and is social action. She participated in
social action trips to Poland, Israel, Cuba and Russia. She has served on the Boards of
the Avenue of the Righteous, American Jewish Committee Interfaith Education,
and the National Commission of Social Action. She was the President of the
National Associaton of Temple Educators. She is an inspirational
storyteller and social action speaker. She is the grandmother of five, ranging
in age from 4-16 years.
Grandparents for Social Action is an
organization founded by Sharon Morton and her three oldest grandchildren, with
the following mission: Educating and Engaging Seniors to
Do Social Action
Empowering grandchildren to Improve
the World
Creating a Legacy from One
Generation to Another
Among
many
organizations GSA works with, Grandparents for Social Action is pleased
to join with PJ Library
because we know that grandparents will share the books with their
grandchildren
and find social action themes within them. PJ Library
teaches and empowers grandchildren to understand how individuals
can transform lives,
solve problems and change the world. This gift of reading and
discussion
will also create memories and goals for children that will last a
lifetime.
Story line in book Cakes and
Miracles: The
story is about Hershel, a blind, fun-loving boy. He tried to do
what is right and desperately
wanted to help his widowed mother make some Purim Cakes to sell in the
market. They needed the money for food and clothing.
Hershel's mother did not think
he could make the cakes, but he had faith in himself and he did
it. When he sold the cakes, everyone loved them. Herschel
could not see the
excitement, but rather felt it, and he could picture himself as one day
being a baker,
or shoemaker, or anything. The possibilities were boundless.
Read the book with your grandchild.
Questions to discuss:
1.
How are you like Herschel? How
are you different?
2.
In what ways did Herschel try to be
kind to his mother?
3.
Why did his mother suggest that
Herschel couldn’t help to make the cakes for Purim? What else might she have
said to him to build his self esteem and to allow him to help?
4.
In his prayer, Hershel said he
wished he could see so he could help his mother. Then an angel said “You see
when you close your eyes. You see in your dreams.” In what ways can we see with
our eyes closed? Has that ever happened to you?
5.
Herschel and his mother baked the
cakes, and sold all of them. What was miraculous in the story? What did
Herschel learn? What did his mother learn? What did you learn from the
story?
6.
Why is this a good story for Purim?
What happens here that reminds us of the holiday.
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