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March 31, 2005
School
Today I was invited Maimonides Academy, here in Los Angeles, to visit one of their classes and talk about The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden. It was a sixth grade class, boys and girls, and every one of the children had read, no devoured, the book. I was nervous, not knowing how a group of sixth graders would respond to a boring, middle aged writer. But the kids were excited and curious and just bursting with questions about story-telling. One of the children asked me why I wrote the book. For one brief second I hesitated. I wanted to say something about Ariel, about his love of fine literature, about his love for America, but I looked at the fresh, expectant faces of these children, so alive with wonder and possibility, and I decided not to tell them about my son who died. It just did not seem like the right thing to do to them. Instead, I talked about my desire to write a new Jewish American narrative, one in which the love of Torah is a central element of my characters' lives and not something to be discarded in favor of a seductive American culture. The kids got it, they understood that I was talking about the creation of a new kind of Jewish hero. At the end of the class, I signed copies of my book for the children and promised to come back when the next Hebrew Kid book is published.
Leaving the school, I passed children in the school yard; they were running, tumbling and shouting like little puppies. I remembered the very first day I took Ariel to school. After leaving him with his class, I stood outside the school grounds and spied on him in the yard. I stood there and I cried because I felt like I was abandoning him to the larger world. I cried because I realized that no longer would I be with him every moment of every day.
"We all have to grow up," Karen said to me.
"Yes," I allowed, "but does it have to happen so darn quickly?"
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at March 31, 2005 12:14 AM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
even more than the words themselves, that you put this post in "remembering ariel" and not "seraphic somethingorother" pulls at my heart. we're with you in your sorrow.
Posted by: josh at March 31, 2005 03:37 AM
As Karen said, yes, we children do grow up -- and mature physically, emotionally and intellectually. And I believe that regardless of whatever age we manage to reach in our lives, we will always be someone's son or daughter. Intellectually, that someone/ those someones knows we've grown up, but in their heart we will *always* remain that young child, that little boy or girl they brought to school on the first day -- yes, the child whom they wanted to see thrive and grow and seek and learn, while at the same time whom they wanted to shield and protect and comfort.
Posted by: Pearl at March 31, 2005 09:11 AM
I was in Mrs. Rohatiner's class at the time when you were speaking about your book to the 6th grade class, my class. When you told us the protaganist was based on your son, I froze with shock. I could tell is was painfull for you to talk about your son. I'm sure you were thinking about Ariel when yo were speaking about your book, and especially when you were signing our books "You too are a Hebrew Kid."
Posted by: Daniel at October 23, 2006 09:33 PM
Daniel:
Thanks so much for writing. Yes, I did say that the protagonist was based on my son, but I didn't say that Ariel ZT'L had passed away. I wanted to shield you children from the raw reality.
Yes, I was thinking about Ariel the whole time. And yes, you too are a Hebrew Kid, and have proved it by writing this comment.
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 24, 2006 09:46 AM