Interview With 4 Bais Rivkah Alumnae Authors

In honor of Hei Teves, read a snippet from the latest Bais Rivka Embrace magazine featuring four Bais Rivkah Alumnae authors; Esty Perman, Leah Schapiro, Leah Engel and Dassie Prus. Simply sign up to enjoy more interesting content from the free magazine, delivered to your doorstep.

Below is an excerpt from the latest magazine:

“Is the next great Jewish book stirring in your brain? Do you dream of writing a book one day? Curious about the authoring process? Bais Rivkah Embrace interviewer Libby Herz sat down with four popular children’s book authors who plunged deep into the world of publishing, to gain entrance into their experiences.

Meet Esty Perman who wrote a davening book entitled From My Heart, Leah Schapiro and Leah Engel who co-authored The 12 Pesukim Singalong Book, and Dassie Prus who dreamed up The Jewish Big Books series. Settle into a cozy corner and discover how these women dreamed up books that uplift and inspire Jewish children and adults the world over.

WHAT INSPIRED THE IDEA FOR YOUR BOOK?

ESTY:
I was always blown away by how, at age two, my daughter would casually have conversations with Hashem. I was inspired to write about connecting to Hashem casually and comfortably, and that’s what the book was originally focused on. Then, the publisher told me, “We really love this as a davening book,” so we added parts about davening.

LEAH ENGEL:
Whenever we went touring and driving we’d replay our songs, coming up with better lyrics. The next year I went to record the songs in a studio, but that’s where the saga ended. It remained a CD, until we realized that we wanted these songs, which were fun and full of meaning, to really get out there. So Leah came up with the idea of turning them into a niggunim book.

DASSI:
I used to work in a Chanukah Wonderland store in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Every year, I encountered parents who were looking for a book about Chanukah that they could read aloud in their child’s public school class. It bothered me that I had nothing to recommend.
I was stuck at home on a snow day before Chanukah when an idea for a book came to mind. I jotted down an outline of a story where the colored Chanukah candles on the menorah take turns telling the Chanukah story. I wanted to teach the story in a way that would be clear and appealing for everyone, even those with no prior knowledge of Yiddishkeit.

WHAT WAS THE PROCESS LIKE?

ESTY:
I wrote the original manuscripts in twenty minutes. It took a couple months until I heard back from the publisher, and then one more year until it was published. Once my book was accepted, I had a very specific style in mind, and Hachai created artwork that conveyed that. I really enjoyed the editing process. I think it’s really cool to see things from the eyes of the editor. The little changes make a difference, and the editor has a broader and more experienced outlook.

LEAH SCHAPIRO:
When Leah’s precious babies tragically passed away, I knew we had to get this off the ground. A friend of ours found an illustrator and set up a meeting for us. We also had a good friend and mashpia look over our songs and give them the finishing touches. I didn’t know where to start with production, so I went on China’s Alibaba Express, and found a company who made music books. In order to print a book we needed a sample and that alone cost four hundred and thirty dollars! Then, I went on the Shluchim’s chat and wrote that I was looking for kids who would want to sing for the book. My husband took the kids to record the songs. I also found somebody to help me write something up for parents who would want to make the lessons deeper for older children.

WHAT WAS THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE?

ESTY:
I have heard from adults who have bought the book just for themselves. There’s a lot of talk about the inner child, and it’s very healing to know that Hashem is aware of us and even if He doesn’t seem to be listening, it is only Hashem’s way of saying “No.” We always do have that personal relationship with Hashem. From a pure numbers standpoint, From My Heart sold out within three months. It was definitely a special project to be a part of.

LEAH SCHAPIRO:
When I got that first sample I was crying. I was so proud. I went to sign for DHL, and then my kids and I danced around the table. We have sold almost two-thousand copies so far. Initially I brought it to Hamafitz and gave them ten copies, and then it became a best-selling book. I think the demand sold it. People saw there was a need for it; it was different.

DASSI:
Initially, people were skeptical. Some responses I received were, “Why so big?”, “It’s too large for stores to carry,” and “It’s too expensive.” But once people used it, they noticed how the books captivated the audience and transformed the teaching experience. People began using it for all ages. For example, one bochur was hesitant to take such a gigantic book to Released Time, but he eventually took the Chanukah Big Book with him. Afterwards, he said that the book was the highlight of the evening. He was amazed by how the children and three parents were glued to the book. Eventually, Shluchos asked me to make more books. This encouraged me to create the Purim Big Book and the Passover Big Book. By now the books have been translated into French, and an animated video of The Purim Big Book has been translated into eight languages.”

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