Creatively Imagined

With the leaves just beginning to turn various shades of gold and russet and the air turning chilly, it is clear that autumn is upon us. And with the start of fall comes a slew of Jewish holidays. Having just finished the reflective, self-examining High Holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is now time to rejoice with Sukkot and Simchat Torah. When contemplating my life over the past year, it is my relationships with others that comes first to mind. Who have and I hurt and how? What could I have done differently or better? Do my friends and family know how much I value them, how my life is shaped by them—by their presence, words, and actions in my life?

What we do as an individual affects others. We are not self-sufficient, self-sustaining islands. The things we say or don’t say, the decisions we make or don’t make, the actions we take or don’t take all have consequences. Consequences that affect those around us and the relationships we have with our family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and even strangers. That is what I have thought about this past holiday, and what we are still reminded of in this holiday of Sukkot.

Maggie Anton, author

I’ve never been one for reading non-fiction. I’ve often found the material very dry and reminiscent of the long history lessons I had to endure. A timeline of dates and important events that marks a country, a people, or an individual. What makes history interesting are the stories embedded in the events; the stories of the individuals that don’t always warrant space in the history books—the everyday folk who are sometimes overlooked. Everyone has a story, but it takes true talent to bring that story to life, to spin a story out of a life, to make others feel what a name without a body felt as if they were standing next to us today.

When you hear the name Rashi, what is the first thought that comes to mind? For some of us, it may be his wine and for others it might be his influential commentary. However, before Maggie Anton’s long and personal literary endeavor, it was probably not his daughters. I have just finished the third book in her series, and I am sad that the story is over. Now that I’ve been thrown into the lives of Rashi’s daughters, I want to see how it all turned out. I know that I could easily do a few internet searches and read various sites that chronicle the lives and contributions of Rashi’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but it’s not the same.