Beam of Light: The Story of the First White House Menorah
Oct 2024 · Penguin
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32
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About this ebook
The first piece of Judaica in the White House's permanent holiday collection was introduced for Hanukkah in 2022. This lovely picture book tells the history and importance of its creation.
The official White House menorah is a symbol of strength and perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. It was created from a piece of reclaimed wood salvaged during a Truman-era renovation of the building. That beam of White House wood sat in storage for seventy years, through thirteen different presidents. It might have been destroyed, but instead it waited for its new purpose. And so, in 2022, it was transformed into a menorah that will shine its beams of light every year, celebrating the resilience and permanence of Jewish people in America and abroad.
The official White House menorah is a symbol of strength and perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. It was created from a piece of reclaimed wood salvaged during a Truman-era renovation of the building. That beam of White House wood sat in storage for seventy years, through thirteen different presidents. It might have been destroyed, but instead it waited for its new purpose. And so, in 2022, it was transformed into a menorah that will shine its beams of light every year, celebrating the resilience and permanence of Jewish people in America and abroad.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
1 review
Julie Ditton
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December 26, 2024
"I was supposed to be destroyed" Elisa Boxer begins this story with an evocative sentence. Who is speaking? The narrator is a beam of wood removed during the 1948 reconstruction of the white house. After more than seventy years in storage, this beam from the original 1800 white house construction was reclaimed and repurposed to make the first piece of Judaica in the White House collection. Hanukkah is a time of renewal and dedication and the symbolism is both appropriate and poignant.
About the author
Elisa Boxer is an Emmy-winning journalist whose writing has been featured in publications including The New York Times and Fast Company. She is the author of several acclaimed nonfiction picture books, including The Tree of Life and Hidden Hope. She lives in Maine with her family.
Sofia Moore is a Jewish Ukrainian-American artist and illustrator based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She loves painting traditionally and layering textures both on paper and digitally.
Sofia Moore is a Jewish Ukrainian-American artist and illustrator based in Las Vegas, Nevada. She loves painting traditionally and layering textures both on paper and digitally.
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