Opening Hearts: A Conversation with Rabbi Binyomin Pruzansky

Did you hear the story about the rebbe who became an open-heart surgeon without ever going to med school?

Okay, not quite. The rebbe is Rabbi Binyomin Pruzansky. And while he’s not actually putting in stents and pacemakers, he has been opening the hearts (not to mention touching the emotions and elevating the spirits) of the tens of thousands of readers of his Stories for the Jewish Heart series.

We caught up with Rabbi Pruzansky and spoke to him about his newest collection, Stories that Warm the Heart.

How did you become a storyteller?

I have always wanted to help people realize their potential. As a rebbe I realized that the way to a person’s heart is through a great story. A story is a powerful tool. When you hear about a person who overcame a challenge or did something remarkable you begin to realize that you too can overcome anything, you too can reach for the stars. It’s relevant, it’s real, and it’s inspiring.

How do you find those marvelous, one-of-a-kind stories that readers love?

The kind of story I like is one that is different, unpredictable and, of course, heartwarming. As I developed into a published writer and public speaker I found that people opened up to me more. People have so much hashgachah pratis in their lives but sometimes they fail to see it. I encourage people to dig a bit deeper into their lives and see the “Hand” of Hashem.
 Can stories change people’s lives?

Absolutely! Many of the stories in this book are personal accounts of people who had a life changing experience. They share how they grew spiritually or realized the power of one person to make a difference, and it imbued them with hope in Hashem and in themselves. When you read this kind of account it inspires you to be a better person, a better Jew. It gives you the power to believe in the incredible heart of Am Yisrael.
Tell us about your newest collection, Stories that Warm the Heart.

The stories are very diverse and speak to the hearts of men, women and teenagers alike. There’s a story about Holocaust-era menorah that leads a person back to Yiddishkeit and another about the miraculous answer to an autistic child’s prayer. There are stories of at-risk teenagers and stories about gedolim. Am Yisrael is so diverse and so remarkable, and these stories reflect that.

Torah literacy starts with our children: Children’s Jewish Book Month’s “Write, Draw, and Win!” Contest, sponsored by ArtScroll/Mesorah

Here at ArtScroll’s acquisition desk, we’re used to getting large numbers of submissions. Lately, though, we’ve seen mail coming in that looks different from the usual manuscripts.  These submissions are written on lined paper with crisply sharpened pencils or carefully drawn in crayons or colored markers. They are short, they are fun – and they are utterly charming.
Welcome to Children’s Jewish Book Month’s “Write, Draw, and Win!” contest, sponsored by ArtScroll.
As the world’s largest English-language publisher of Jewish books, ArtScroll takes its commitment to Torah literacy very seriously. Realizing that a love of books, of reading, and of a Torah perspective on life begins very early, we have long been publishing high-quality Jewish books for children, from beautifully illustrated easy readers and wonderful “read-to-me” books for the little ones to well-received middle grade and young adult fiction and non-fiction.
Encouraging our children to read – and encouraging them to read books invested with Torah values – has become more vital than ever.  In a world increasingly made up of flickering digital images, reading books develop children’s attention spans, their analytical skills and, of course, their imaginations. Study after study has shown that children who read books do better in school.
And because books have a marked impact on a child’s worldview, it is vitally important to offer children books that reflect Jewish values.
A year ago, in recognition of the importance of introducing our youth to authentic Torah literature, ArtScroll initiated the concept “May is…Children’s Jewish Book Month” with a poster campaign and special sale on all children’s books.  The idea was enthusiastically embraced by educators, librarians and parents. This year the project has been expanded to include a writing and drawing contest for students from first to eighth grades. Children submit short essays or drawings on topics connected to Jewish books, with winners in different categories and age groups.
Over seventy Jewish schools nationwide have registered for the contest, and the kids’ submissions are flowing in. Principals and teachers, realizing the importance of getting children interested in Jewish books, have enthusiastically endorsed the idea.
Top winners – and their schools – will receive $500 gift certificates from ArtScroll. But in this contest everyone is a winner, as we get our children involved and excited about reading Jewish books.

Torah literacy starts with our children:Children’s Jewish Book Month’s “Write, Draw, and Win!” Contest, sponsored by ArtScroll/Mesorah

Here at ArtScroll’s acquisition desk, we’re used to getting large numbers of submissions. Lately, though, we’ve seen mail coming in that looks different from the usual manuscripts.  These submissions are written on lined paper with crisply sharpened pencils or carefully drawn in crayons or colored markers. They are short, they are fun – and they are utterly charming.

Welcome to Children’s Jewish Book Month’s “Write, Draw, and Win!” contest, sponsored by ArtScroll.
As the world’s largest English-language publisher of Jewish books, ArtScroll takes its commitment to Torah literacy very seriously. Realizing that a love of books, of reading, and of a Torah perspective on life begins very early, we have long been publishing high-quality Jewish books for children, from beautifully illustrated easy readers and wonderful “read-to-me” books for the little ones to well-received middle grade and young adult fiction and non-fiction.
Encouraging our children to read – and encouraging them to read books invested with Torah values – has become more vital than ever.  In a world increasingly made up of flickering digital images, reading books develop children’s attention spans, their analytical skills and, of course, their imaginations. Study after study has shown that children who read books do better in school.

And because books have a marked impact on a child’s worldview, it is vitally important to offer children books that reflect Jewish values.
A year ago, in recognition of the importance of introducing our youth to authentic Torah literature, ArtScroll initiated the concept “May is…Children’s Jewish Book Month” with a poster campaign and special sale on all children’s books.  The idea was enthusiastically embraced by educators, librarians and parents. This year the project has been expanded to include a writing and drawing contest for students from first to eighth grades. Children submit short essays or drawings on topics connected to Jewish books, with winners in different categories and age groups.
Over seventy Jewish schools nationwide have registered for the contest, and the kids’ submissions are flowing in. Principals and teachers, realizing the importance of getting children interested in Jewish books, have enthusiastically endorsed the idea.
Top winners – and their schools – will receive $500 gift certificates from ArtScroll. But in this contest everyone is a winner, as we get our children involved and excited about reading Jewish books.

To print a submission form, please click here.

Torah GPS”: 30% off all titles in the ArtScroll Halachah Series

A GPS helps us navigate unknown highways, deal with the detours, and find the best way to get to where we want to go. Halachah is like that too: It shows us where to go, directs us to the most effective route – the path that Hashem has set out for each of us to follow.

Just as a GPS is only as good as the maps loaded into it, we can only follow the halachah if we’ve “loaded” ourselves with the often complex concepts that make up Torah law.

ArtScroll’s Halachah Series gives us those maps. Each of the more than fifty halachah titles are written by rabbanim who are experts in their fields. The books are comprehensive and clear, explaining halachic concepts and bringing practical examples of how they apply to modern life.

From now until April 27, all titles in the ArtScroll Halachah Series are available at an incredible savings of 30% off the list price.

The Halachah Series includes books on the laws of Shabbos and Yom Tov, kashrus, business and finance, medical halachah, proper speech, life cycle events, laws pertaining to women and to children and parents, and the popular Laws of Daily Living series.

Here’s a closer look at a few titles: Currently, three volumes of the Kleinman Edition of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch have been released, and the final two in the series will be published during the course of the next year. This edition of Rav Shlomo Ganzfried’s classic work of halachah includes a fully vowelized Hebrew text, followed by a phrase by phrase translation and elucidation. It also includes rulings from the Mishneh Berurah and Rav Moshe Feinstein, whenever their rulings differed from those of the Kitzur.

Behind the shemiras halashon revolution, that changed the way we speak, are several works on the laws of proper speech, including the bestselling Chofetz Chaim: A Lesson a Day and A Daily Companion, and the recently released Positive Word Power and The Family Lesson a Day, all published in association with the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation. With tens of thousands of copies in print, these daily readers have taught two generations the halachos of proper speech, offering real-life examples and inspirational pieces to help make these laws a part of our lives. As we travel the sometimes puzzling road of life, we must turn to our “Torah GPS” — the halachah that has defined us since we stood at Sinai.

Halachah — Defining Our Lives as Jew:ArtScroll’s Sale of all Halachah Titles

Not long ago we celebrated the Jews’ triumphant exit from Egypt. It was the first step in a journey that would lead to Mount Sinai, to the giving of the Torah that would mark us forever as Hashem’s Chosen People.
There is no better way to reaffirm our commitment to Torah than by studying and reviewing the halachos that define our lives as Torah Jews. And what better time to enrich our libraries and homes with quality halachah books than during ArtScroll’s special sale on all halachah titles?
For the next two weeks all ArtScroll books on Jewish law are available at 30% off the list price. Here are just a few of the many important titles:
Since its publication 15 years ago Rabbi Binyomin Forst’s classic work, The Laws of Kashrus, has become a fixture in tens of thousands of homes, the English-language sefer of choice for people trying to understand the complex laws of kashrus and how they are implemented in today’s world. The Laws of Kashrus clearly explains the principles of kashrus laws, and shows how real-life problems fit into the framework of halachah; to make it even more practical, it includes copious diagrams and a listing of appliances.
In a new and highly acclaimed companion volume, The Feuereisen Edition: The Kosher Kitchen, Rabbi Forst gives us a hands-on, clear and practical guide to kashrus in our modern kitchens. The Kosher Kitchen is a beautifully organized and magnificently-designed book, close to 600 pages of vital information. In its pages we find everything we need to know about eating kosher: from microwaves and barbeque grills to meals cooked by non-Jewish housekeepers; from shechitah to sushi, from pet food to Passover kitchens – and everything in-between.
Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen is renowned as an authority in Jewish law as it applies to the questions and dilemmas of modern life, and his many books of halachah have been hailed by tens of thousands of readers as exceptionally clear and comprehensive. His six books on various aspects of the laws of Shabbos observance are all classics, and now, for the first time, they are available on one impressive slipcased set that includes The Shabbos Home (volumes 1 & 2); Muktzeh: A Practical Guide; The Shabbos Kitchen; The Radiance of Shabbos; and The Sanctity of Shabbos. Either individually and as a set, these books will enhance our Shabbos observance and, yes, change our lives.

The many faces of the seder – and the Haggadahs that enrich them

 Let’s take an imaginary visit to a group of Jewish homes on seder night. The Roth’s seder lasts for hours, while the Sheinfeld family keeps it short. The Cohens emphasize deep divrei Torah, while the Levis tell the story in simple terms that the children enjoy. The Mermelsteins have been gathering together for generations, while the newly-observant Hersh family is making the seder for the very first time. Different as they are, the goal of all these seders is the same: to celebrate the miracles, the Exodus, and our becoming Hashem’s People. Because people have different kinds of seders – and because they share the goal of making seder night memorable and meaningful — ArtScroll has more than 40 Haggadahs, for every need and every family.

Here’s a sampling:

The Family Haggadah by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: With more than a million copies in print, this is the most popular haggadah of all time. Its flowing translation, elegant graphics, clear instructions and economical price makes it a perennial favorite.

 The Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Haggadah by Rabbi Menachem Davis: Using the unique, patented interlinear format, this haggadah enables readers to see the original Hebrew and English translation simultaneously.

 The Seif Edition Transliterated Linear Haggadah by Rabbi Nosson Scherman: The line by line transliteration, accompanied by translation, allows those less familiar with Hebrew to fully participate in the seder.

The Children’s Haggadah by Shmuel Blitz: Written for children ages 4-10 (and adults love it too!), the full Hebrew text of the Haggadah is accompanied by a child-oriented yet accurate English translation. Includes fascinating facts, easy-to-understand instructions, and breathtaking illustrations.

 The Illustrated Youth Haggadah: Perfect for ages 6 and up, this popular haggadah features gorgeous full color pictures, simplified translation and instructions, and kid-friendly comments to enhance young people’s seder experience.

The Vilna Gaon Haggadah: Written by Rabbeinu Avraham, the Vilna Gaon’s son, this haggadah, translated by Rabbi Yisrael Herczeg, clarifies the major themes of the night through the unique approach of the Vilna Gaon.

The Abarbanel Haggdah adapted by Rabbi Yisrael Herzceg: The great fifteenth century scholar, Abarbanel, combines the classic teachings of the Sages with his own penetrating insights, driving home the relevance of the Haggadah for his day — and ours.

The Story Behind the Stories: Two exciting new collections of stories from ArtScroll

There’s something so special about a true story. The best true stories touch us and teach us; the very best will change the way we look at the world.
Two new books from ArtScroll are very different from each other, but they share one very important quality: as we read them we are entertained, we are inspired and, yes, we are changed.

 It Could Have Been You, by master storyteller Nachman Seltzer, takes us on a breathtaking journey to many different worlds. These never before published true stories are set in places as varied as Holocaust-era France and modern-day Jerusalem. They take place in a luxurious Swiss villa, an abandoned Ukrainian factory, a department store in Long Island. Wherever they are, they are unforgettable.
“When I started writing, I wrote the kind of stories that I felt I’d like to read,” Rabbi Seltzer says. “I saw that people really connected with them so I looked for more, and before I knew it there was a genre called ‘the Nachman Seltzer story’.”
So what makes a “Nachman Seltzer story” so good, so unusual, so memorable  — and so beloved by thousands of readers? It’s a mixture of Rabbi Seltzer’s fresh, vibrant writing – and stories with endings that surprise and astonish us. “Every single person has at least one amazing story that happened to them,” Rabbi Seltzer says. “The trick is being able to listen.”
Hidden Gems: Our Special Children by Ruchi Eisenbach is a collection of true stories about raising special children. We hear the voices of parents,
siblings, grandparents, and teachers, sharing the triumphs and the disappointments, the day-to-day challenges and the lifelong lessons. The word “inspiration” has become a cliché, but in this book the inspiration is truly there: in the story of the family that adopted five (!) children with Down’s syndrome; in the honest words of the mother who speaks about the difficult choice of putting her daughter into an institution. A blind woman tells how one woman’s kindness changed her life, and a disabled student walks a few steps and teaches his class an unforgettable lesson.
The author, herself the mother of a special needs child, remembers: “I started writing about three years ago. B’chasdei Hashem I found that when I wrote from my heart, the words just came. I thought it would strengthen others… but it truly strengthened me.”

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