Tapuchim and Dvash by Penny L. . Cohen (illustrations by Beanie Polsky), printed in Las Vegas; ISBN 9798799-199463; 35 pages including dedications and biographies, $14.95.
SAN DIEGO – Penny Cohen, with encouragement from rabbi Matthew Earne of Congregation Beth Am, published this story about apples (in Hebrew, Tapuchim) and honey (Dvash), which she wrote and her mother, Beanie Polsky, illustrated. Polsky, who moved from her native Montreal, Canada, to Los Angeles, is active in Yiddish Theatre, as is her author daughter, who has a practice in La Jolla for speech and language therapy.
Their story starts off as a tale of conflict between two towns, one of which grows apples, and the other which raises honey bees. When the residents of Dvash stripped an apple tree in the town of Tapuchim, the first reaction of the adult residents of Tapuchim was to retaliate against Dvash. But a little girl suggested that before they do anything, they should seek the advice of their rabbi.
The kindly rabbi realized that the people of Dvash stole the apples because they were hungry. At a meeting with the mayor of Dvash, which was separated from Tapuchim by a wall, he suggested that half the apple crop be shared with the people of Dvash, and in return the people of Dvash share their honey with the people of Tapuchim.
This was agreed to, bringing together apples and honey just in time for Rosh Hashanah!
And you know what? The townspeople of both towns decided to tear down the wall that separated them.
It’s a nice story, with an important moral lesson, that will be fun to read to little children.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor emeritus of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com