When Jennifer Stempel sat down to write her new children’s book, she was searching for light in a dark time.
“I wrote the story for this book shortly after Oct. 7, and took great comfort in working on a story about Jewish joy and continuity, at a time when it felt to me like our entire existence was being threatened,” Stempel says. “My sincere hope is that all of my readers will find something familiar in these pages, while also learning something new.”
That balance of the familiar and the new is at the heart of “With a Needle and Thread: A Jewish Folktale from Cuba.” The picture book, scheduled for release Oct. 14, is set in Santiago de Cuba’s small Jewish community. It follows Romi and her abuelita, or grandmother, as they turn an outgrown dress into a blanket, then a prayer shawl, a wedding canopy and finally a lasting symbol of faith. For Stempel, the story reflects the resilience and resourcefulness of Cuban Jews who learned to make do with “lo que sea,” whatever they had on hand.
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Finding Jewish identity in many ways
Stempel, who now lives in St. Louis, is clear that there is no single way to nurture Jewish identity. “Jewish identity and engagement is unique to every person. You never know which traditions and experiences will resonate, so keep trying new things,” she says. For her, summer camp was transformative. For others it might be music, cooking or holiday rituals. “There’s no shortage of opportunities to ‘do Jewish,’ particularly here in St. Louis,” she says.
Her own Cuban-Jewish heritage shows up most clearly in her cooking. When she teaches classes, she slips it in playfully. “I’ve been known to include guava and cheese as one of the filling options in my hamantaschen class,” she says. Food is more than flavor for her. “Not only are taste and smell important factors in preserving and invoking memory, but I also argue that food is a great uniter. A little piece of my history can be found in every bite I prepare.”
A platform for Jewish creatives
United Hebrew Congregation will host a St. Louis author book launch party for Stempel on Sunday, Oct. 19, at 11:15 a.m. in the Spielberg Chapel. Guests will hear her read from the new book, enjoy Cuban pastries and a signature mocktail, and kids can join in a special craft before she signs copies.
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Jen Newmark, communications manager for United Hebrew, says the event is about more than a book. “Jewish life has so many different facets. We’re not a monolith. This may be a different cultural lens of Judaism than some of the families who attend may have experienced before, and it’s my hope that those who attend will experience that joy and depth of Jewish communal life though this Cuban lens.”
For Newmark, it is also about lifting up Jewish voices. “We’re seeing the cancellation of concerts, book signings and other events featuring Jewish artists in mainstream media. We can host smaller events within our synagogues. We have the room and time, and we have a vibrant community with talented people to celebrate. Let’s make this happen.”
As for Stempel, she is already looking ahead. Fresh from a PJ Library writing retreat, she says more books are in the works. In the meantime, she will keep teaching, cooking and finding new ways to stitch her heritage into the fabric of Jewish life in St. Louis.
If you go
Who: Author Jennifer Stempel, hosted by United Hebrew Congregation
What: Book launch party for “With a Needle and Thread: A Jewish Folktale from Cuba” featuring a reading, signing, Cuban pastries, a signature mocktail, and kids’ craft
When: Sunday, Oct. 19, 11:15 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
Where: Spielberg Chapel, United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Rd., St. Louis, MO 63141
Details/RSVP: unitedhebrewcongregation.shulcloud.com/event/JenniferStempelBookSigning
