Becky Perlowitz has always had a love of teaching and writing. Though she is originally from Edison, New Jersey, she and her family made aliyah to Ramat Beit Shemesh 11 years ago. For almost 20 years, she has been teaching young children and has run her own gan, as “Morah Becky,” for 10. One of the ways she educated her students was through books that she would write expressly for her class. The kids loved them, their parents loved them and Perlowitz had a revelation. “The parents of my students actually encouraged me to try to publish. They gave me the nerve to believe that I could actually write professionally, so three years ago I started writing in earnest.” Perlowitz’s goal was to make each of her books the perfect learning opportunity; they became an extension of her teaching.
Her first book, according to Perlowitz, “is about Achdut in Klal Yisrael. Something had happened with Sinat Chinam and I was very bothered that no rabbanim were getting up and talking against it. I decided to try to do something (albeit small) myself.” She confided in her mom that she was going to write a book about “Ahavat Chinam.” Coincidentally, two days later, her mom told her about a writing contest on this very topic that was publicized in the Torah Tidbits. “I took that as a sign, and to make a long story short, I actually won the contest and my first book entitled ‘In My Family’ was published and illustrated for free.” Perlowitz genuinely felt that Hashem just put this opportunity in her lap. “It came at a personally challenging time for me, and it was just what I needed, as a way to direct my focus and energies with meaning.”
Once she started writing, she couldn’t stop and she published her second book, titled, “Good Luck on Your Test,” which was about the concept of Emunah. “And, God willing, my third book, this one about waiting for Geula, will be out this coming Chanukah. These two books are part of a ‘David Delight Series.’ The illustrations are different than your typical Jewish children’s book, they look more like animations. Really cool, bright and exciting,” said Perlowitz.
Perlowitz, in wanting to include children in her process, launched the “Geula Project” in connection with her upcoming book about waiting for Geula. She contacted schools and camps all over the world, and had encouraged children from first through sixth grade to send in written or drawn entries that depict what Geula looks like to them, or what they could do to help bring the Geula. Perlowitz has included six of these entries in the back of the book. Hundreds of entries were received and she wished she could include all of them.
Perlowtiz’s first book was published by Zmanma and the others by Mosaica Press, which is distributed by Feldheim. She tries to engage the readers in “Good Luck on Your Test” with activities that children and parents can do together. The topics of all three books have great meaning to Perlowitz, “I really view it as a privilege to be spreading these ideals. Achdut, Emunah and Geula are all foundations of our belief system…I feel humbled and fortunate to be able to do this.”
Before receiving an MA in Special Education from Queens College, Perlowtiz attended RPRY, Bruriah, Michlala and Stern College for Women. She has already begun working on a chapter book, and looks forward to taking her other ideas and putting them on paper. If you are interested in getting in touch with Morah Becky, please feel free to visit her website at MorahBecky.com or email her at [email protected].
By Banji Ganchrow
