One Small Spark: A Tikkun Olam Story

There is a lot broken in the world today, but for Jewish people that just means there’s more for us to fix. The concept of Tikkun Olam was not unfamiliar to me growing up, but it didn’t receive nearly as much focus in my particular upbringing as it does in many other forms of Judaism. It wasn’t until I was an author that I both rediscovered the concept and found personal meaning it. Kids today don’t need to worry – because a whole host of books are here to show them the beauty of Tikkun Olam. Books like One Small Spark, written by Ruth Spiro and illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov.

Most kids I know love the playground. Which is why all the ones that I test drove One Small Spark with were immediately focused on the broken swing. Through each page, they tracked that swing just as much as they tracked the fun colors spreading from person to person as the joy of repairing that which is broken leaped through the neighborhood.

Smaller kids were laser focused on the swing set and when the little girl might get to use it, but older ones were genuinely intrigued by the communal repair project. Tikkun Olam tends to be popular, because it is one of the more feel good aspects of Judaism. Who doesn’t want to strive towards a harmonious world? But the work that it takes to get there is tough, and One Small Spark shows that real labor is needed, even if it is done with a smile. If we are to raise a generation taking up the hard work of fixing our world, I can think of no better way to start.

Note: BookishlyJewish received a copy of this book from the publisher

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