Miriam and the Sea

Mirik Snir's well-loved book “Miriam and the Sea” provides a peek into the world of children, and the ways in which they acquaint themselves with their surroundings, and understand them. "The bashful person cannot learn" (Ethics of the Fathers, 2:5) Is it cold? Hot? Big or small? Little Miriam's journey to discover the sea, and with it, the world around her, is comprised of a wonderful question-posing process. Miriam is a curious child who is not embarrassed to ask questions, and finds people everywhere who answer her questions with dignity. Jewish tradition views question-posing as an essential part of education, encouraging both children and adults to ask and learn. Young children tend to ask many questions. But although we should always listen to them, we need not always provide an answer. Sometimes it is enough simply to encourage them to ask, and accompany them on the road to seeking knowledge and discovering themselves and the world.

Age Group: TODDLERS