Artscroll: A Gift Passed Along by Sarah Shapiro

Sarah Shapiro is a welcome new addition to Shaar Press’ list of authors. There are many words to describe her writing: literature of the highest order, refreshing, intriguing, insightful, moving, funny, touching. We could go on — but the only way to truly appreciate her is to read her.
A Gift Passed Along sings with joy of being a Torah Jew in Eretz Yisrael, even in this time of terror and tension. Sarah Shapiro walks the streets of Jerusalem and sees the same surface sights the rest of us do, but she sees meaning beneath the mundane details of everyday life. Subtly and skillfully, this collection of essays explores issues most people avoid, and as we read we begin to think with new understanding and perspective.
We’ll nod our heads with a gentle smile when we hear an aging woman say, “I respect age. I would not trade what I have learned for a face without wrinkles. Age is a crown.” We’ll see “annoyances” in a new light when we hear Rabbi Scheinberg’s laughter. We’ll take pride in the Jewish values of people who bring food and drink to the soldiers who have been dragging them roughly off a hill near Efrat.
The author came to Torah Judaism and Jerusalem through years of searching and thinking. Some of her essays lead us down the path with her, and in the process give us deeper insights into our own spiritual aspirations.
There are fifty selections in this book, some short, some long, all precious. A reviewer of her last collection wrote, “your life may actually change after reading this book.” It’s true. And the change will be for the better.
Thank you, Sarah Shapiro, for this Gift Passed Along. This marvelous book is filled with many gifts, and we thank you for them all.