I first came up with the idea of writing this in Civics class. We were discussing how the people and media around us affect our views of the world. This intrigued me because, of course, this is totally true, and I was interested in these subconscious things that influence our opinions. For instance, I would not be the person I am if I didn’t read a lot of fantasy fiction or if I wasn’t raised in a community that valued education. And of course, my faith impacts who I am. As you can tell from the title, I am Jewish. These things, the things that shape our beliefs in life, I call lenses. Like a lens in a camera, it frames the world in a specific way, and maybe even filters it, so that everyone sees the world in a different way. My “Jewish lens” is very important to me. Judaism, like all other religions, provides guidelines for how to treat the world and the people in it. These are the morals I have grown up with: at temple and going to religious school and Jewish summer camp. They are things like חסד (chesed: kindness), צדק (tzedek: justice), קהילה (kehillah: community), and עולם תיקו (tikkun olam: repairing the world). Now, you’re thinking, okay, I believe those things too, but I’m not Jewish. How can they be Jewish values? That’s what I wonder, too, sometimes. And if you’re thinking that, you’re right. Most cultures and religions follow these morals and have them in their “lens.” However, the fact that I do them because of my faith, to me, makes them Jewish; I am kind because in the past (and present) people have discriminated against Jews: they blame us, or hate us for being “different.” I value justice because since Jews have been treated unfairly, I believe everyone deserves to be treated fairly. Community is monumental because, in the past, Jewish communities have been forced apart, and so the ability to be together and to be united is very meaningful. Lastly, Jews repair the world because we have been told that we have a job as a people to take ownership for the Earth and protect it. It is these values that create my Jewish lens. Now you know that my faith impacts my view of the world. But what effect does my Jewish lens actually have on my world views? I believe that all people should have equal treatment and opportunity without discrimination or judgement. Immigrants and refugees are often treated horribly, turned away at borders, and sent back to where they came from, back to the violence and hatred they fled. They deserve better than this. They deserve a safe place to call home. I value having a community, and so it pains me when communities are torn apart due to human violence. Finally, I believe that we need to take care of the Earth. I recycle when I can, and most definitely believe in the power of renewable energy and defeating climate change. Of course, there are many other Jewish values that create my Jewish lens and influence my life, but these are some of the prominent ones. Now you know about my Jewish lens, what makes it up, and how it impacts my life. We all have lenses with which we view the world. I have many more; the view of a poet, a student, a girl, and a photographer along with others. But my Jewish lens is undoubtedly one of my most important ones; for the most part, it is the birthplace of all my beliefs. I can thank it for making me who I am today, and I know I couldn’t imagine being different. What things influence how you see the world? Think about it. What are your lenses?
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Saturday Newsletter: November 23, 2019
“Spirit to Healthy Living” by Parinita Chandrashekar, 12 (Bridgewater, NJ), published in Stone Soup November 2019. A note from Emma Wood This week, I discovered this Twitter account, Kids Write Jokes. As the title implies, it only tweets jokes written by kids! A lot of the jokes on the site are like this: not traditionally funny but also very funny precisely for that reason. It’s a weird contradiction. I encourage you to peruse them and think about what you find funny—and why. I think you will find it’s really hard to either predict or explain what will make you laugh. And what makes you laugh might not make your mom or your brother laugh! We all have our own unique sense of humor. I am often reminded of this when I am the only one laughing in a silent room. The story I have chosen to highlight this week is “The Missing Hair” by Oliver Giller, 10, and it is a funny story. Not only is the premise of the story perfectly absurd—the protagonist employs a detective to find his missing hair—it is told with a seriousness that makes it even funnier. I realized as I read it initially how rarely I read funny stories in the Stone Soup submissions. And it is even rarer to find funny stories that feel right for Stone Soup! I think this is partly because humor is so individual and partly because there is a gap between what adults consider funny and what kids find funny (as evinced by the jokes above!), and then also because it is hard to be funny in writing and in visual art. So this weekend I have a challenge for you: try to be funny in your work. Maybe this simply means approaching your art with a new lightness and playfulness. Or maybe this means telling jokes. Or maybe it means setting up a funny premise that you then proceed to take very seriously like Oliver does in his story. As always, send us the result! On another note, we are attempting to gather testimonials and comments from Stone Soup readers to use in our efforts to spread the word about Stone Soup and expand our readership. Whether you are a kid, a parent, a teacher, a librarian, or anyone else who reads or engages with Stone Soup, we want to hear from you! What is your favorite thing about Stone Soup? Has any single piece from the magazine—story, poem, or art—had a particular impact on you? Feel free to answer these questions or tell us anything else you would like about your experience with the magazine—you can submit a letter to the editor or reply to an email with some comments. Until next week, Current Contest: Personal Narrative The way we approach fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, as both readers and writers, is drastically different. For this reason, we’re happy to announce that Stone Soup is partnering with Society of Young Inklings in our very first nonfiction contest and that, in 2020, we will begin to publish all nonfiction under its very own label in the magazine. What makes this contest extra special is our partnership with Society of Young Inklings (SYI): we are very excited to share that their team of professional writers has designed a mentorship experience for both the youth and the educators who take part in this contest. Check out the details on our website here, including links to SYI’s video series to help in writing a personal narrative. Contest deadline is December 15th! It’s that time of year again! This year, we’ve published so much incredible, thought-provoking creative work by children ages 13 and under. Just browse our website and you’ll see what we mean. As is now traditional, Stone Soup is publishing the Stone Soup Annual 2019 composed of all 11 issues from the calendar year, plus some extra highlights from the blog—and a beautiful wraparound cover design by Avery Multer, age 12. It’s a fantastic, 400+ page book that will give you and the young people in your life hours of great reading and inspiring art to browse. It makes a terrific gift. It’s going to print within the next week or two, and copies will start mailing in the first week of December. We are offering 20% off all preorders received before November 24. That means that when you preorder, you’ll get the Annual for just $28.00—a reduction of $6.99. Support the young writers and artists of Stone Soup. Preorder your copies of the Annual today. P.S. for Stone Soup contributors: remember to use your special code to get a 50% discount on all copies you buy! Highlights from the past week online Don’t miss the latest content from our Book Reviewers and Young Bloggers at Stonesoup.com! Have you read (or watched) the classic fantasy series The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien? On the blog this week, Daniel takes us through the different kinds of creatures and magic in The Lord of the Rings. Do you want to learn about dwarves, elves, and wizards? Read Daniel’s post to find out more. Do you have a hard time with chemistry? Well, our blogger Lucinda Chu wants to challenge you. Read the first post in her new series, in which she identifies a fun fact about each element on the periodic table. Find it interesting? Leave a comment! Oliver Giller, 10Providence, RI From Stone Soup, November 2019 The Missing Hair By Oliver Giller, 10 (Providence, RI) Once, when I was counting the hairs on my head, I noticed that one hair was missing. You see, usually, I had 2,476 hairs on my head, but when I counted them this time, there were only 2,475 hairs on my head. Someone had stolen my hair. I went to the police station for help, but they said that I was crazy. Then I went to the FBI, but they said that they had much more important cases on their hands. Personally, I don’t understand how vandalism in the White House could be more important than my missing hair, but it wasn’t my choice. Finally, I realized that the
103 Elements and Their Interesting Facts (Part 1) by Lucinda Chu
In this world, it seems like everybody hates everybody else, but if there is one thing most people can agree on, it is this: chemistry sucks, especially for those who find it super tough. But maybe it isn’t that boring after all. Here are 6 interesting facts you didn’t know about the first six elements in the periodic table (one for each element) to lighten up your day, and make you want to get your old textbooks again. (Was that a bit too hopeful? Probably was.) 1. Hydrogen Next time you find out you gained a “little” extra kilos over Christmas, you could blame this element partly for that. About 10 percent of the weight of living organisms is hydrogen – mainly in water, proteins and fats. And you all know how much fats we gain over the holidays. Source: https://www.chemicool.com/elements/hydrogen-facts.html 2. Helium Balloons seem to have a thing with the Sun. It flies towards the sun, is as dangerous as it (VERY VERY dangerous for your eardrums) and even LOOKS like it. Maybe it is because element 2 likes it too. (Geddit?) Helium was discovered in the Sun’s atmosphere before it was found on Earth. They both make a very weird couple. Source: https://www.chemicool.com/elements/helium-facts.html 3. Lithium Some people look tough but aren’t. Lithium is sadly one of them. Although it is a metal, it is soft enough to cut with a knife. Source: https://www.ducksters.com/science/chemistry/lithium.php 4. Beryllium Although it may not be as well-known as oxygen or hydrogen, Beryllium has a long history, having been known to the ancient Egyptians in beryl and in emeralds. Source: http://www.softschools.com/facts/periodic_table/beryllium_facts/186/ 5. Boron Looks like we’re not the only animals with skin problems. Snake often have skin issues that require some cure. Borax is a widely used Boron compound that is used to give slimy serpents some relief from skin issues. Source: https://factslegend.org/30-boron-fun-facts-hone-your-knowledge 6. Carbon Carbon is such an all-rounder, it can’t make up its mind on what it wants to be. Elemental carbon can take the form of one of the hardest substances (diamond) or one of the softest (graphite). Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/carbon-element-facts-606515
