By Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
I have a unique relationship with Shahar Masori. He’s my ex-son-in-law, or as I fondly call him, my “son-ex-law.” We are close because my daughter Sandi Masori graciously urged us to be. As the father of his and Sandi’s two sons, who are now adults, he is still a member of the extended family.
He is imaginative, as many Israelis are. He comes from a large family of Yemenite Jews and is a quick study. He blends the customs of his traditional family in Israel with the faster-paced California lifestyle.
I persuaded him to write a column for San Diego Jewish World to offer an Israeli-American perspective on the news. As he did so, the writing bug must have bitten him. He poured himself into writing some books for children, and now books for adults are in the works.
The children’s books are based on the stories his two sons in their pre-kindergarten through elementary school years delighted in creating with him. Why be satisfied with regular animals when you can combine two or more favorite creatures? Thus, a giraffe and an elephant were melded into a “girrafafent,” and an owl and panda were combined into a wise and cuddly “owlanda.” These marvelous animals interact with standard-issue animals — especially “Sneaky Snake” — to teach what essentially are morality stories.
For example, in The Forest of Sharing, the lesson is that sharing goodies like the “glowberries” is more rewarding than keeping them to yourself. In The Land of Truth Echoes, Sneaky Snake tells some tall tales to the traveling menagerie in order to feel clever.
Lies like “Girrafafent can fly;” ‘That river is made of lava;” and “The crystal tower is made of candy” and with each lie, the land grew darker and more foreboding. Then, when Sneaky Snake recanted those lies, the heavens lightened and the land and its visitors recovered their brightness.
Although Shahar doesn’t mention this, the outcome is in line with the kabbalistic concept that good and bad deeds on earth are mirrored in the heavens.
The books, with AI illustrations, are available on Amazon for $15.75 each.
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.