Loosely based on the Hasidic legend "The Tear of Repentance", The Hardest Word is a story about forgiveness.

The Ziz, a wonderful bird who lived long ago, is so big and clumsy that he can't keep from bumping into things. When a tree he knocks over destroys the children's garden, he seeks God's help to fix things. "Bring me the hardest word," God instructs him, and the Ziz flies off to search. He brings back words like rhinocerous, rock, and Rumplestiltskin, but none is acceptable, until he makes an important discovery.

Praise for The Hardest Word: A Yom Kippur Story

“This delightful take, featuring a loveable, klutzy bird teaching the essential lessons of the High Holidays, is just perfect! . . . This book is a must!” —San Diego Jewish Times

“The very complicated lessons of atonement and forgiveness on Yom Kippur are introduced to children in a warm and humorous story.”—Washington Jewish Week

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AN ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH LIBRARIES NOTABLE CHILDREN’S BOOK