The Tenth Man
A Miracle of Jewish Faith and Friendship in New Orleans
Will be published approx. on 24. March 2026
Book
Hardback
40 pages
978-0-8234-5843-1 (ISBN)
Description
The true story of how a nearly 100-year-old synagogue and its elderly congregation found new life, hope, and community in New Orleans.
In Orthodox tradition, one needs ten Jewish men to perform certain prayers, but the nine elderly congregants of Anshe Sfard, all Holocaust survivors, had gone without a tenth person for a long time. Until a young man named Alex Brown happened to knock on the door and changed everything. Through small acts of service, like carrying the Torah to the bimah, Alex helped bring community life back to the shul.
In this heartfelt tribute to Holocaust survivors and the greatest generation, Artie Bennett captures everyday life at the synagogue and all the individual personalities of the men with humor and heart: who liked to play pranks, who liked to bicker, and who could slice a tomato so that not a single piece went to waste.
They were tailors, shoemakers, grocers, schmatte sellers, deli owners, and ironworkers—and their stories continue to live on. Movingly illustrated by debut illustrator Shira Neiss, The Tenth Man shows how even the smallest acts of service can keep a community and its memories alive.
Back matter includes more information, a glossary, a bibliography, and photos.
In Orthodox tradition, one needs ten Jewish men to perform certain prayers, but the nine elderly congregants of Anshe Sfard, all Holocaust survivors, had gone without a tenth person for a long time. Until a young man named Alex Brown happened to knock on the door and changed everything. Through small acts of service, like carrying the Torah to the bimah, Alex helped bring community life back to the shul.
In this heartfelt tribute to Holocaust survivors and the greatest generation, Artie Bennett captures everyday life at the synagogue and all the individual personalities of the men with humor and heart: who liked to play pranks, who liked to bicker, and who could slice a tomato so that not a single piece went to waste.
They were tailors, shoemakers, grocers, schmatte sellers, deli owners, and ironworkers—and their stories continue to live on. Movingly illustrated by debut illustrator Shira Neiss, The Tenth Man shows how even the smallest acts of service can keep a community and its memories alive.
Back matter includes more information, a glossary, a bibliography, and photos.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: From Preschool to Third Grade, Interest Age: From 4 to 8 years
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 258 mm
Width: 202 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
363 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8234-5843-1 (9780823458431)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Artie Bennett is a children's book author and executive copy editor at Random House Books for Young Readers. His picture books include The Butt Book and The True Story of Zippy Chippy: The Little Horse That Couldn’t, which won the Magnolia Book Award and earned a CCBC Choice Award. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Shira Neiss is an illustrator, printmaker, and educator. Her work is whimsical, irreverent, and possesses a strong Jewish and feminist sensibility. Shira is based in Brooklyn. The Tenth Man is her debut.
Shira Neiss is an illustrator, printmaker, and educator. Her work is whimsical, irreverent, and possesses a strong Jewish and feminist sensibility. Shira is based in Brooklyn. The Tenth Man is her debut.