Winning “chai-kus” from around the country
Ever heard of haiku? Well what about “chai-ku?”
The Book Meshuggenahs is a group of 18 award-winning Jewish children’s book authors – all women – from the United States and Israel. This year, they began an annual contest for “chai-ku,” and awarding each winner with a certificate and one of their books. They hope to get both adults and children excited about Jewish books and writing.
Haiku are three line poems, constructed with a five-seven-five pattern of syllables for each line respectively, often with a seasonal or nature theme. The “chai-ku” follow the same form, but are all on Jewish topics; some adhere more closely to the idea of a seasonal theme, with references to holidays or the rhythm of the Jewish calendar. Others are more spiritual, referencing songs or Torah.
Winners include a cantor, a sixth grader and a whole second grade classroom who made watercolors to go along with each entry. The winning entries come from across the country.
Beth Dwoskin, Ann Arbor, MI
Our voices abound
Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino
What song shall we sing?
Joshua Gage, Pepper Pike, OH
Tu B’Shevat
the warmth of the soil
as I press the seed
Marcie Wessels, San Diego, CA
the crack in your voice,
as you hold the Torah high,
glimpse of man to be
Cantor Eric Schulmiller, Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore (RSNS), Plandome, NY
The toughest question
At the Passover Table:
What’s gefilte fish?
Benjamin Wexler (6th grade), Tucson, AZ
The Afikoman
Kids are searching all around
What a nice surprise!
Christine Catalogna, The Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School, Beachwood, OH.
Christine’s entire class of second graders each submitted a chai-ku about the Torah after receiving their own copies of the chumash. A few of their poems are below, along with the pictures they made to accompany them. The rest can be viewed on the chai-ku contest website.
Adam
Written by rabbis
A holy and ancient scroll
Truly hard to read
Netta
Important Torah
We chant the trope with Rachel
My part is not long
Roy
Fabulous teachings
Old, interesting stories
Reading holy words
Sasha
Wonderful like me
Beautiful letters hanging
Powerful like God
View all of the winning entries here.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!