Moshe Eisemann, Privately published, undated
Rabbi Eisemann, the Mashgiach (spiritual overseer) of the Ner Yisroel Yeshivah in Baltimore, has written a number of small books on important themes. This one contains, in his words, ‘some reflections concerning the education of our children and ourselves.’ Rabbi Eisemann, in common with many modern thinkers, believes that the pressures and expectations of contemporary Western life throws up unique challenges to parents and educators. He feels that Jewish books and other educational materials have bought into a shallow view of the world, which he hopes, in some small way to redress. The strange and catchy title is explained in the first essay of the book, in which he describes the nurturing habits of the emperor penguin as a role model of devotion and altruism. The other pieces, all well-written, with a humorous tome, deal with relationships, the impact of materialism, prayer, the balance between work and play and the thorny reality of exile. The book is a small, well-resourced gem. It’s also probably hard to get hold of!
Of Parents And Penguins
