Review: `A new alliance was signed between God and the People of Israel.'
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 12, 2014
Popular Israeli author Anat Umansky is joined by illustrator Vladimir Solop in this magical retelling of a well-known Biblical story. It is a very solid step for Anat Umansky who to this date has concentrated on children's books about learning behaviors and skills and life lessons. The progress into religious stories is excellent.Now Anat tells the story of the Ten Commandments as we rarely read it - an explanation of how after expulsion from Egypt the People of Israel set up camp in the Sinai desert and Moses, their leader, climbed Mount Sinai to speak with God. God reminds Moses of the miracles the Israelites have seen - the ten plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the manna from heaven, the pillars of fire and smoke etc - and Gad requests a signed alliance with the Israelites making them his chosen people. The Israelites agreed and Moses returned to the mountain while the people prepared. And according to sources Anat quotes all of the people of Israel heard the voice of God Adonai: `And God spoke all these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, which have brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You will have no other gods except me. You will not use the name of the Lord in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Honor your father and mother. You will not kill. You will not commit adultery. You will not steal. You will not bear false witness against your neighbor. You will not covet.`  It is the first time in the history of the People of Israel that God gives his people principles of life to build a healthy human society.The follow-up of the events after hearing the 10 commandments is where this book truly shines as both history and art. All of the incidents that accompanied the 10 commandments shine and she ends her story, `The People of Israel went in the desert with Moses leading them for forty years, until they arrived to Canaan, the Promised Land. On their way they went through lots of things, but this is another story.'As always the book of Anat Umansky are treasures. Grady Harp, June 14