“The more we educate, the more books we have without stereotypes, the more lives we save,” Kusel says. If not corrected, misunderstandings and assumptions lead to harmful stereotypes, and potentially, violence. “I see so many non-Jewish children who have misunderstandings and make assumptions about Jews because they haven’t learned otherwise,” Kusel says. As the synagogue librarian for Temple Rodef Shalom Library and a children’s book consultant, Kusel says she wants to see more literary mirrors for children who are Jewish and offer windows to youth of different faiths to better understand Jewish beliefs and culture. Susan Kusel has read numerous books featuring Jewish characters, but many focus on the Holocaust and Hanukkah, rarely featuring Jewish joy. Kusel’s picture book, The Passover Guest (Holiday House, 2021), was recognized in 2022 with the Sydney Taylor Book Award. MLIS, University of Maryland College Park, 2008 Librarian, Temple Rodef Shalom, Falls Church, VA
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