Tami Lehman-Wilzig, "Rembrandt's Blessing" (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2025)

Summary

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Podcast Summary: New Books Network – Tami Lehman-Wilzig, "Rembrandt's Blessing" (Kar-Ben Publishing, 2025)

Date: October 26, 2025
Host: Mel Rosenberg
Guest: Tami Lehman-Wilzig

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Episode Overview

This episode of the New Books Network’s Children’s Literature Channel features a warm and lively conversation between host Mel Rosenberg and prolific children’s author Tami Lehman-Wilzig. Celebrating the release of three new books in the same year—On the Wings of Eagles, The Henna Helper, and Rembrandt’s Blessing—they explore the stories behind these works, the author’s creative drive, the nuances of Jewish culture and heritage in literature, and Tami’s personal journey from New York to Israel. The primary focus is the September 2025 release Rembrandt’s Blessing, which introduces young readers to Rembrandt’s relationship with Amsterdam’s Jewish community.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Tami’s Three New Books: A Year of Remarkable Productivity

[01:52-03:23]

• Tami published three books in the same year—a scheduling “fluke” but a personal challenge to promote.
• On the Wings of Eagles (Apples & Honey Press, April 2025): Tells the true story of the dramatic airlift of Yemenite Jews to Israel by Alaska Airlines, seen through the eyes of a young girl.
• The Henna Helper (Apples & Honey Press, October 29, 2025): Explores the colorful Yemenite Jewish henna ceremony for weddings; focuses on a modern child connecting with family traditions.
• Rembrandt’s Blessing (Kar-Ben Publishing, September 2025): Explores Rembrandt’s artistic fascination with his Jewish neighbors in Amsterdam, and his documented relationship with Rabbi Menashe ben Israel.

2. On Cultural Representation and Appropriation in Children’s Books

[08:00-09:31]

• Mel raises the question of “own voices” and cultural appropriation, since Tami, an Ashkenazi Jew, writes about Yemenite Jews.
• Tami: “If you research something very well and really get to know the people, you can definitely pull it off.”
• She describes her immersion in Yemenite communities and working closely with subjects whose stories she tells.

3. The Mosaic of Jewish Culture in Israel

[09:31-10:13]

• Mel: “One of the many things that people don’t understand about Israel is that we have here Jews from, I don’t know, 150 different countries, most of them kicked out refugees, and each tribe... preserving its own unique Jewish customs.”
• Both observe the tremendous diversity and culinary richness this brings, sparking ideas for future stories.

4. The Inspiration for Rembrandt’s Blessing

[10:25-12:58]

• Tami’s personal link: Her father’s family, originally from Portugal, later “Ashkenazified” in Vienna, which inspired research into Sephardic history.
• Rembrandt lived by accident in Amsterdam’s Jewish neighborhood, which influenced his art and choice of models.
• A visit to Rembrandt’s house in Amsterdam decades apart ignited her curiosity about his connection with the Jewish community.

5. Art, History, and Rembrandt’s Jewish Neighbors

[13:48-15:22]

• Tami reads a passage:
  “Many of his neighbors had dark eyes and hair, olive skin, and unfamiliar names like Rodriguez, Pinto and Da Costa. They were Jews whose families had originally come from Portugal. Rembrandt was happy to be surrounded by the people of the book, the same people he imagined when he painted Bible scenes.”
  —[14:28, Tammy reading from the book]
• The book showcases the lush illustrations by Anita Barghigiani, which bring this community to life.

6. The Historical Rembrandt and Rabbi Menashe ben Israel

[15:22-16:26]

• Rembrandt’s friendship with Rabbi Menashe ben Israel is documented; both loved the Bible and printing (“They both became printers. So this was one of the things that bound them together.” – Tami, [16:22]).
• Rembrandt illustrated a book for Menashe ben Israel, and the rabbi played a crucial historical role—he convinced Cromwell to allow Jews to return to England.

7. Tami’s Upbringing and Path to Writing

[17:45-21:34]

• Raised in Manhattan’s Jewish “bubble” on the Upper West Side, Tami remembers the close-knit, foodie, and culturally rich environment.
• Early writing encouraged by high school English teacher Mrs. Martha Weingarten.
• Her move to Israel was a “love story” after repeatedly visiting and falling in love with the people and family connections.

8. Writing Career and Focus on Jewish Themed Books

[24:37-27:54]

• Transitioned from 35 years in advertising copywriting to children’s books after business slowed during the Second Intifada.
• First major concept: combine Bible stories with matching recipes, leading to The Melting Pot.
• Kar-Ben Publishing became a key partner.

9. Economic Realities of Children’s Publishing

[28:19-29:05]

• Advances are modest (“It’s $1,000 plus” — Tami, [28:46]).
• Publishing children’s books is not a path to riches, especially with small specialty publishers.

10. Why Write Jewish Books?

[29:55-31:14]

• Tami: “I’m just so enamored with our rich history and heritage. That’s where I want to be.”
• Her goal is to instill pride and connection in Jewish children, emphasizing that Judaism is a culture and history, not just a religion.

11. The Role of PJ Library and Audience Connection

[35:54-38:35]

• PJ Library has chosen The Henna Helper as a Spring 2025 selection—Tami’s fifth book with them.
• Heartwarming anecdote: a young reader writes to Tami about loving Susi the Horse that Saved Shabbat, leading to a personal Zoom reading and showcasing PJ Library’s reach and impact.

12. Advice to Aspiring Authors

[39:53-41:07]

• Rejection is universal—even from publishers with whom she’s already worked (“I cannot tell you how many rejections I’ve received from all three and continue to receive.” — Tami, [39:53]).
• Perseverance matters: Keep writing; even stories that are initially rejected, like Susi, can eventually succeed.
• “It’s very important for authors to find their voice.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On juggling three book releases:
  “I have to say I’m having a hard time keeping up with myself trying to promote the books. It’s a fluke. It’s the way the publishers scheduled the release dates.”
  (Tami, 02:19)

• On the diversity of Israeli Jewry:
  "We have here Jews from, I don’t know, 150 different countries, most of them kicked out refugees, and each tribe... preserving its own unique Jewish customs, which are different."
  (Mel, 09:31)

• On ‘cultural appropriation’ concerns:
  “If you research something very well and you get to know the people really, really well, you can definitely pull it off.”
  (Tami, 08:26)

• On being motivated to share Jewish stories:
  “I’m just so enamored with our rich history and heritage. That’s... where I want to be.”
  (Tami, 29:55)

• On the economic reality:
  “Do you want to know the first thing that Judy Groner said to me when she sent me the contract?... ‘Don’t give up your day job.’”
  (Tami, 29:04)

• On rejections:
  "I cannot tell you how many rejections I’ve received from all three [publishers] and continue to receive."
  (Tami, 39:53)

• Heartfelt advice for writers:
  "If you’re passionate about writing and writing about specific topics, do it. Just keep on writing, writing, writing."
  (Tami, 40:17)

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Important Timestamps

• [02:19] – Tami discusses the accidental confluence of her three book releases
• [04:01] – Introduction to On the Wings of Eagles
• [08:26] – On cultural appropriation and deep research
• [10:25] – Introduction and context for Rembrandt’s Blessing
• [13:48] – Tami reads from Rembrandt’s Blessing and shows illustrations
• [15:38] – Rembrandt’s documented friendship with Rabbi Menashe ben Israel
• [17:45] – Childhood stories from Manhattan’s Upper West Side
• [24:37] – Transition from advertising to children’s author
• [28:42] – Mel asks about advances; Tami on the realities of children's publishing
• [29:55] – Why Tami continues to write Jewish books
• [35:54] – PJ Library’s impact; anecdote on connecting with a young fan
• [39:53] – Advice to aspiring writers: on rejection and perseverance

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Closing

The episode concludes with Tami teasing future projects (a biblical character, an Israeli female scientist, a tale set in Venice), advice for writers, and warm farewells. Mel notes the rarity of interviewing a fellow “dinosaur” who lives nearby and commends Tami’s dedication to Jewish children’s literature.

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Summary prepared for the New Books Network audience by an expert podcast summarizer.

Transcript

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Welcome to the New Books Network.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Here we are and we are live. And for the first time in years, I'm interviewing somebody who lives a short distance away.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Right.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Welcome. Welcome to the New Books Network. Tammy Lehman Wilzik.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Wow. Thank you. Mel Todaba.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Before I forget, I'm Mel Rosenberg and I'm the host of the Children's Literature Channel of the New Books Network. And I'm looking for somebody to help Tommy. So behave yourself, otherwise I may enlist you in the future. Anyway, we're celebrating. We're celebrating three new books in one year. You're a remarkable person. But I mean, this is like, well, you know, beyond belief.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

I have to say I'm having a hard time keeping up with myself trying to promote the books. It's a fluke. It's the way the publishers scheduled the release dates, you know, and. Right.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Two of your books are in the same month and they're released by the same publisher.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

No, no, no, no. So, okay, so I might have to.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Correct you, but hold up.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Each book who publishes it, I have on the Wings of Eagles that came out in April. Apples and Honey Press. Okay. That was the first one. And that. Actually, I'll tell you about it afterwards because Alaska Airlines flew me to Alaska to talk about this book.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Yes. That's incredible.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yes. And the book that's coming out at the end of this month, which is around a seven month difference between the two of them. Is the Hannah Helper also apples and honey press.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Ah, okay, so I got those two mixed up with Rembrandt. Okay, wonderful.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yes. And Rembrandt is carbon and that came out in September.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Fantastic, Fantastic. So let's have a few words about each of them and then we're going to go back to baby Tammy and the ketchup. It's been a few years.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

I'm a dinosaur.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Mel, you're a dinosaur. I'm a pre dinosaur.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Okay, well, we have a long history to discover.

[Mel Rosenberg]

I became extinct before the dinosaurs. The dinosaurs wondered how I became extinct. That's an idea for a book.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Write it down.

[Mel Rosenberg]

I'm making a note. Okay, so a few words about each of the books.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Okay, so I will do the Yemenite ones first. On the Wings of Eagles is a very exciting book which is based on true events. And this is all about the Yemenite aliyah and the airline that was recalled.

[Mel Rosenberg]

One second. We have a lot of listeners who aren't Jewish. We need to. I know we're two Jews talking, but we need to explain our terminologies here.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Okay, so aliyah, Aliyah is the term that Israelis use and all Jews use. When you move to Israel, you are going up into your back to your homeland. Aliyah means to go up into Ola.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Lot le, which both of us did separately many moons ago.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

That's right. You know, during that dinosaur era. So this is about the Yemenite aliyah, which was a very, very daring airlift that took place over the course of a year and a half. And whenever I ask people do you know what the airline was responsible for this airlift? And they all say, ugh, it's El Al. And I say, no, no, Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airlines is unbelievable. And this was before Alaska Airlines, which is now one of the major airlines in America. Back then they built themselves as the largest non scheduled airline. You know, like they were really just freight. You know, they were involved in certain airlifts already after World War II, which is why they were contacted. Anyhow, this book tells the story through the eyes of a young girl who happens to be an older woman now. One of our dinosaurs like us, living in Ramat Hasharon. Okay. And she sat with me and told me all about her whole journey. The journey of having to quickly leave Rada, which is in Yemen, where she lived, and getting to the plane. And it's really, it's an amazing, amazing, amazing story. It's based on her real experiences. They got to Aden and they had never seen an airplane before. It was a tough challenge to get the people on board because they believed that as the Bible has said, that they're going to be. They will be transported to their homeland on the wings of eagles. So it's a wonderful story. And you can ask me about Alaska afterwards because the children of the pilots showed up.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

So the next book on the Ammonites tribe, you know, we're all tribal. Right. So you and I are Ashkenazim. Right. And the Yemenite, these are the. This is the next generation. And this is all about a. In Israel, it's called a ceremony for the North American year Ahena ceremony, which is a very, very unique and colorful bridal, pre wedding bridal ceremony. All the different North African tribes have their own Chinna ceremony, but the Yemenite one is by far the most colorful. I'm sure you've been to a ton. I've been to a ton. They're just wonderful. And this is all about a little girl named Gali who thinks it's an old fashioned custom and she really wants to get rid of it and just start. Have her grandmother focus on the fact that she's going to be a flower girl at the wedding, which is for Israel, a fairly new addition. When we made aliyah, there was no such thing as flower girls. Right. And this is how a very savvy grandmother is able to get her granddaughter engaged in this wonderful custom and make her her hachina assistant. So that's why it's called the henna helper.

[Mel Rosenberg]

So the first book on the wings of eagles comes from your association with this neighbor in Il Farsaba.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

No, no, no, no, no, no. I read about it. What inspired me to write it is that what.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Because people are going to say, you know, you're an Ashkenazi Jew writing about the Yemenite Jews. It's almost not own voice.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Cultural appropriation.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

I think, you know, if you research something very well and you get to know the people really, really well, you can definitely pull it off. And I was in. There's a Yemenite heritage center that's in Mosha Ayin. You know, they were thrilled to hear that I was going to write something about this. It didn't dawn on them.

[Mel Rosenberg]

I'm thrilled that you wrote about it.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

So yeah, I know that. I think though that maybe things are beginning to lighten up about cultural appropriation because you can really write about another culture. And I spent a lot of time with this woman whose name today is Leah Moudi. And back then she was called Hela, which was a Yemenite name. And her mother was a seamstress. She explained to me how she got the name Hela. Her mother was a seamstress for a Muslim woman named Hela. And when she was born, Hela, the Muslim customer, wanted to have the baby named after her. And so it came about, you know, Sorry.

[Mel Rosenberg]

One of the many things that people don't understand about Israel is that we have here Jews from, I don't know, 150 different countries, most of them kicked out refugees, and each tribe, as you say, preserving its own unique Jewish customs, which are different. Most Jews here do not eat gefilte fish. And that's part of the unique, unique culture and heritage here, that we literally have foods here from over 100 different traditions. Which is like my idea for your next book, something with food.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

I've been thinking about that, and you should.

[Mel Rosenberg]

And your third book, which I find the most intriguing of this trilogy here. It's not a trilogy, it's a trilogy.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Rembrandt's Blessing. Yes. So what would you like to know?

[Mel Rosenberg]

No, I mean, this one isn't a book about Yemenites. It's a book about Jewish refugees from Portugal. Well, you know, from the Inquisition.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

That's right. That's right.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Amsterdam.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yes. So I have sort of a tiny, tiny personal connection in that I'm always fascinated by Svardim and why. My father came from Vienna. His name, original name, was not Lehman. He had to change that because of antisemitism. His name was Sprintzelis and. Which was the German variation of Esperanza. And they were Jews from Portugal, and they must have become Ashkenazi. Ashkenazified, you know, which I find is unusual, you know, But I've heard it from many family members. It wasn't just my father. My father first told me, I said to myself, or, you know, a fable, something like that. But there are a lot of relatives here in Israel that tell me the same story. So I guess there's something to it. So the Jews here, Rembrandt, I think around 20, 25 years ago, my husband and I took our first trip to Amsterdam and we went to Rembrandt's house, which is in the Jewish neighborhood. He, by mistake, he thought he was going to be living amongst the artists in the artist quarter. And, you know, like, he bought the house, moves in, and then he looks at the people around him and they don't look like artists. They don't look Dutch at all. But he happened to have been a big Fan of the Bible. He loved the Bible. So this was for him very, very, very exciting. And then he could have them, his neighbors could be his models. And when we first went to Amsterdam, there was one room in the house that was devoted to just took paintings and sketches of Jews. And I remember asking the docent, I was just so taken aback. I said, you know, like I said, could you please explain what this is? You're like, why are there so many Jewish portraits? And she said, well, these were his neighbors. Last year we went back to Amsterdam, our third trip, they had just finished doing renovations and that room no longer exists. And they have now interspersed. And not all of them, some of the paintings in every room. But that got me thinking that trip, and it really was just. Wouldn't that get you thinking, wow, that's like something for a book.

[Mel Rosenberg]

I don't know. I can tell you one thing, I don't know when I'm going to get thinking. And one of the things that you've written about in your own bio is that you have no idea where the ideas come from.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

That's right.

[Mel Rosenberg]

It's always easy in retrospect to say, oh, I got the idea here when I was walking down the street, you know, the piano fell on my head. Yeah, sure. But basically, we don't really know, I think, where the ideas come from. And a whole montage of things from our past that somehow come together. That's what I think, anyway. So this is a lovely book. And it came to be. And it's outright, as we speak, with carbon. Can you read a little bit from it? Maybe show us a little bit of the artwork?

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Sure. The artwork is just gorgeous. She's a young woman from Italy, Anita Bargiani. I probably have. Not saying that correctly. Well, here's a picture with his here. Young Rembrandt loved Bible stories. He imagined what the Bible's heroes and heroines looked like, and he began to draw them. His mother read him Bible stories all the time. As Rembrandt grew, so did his talent. Painting scenes from Bible stories was his passion. When he became an adult and made enough money from painting portraits, he bought a home in Amsterdam. And here you see the different portraits. Aren't these just gorgeous illustrations? I think some of them are just breathtaking. Many of his neighbors. Wait, I'll just show you here, pictures of the neighbors. Okay. That. I said that looked strange to him. Many of his neighbors had dark eyes and hair, olive skin, and unfamiliar names like Rodriguez, Pinto and Da Costa. They were Jews whose families had originally Come from Portugal. Rembrandt was happy to be surrounded by the people of the book, the same people he imagined when he painted Bible scenes. Now, he had always painted what he thought Jewish people looked like. Now they were his neighbors. Perhaps some of them would agree to pose for his paintings. Do you want me to go on?

[Mel Rosenberg]

Did the Rembrandt actually write about. Because we know that he happily used the Jewish subjects as models, but did he write anything about his relationship with the Jewish community in Amsterdam?

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Well, I don't know if he particularly wrote about it, but he became very friendly with one of the leading rabbis, Menashe Ben Israel, who's one of the main characters here.

[Mel Rosenberg]

So that is documented.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

That is documented. That is documented. You can find it all over, you know, like. And I read a book, Rembrandt and the Jews, and now the name of the author is escaping me, of course, you know, and. But that also deals with his relationship with the Jewish community there. And Menashe Ben Israel and he had a lot of things in common. They both obviously loved the Bible and they both loved the world of printing, and they both became printers. So this was one of the things that bound them together, you know, and.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, very. Tommy. Bound them together. Very, very. Okay.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

You know, I was an advertising copywriter for 35 years.

[Mel Rosenberg]

You know what it shows? It shows bound them together.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yeah. Okay, listen, I'm going to paint a different picture. Ah. He did ask Rembrandta to illustrate a book that he printed himself. And the book is mentioned here as well. And by the way, this rabbi, Menashe Ben Israel, was very important for British Jews. He was the rabbi who. This is brought up here, too. He goes to London and he convinced Cromwell to let the Jews back into England. The Jews had been right. So that's documented clearly all his portraits.

[Mel Rosenberg]

England has a very long record of antisemitism dating way back to the Middle Ages.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yes, yes.

[Mel Rosenberg]

We're not going to go into that.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

No. And we're not tying it into today.

[Mel Rosenberg]

We're not going to talk about the First Crusade and all the Jews in York being burned. We're not going to go there. Okay, so where are we going to go? So you have these three beautiful books on Jewish topics. You've lived in Israel for decades. Tell us now about little Tammy growing up in New York, in Manhattan.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

In Manhattan on the Upper west side. Look, you know, I think when I think back on it now, and I am still in touch almost on a weekly basis with my closest friend from seventh grade, and I Say to her all the time, you know, Reva, we grew up in a bubble, you know, like that when we look about what's going on today, because it was just idyllic for Jews. New York was so Jewish, the Upper west side in particular. And I lived in an amazing building with a lot of people from the Jewish Theological Seminary there. And also Breakstone's cottage cheese. And also Horowitz, Margaret and Matzos, the owners of those two companies. I mean, it was really an amazing building.

[Mel Rosenberg]

You had no trouble getting bagels or smoked flowers. Fish.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Hey, listen, I remember on the flight back, when I was in college, right, to Boston. I went to Boston University. Mrs. Margaretin gave her grandson, who was like a year or two ahead of me, you know, like matzah that he put in what we call a James Bond suit. How would you call that? It's a. It's not a suitcase. It's a briefcase. And he opens it up, and there was, like, a file. Remember, there were these files, and each one had a slice of matzah. And on the playing back, he was distributing slices of matzah from Margaret. I mean, it was just crazy. The Zabars were. Mr. Zabar, who just passed away. Yeah. These were all the fixtures. Being close to. You know, I always say growing up in Manhattan is just such an atypical childhood. You know, I didn't go out bike riding every day. I was on the Broadway bus going to a different museum or a play. You know, especially as I got older. You know, that's.

[Mel Rosenberg]

And. And writing books from the age of nine.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yeah, but that was just, you know, like a little thing here or there.

[Mel Rosenberg]

I mean, how did you. How did you get into the writing business? And how did you end up in Israel?

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Two different. Very, very. Two different stories. The writing business.

[Mel Rosenberg]

I asked them together so I wouldn't forget.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yeah. But now I have to remember both of those questions. Yalek. Remember, we're dinosaurs. So writing. I always liked to write. I am forever indebted to Mrs. Martha Weingarten, who was my English teacher in the 10th and 11th and 12th grades, who recognized my talent for writing, and she actually nurtured it. And if she were alive today, I would be sending her so many fan letters and telling her how indebted I am to her, so that she started me on that. It was always just a hobby. You know, I always say that when I got my first children's book published, the people that were happiest the most were my two sons, because they could then stop listening to My stories. I was always saying, hey, I have another story. You want to hear it? You know.

[Mel Rosenberg]

I have grandchildren like that.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

That don't want to hear your stories or you're telling them.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Of course they don't want to hear my stories, but I bribe them, you see. But what they don't know is that I would bribe them anyway.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

But, oh, I have to know how you do this, because my granddaughter announced to me the other day.

[Mel Rosenberg]

This is.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

The, you know, like Safta, we don't read. This is the non reading generation.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Well, because my granddaughter, who is 12, has to study English and, you know, so I managed to wrap it around her studies in a good way and with taking her for whatever she wants. Hot chocolate and so on.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Okay.

[Mel Rosenberg]

It usually comes with food. Something with chocolate.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Right, Okay, I got it.

[Mel Rosenberg]

I'm just giving you lots of ideas for your next book, by the way. Okay, so you grew up in New York and you had this sheltered bubble existence in the west side. My father worked in Matzah. Dad worked for the Jewish Agency.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

And here comes that. That's obvious, the Israel connection. He was originally from Vienna. We had so many pictures. He was the director of the Theater Herzl Institute of the Jewish Agency, which was adult education programs. And we had so many pictures of Herzl in our house, hanging in our apartment, who was from Vienna, and my father was from Vienna. I was convinced that they were cousins. And my parents l schlepped me here for my first trip in 1967 against my will. And there was a lot of, how do you say, Masal Matan negotiations. And as my father said afterwards, it was his biggest mistake because I came here, first of all, he never told us about the huge family that he had here. And you don't really fall in love with a country, Mel, I think you'll agree, you fall in love with the people. And it was a real wild love story. I mean, I just, I couldn't get over them. I couldn't get over my cousins. I couldn't get over the people that I met. And so when it was time to leave Israel, there was negotiations again, because I didn't want to leave. And so the negotiations led to three more consecutive summers in Israel in different programs. And I was, and I announced to my parents, I'm going to be moving to Israel. And I actually, when I, you know, like whenever I dated in university, the first question on the, on the first date was, so what do you think of Israel? And if the person had negative feelings or had. Did, said huh? That was the end of the date. And my husband was the first one who said, oh, I love it. And I said, yeah. Would you ever live there? And he said, yeah. And I said, oh, wow, wow, wow, wow. And then he paused and he said, when I retire. And I said, when you retire, don't call me. So that's sort of. That's how we moved. I mean, I had to be here. I had to be here. I felt at home.

[Mel Rosenberg]

It could be me talking now. I think that pizzas who don't like Israel don't understand Israel. The pizzas have never boomed Israel. But I don't want to turn this into a political thing or a. We're talking about writing. So without. I don't want people to know how old we are. And I'm much more.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

I'm not embarrassed. I'm 75.

[Mel Rosenberg]

You're 75?

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yes.

[Mel Rosenberg]

You're such a young dinosaur. And. Oh, my goodness. And when did you start? I mean, I know you've been in copywriting all these years, and you had your own agency, and then one day you had this mishigas, this crazy idea of writing children's books.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

No, I told you, I always wanted to write children's books. I was driving my kids crazy. And then I was an advertising copywriter for all the major exporters. And whenever something. A bomb would go off or whatever would happen, the first group of people or in business to be hit were the exporters. All of a sudden, orders will be canceled. So you can imagine, during the second Intifada, my business was in a terrible slump. I did not want to close. And then I said to myself, but, hey, I've got all this time on my hands. This is a great opportunity to try my hand at writing a children's book. Now, it just so happens that a year and a half before that, Palfot, which is like the American greeting cards of Israel, they had hired me to write a cookbook. There you go, Mel. I have written about food, but we'll talk about that food.

[Mel Rosenberg]

And I remember that you have a book which is about Israel and has recipes in it.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

It's called the Melting Pot. And it was this tiny little book. It was a great concept. It was their concept that they could buy more than one, like five, because they were so small you could easily tuck it into your suitcase. And this is your souvenir you're bringing back and giving out to everybody. And. And was a beautiful production, full color and with the top food photographer, Nellie Schaefer. I remember now. You know like, it was really. It was fantastic. And I learned a lot about the reason they turned to me was because they found out from the Israel Export Institute that I was the main copywriter for food.

[Mel Rosenberg]

So you were the. You were the food blogger 30 years before there were food blogs, before there was blogging.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Right. So in any event, what I did learn from that whole experience was the number one book out in the world that still today, the number one book is the Bible. Correct. The number two genre that is most read by people around the world is the porn. Oh, you know, I hadn't thought about that.

[Mel Rosenberg]

The third.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

The third porn cookbooks.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Tommy, now you're getting too many ideas here.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

That's not for kids. That's not for kids. So the number two genre is cookbooks. Now, I knew that there were a lot of Bible story books out there, okay, for kids, and that there were a ton of cookbooks out there for kids. And so I started to dig. Was there any one book that combined the two? And there wasn't. This was like, you know, using. When you're an advertising copywriter for 35 years, you learn a little bit about marketing. So I said to myself, aha, there's nothing on it like that in the market. So I wrote two sample chapters. Each story I picked 14 stories. Each one has a food pig, and each one has a matching recipe. And I put together a proposal and I sent it to Carbon. Carbon, by the way, has been my main publisher in terms of the amount of books that they have published. And back then, Judy Groner, who was the co founder of Carbon, was. Was still running Carbon with her co partner, Madeline, and they just fell in love with it. So that's how it all began.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Okay. And now we're all. I've lost count. Maybe 20 books later.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

16. No, no, no, no. Since 15 more books, not 60. 16. Sweet.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Ah, so the 20 is not a bad book. Yes.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

No, actually I have a Hebrew book, Kliklak, that's 17. The melting pot is 18.

[Mel Rosenberg]

And next year.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Right now, there's nothing down the pipe, so.

[Mel Rosenberg]

So this. This brings me to my. To my next question. Even people who publish children's books with big publishers don't really make a living. And you publish with small Jewish publishers. I don't even know that they give you an advance for the books. A few thousand dollars.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yeah. Not $1,000. It's $1,000 plus.

[Mel Rosenberg]

$1,000 plus. So it's between $1,000 and $1,200. That's okay. I'm not going to ask you any more financial questions. It's not money that you can get rich by writing children's books.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Do you want to know the first thing that Judy Groner said to me when she sent me the contract?

[Mel Rosenberg]

Of course.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Don't give up your day job.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Exactly. She should have said, this will cost you money. You think we're paying you. But wait, here's my question. You write such lovely books, and they're all on Jewish subject, and they're for the Jewish community. Why haven't you reached out to other publishers on other subjects that aren't Jewish subjects? Or have you? This is something I ask all my friends who are Jewish writers. It's great to write about Jewish stuff and Jewish holidays and Jewish events, Jewish history. And God knows, literally speaking, here that we have enough stories. But have you tried to reach out to the wider public?

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

No, no. I have to say, I'm just so enamored with our rich history and heritage. That's. That's where I want to be. And that's where I want to be able to share stories with Jewish children, especially in America, so that they would get a sense of pride that this is much more. That this is much more than. Judaism is not just a religion. We're a culture, we're a lifestyle, we're a history. We're just so much, you know, and that's the message I want to get across. And then, Mel, I gotta be honest with you, I'm saying myself, the general world, the general public. Right. Is there anything that I can add that hasn't been done out there? You know?

[Mel Rosenberg]

Of course.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yeah. But I don't feel like, you know, I, I, you know, I don't know. I don't want to use the word mission, but I feel like this is. This is what I want to do. This is where I, I want to tell the story of Alaska Airlines bringing Yemeni Jews who had never seen an airplane in their life, you know, like, to safety in Israel. That's the kind of story I want to tell about Rembrandt and how the impact of a rabbi, of a Sephardi rabbi had on his work. You know, it's.

[Mel Rosenberg]

You know, Tammy, you grew up in the upper. In a New York, Upper west side bubble. And I grew up in Ottawa in Canada, and the other kind of a bubble in my high school with 2,000 kids, there were maybe 30 or 40 Jewish kids. And there were people who hated Jews. They'd never seen a Jew before. They thought, when they met, they said, how could you be Jewish, you're so nice. Where are your horns? And so maybe because of our different upbringing, I feel that I also have responsibility to write books that are not just about being Jewish. So that people who aren't Jewish, if they like the books, they'll know there's a Jewish guy in Israel named Mel Rosenberg who writes stories, good stories. And I'll be frank with you, I have never been able to publish a Jewish story. So I'm like, sounds like some kind of mirror, mirror image of you.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Triggered an idea in my head in terms of why am I so intent? I was a very rebellious kid. Like when I said, my father, schlep me here. And so I went to Ramaz Day School, which is really considered the creme de la creme. And I wanted. And we had enhanced everything, like all the Judaic topics. And I decided after 9th grade it wasn't for. For me. And I wanted to make sure that I wanted. I didn't. I wanted to leave. My father, you have to understand, was a personality in the Upper west, in New York. Not just the Upper west side, all of New York. All the people who ran Ramaz knew my father. I purposely flunked out of Ramaz to make sure they wouldn't take me back. And then I went to this private school which was called the Franklin School, no longer exists. And the student body was 95% Jewish. And they are the ones who made me, who strengthened my Jewish identity. They had such an anti feeling towards Judaism, you know, like that. I always remember two things. Number one, Yom Kippur for them was the day to go to Saks Fifth Avenue in Bloomingdale's, because nobody was there, right? And I'll never forget, we had a. I think he may have been Egyptian. We had an Arab teacher for. I think it was math. He was a wonderful man. And he naively thought that all Jews celebrate all their holidays. And this man knew a lot more about Judaism than these schmucky kids because they were making fun of me a lot. And the real finale of making fun of me came in one of his classes. He comes in. It was, I think, February, March. He went to schedule a test two months down the road. And he knew Shavuot was coming up. He said, listen, I want to schedule a test, but I know you have a holiday coming up, so just tell me when it is. They're all looking at him, blank faces. I'm sitting in the back row, you know, and they all. He goes. They go, huh? And he goes, yes, you have a Holiday it's coming up. And he's prodding and prodding. Finally, the clown of the class, whose name was Philip Greenberg, gets up and goes, my English name is Carol, Carol Lehman, the Jew. What's he talking about? Whoa. You know, if anything gave me a feeling of strong Jewish identity, was Philip Greenberg calling me the Jew, right? And this teacher who I. His name, I can't remember. He was so embarrassed, but so embarrassed, he asked me to please stay after class and then apologized for what happened. You know, so maybe because of that experience, and I saw what kids who have no background, Jews and how they had no appreciation at all. And back then, you know, like, I was rebellious. Don't forget. I didn't, you know, like, I just, you know, wanted to have a good time, too. But maybe later on in adulthood as an author, that's. That was subconsciously back there in the back of my mind.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Look, I think that it's really important in the States we have PGA Library, that they do something. I don't know how many of your books have been carried by them, but okay, I'm anticipating. And they donate or they sell at cost or below cost, hundreds of thousands of books on Judaism to kids in America who are Jewish but really don't know anything about this, their culture, beyond the religion. So now tell me your good news.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

With pj and I'll tell you also a PJ related story. So I just received word from Apples and Honey Press that PJ has taken the Henna Helper as one of their spring selections, which now makes my fifth book with PJ Library. So I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled. And now I want to sell pj if any PJ people are out there, what a great job you're doing and how you really are getting to the public. And I had a personal experience recently. I have a book called Susi the Horse that Saved Shabbat, which won several awards and published by Kalaniyote. And one day I get this email from Lillian, who's the publisher at Kalaniyot, and she said, I thought you might.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Want to know her. Well, she's been on the shows.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

She's wonderful. Lillian. They come here.

[Mel Rosenberg]

She's been at our house.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yes, yes. So it's written by this little girl. I'm not going to say the names. Okay. And she has drawn a picture of Susie, which sort of looked like a dinosaur mill, but it didn't have either your face or mine. But anyhow. And she said, susie, I really love you and I want to not understand how does a horse save Shabbat? You know, like. And she wrote something else. I can't remember. And the father then also wrote his own letter. And he said his daughter has him read Susani to her three times a day, you know, like. And so he said, if you could, you know, like, send her something, Cammie.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Can you stop writing these delicious books or I don't have to read them all the time to my kids.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

So anyhow, I read this and I said, wow, this is a no brainer. I wrote to Lillian and I said, I will do a zoom author reading with this kid one on one if she wants. And he actually sent his address to Kalanio to send if they want to send something. And I said, but if I send them an invitation through the mail from Israel, and you know what the snail mail here is, like, it's going to arrive in three years. So I wrote a letter as though Susie was writing it to the little girl. And then I said, if you want, Tommy's happy to read my story to you. Here's her email address. We just had that reading a few days ago.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

And it was. And I said to him, and I knew it. This was a PJ Library selection. They had taken it a second time and it went out again this past March. And I said, so you got this from PJ Library? And he said, yes. And then he just couldn't stop praising the books that he gets from PJ Library. So PJ people out there, there you have it. Not that they need it. They know, I'm sure.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Look, I'm tremendously indebted to PJ in the States and in Israel, but this program is about you. So, Tammy, in conclusion, because night is going to set soon, it's been so wonderful having you, and I'd like to know what's next. Do you have other things that are in the pipeline?

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

I'm working on a few stories right now, but, you know, authors keep those things close to their chest. So I will say that one is on a biblical character who has never, ever, ever been touched. Oh, and another is on an Israeli female scientist. More of a. And a third one is set in Venice. That's all. Those are the hints.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Wonderful. And I should say, lest people think that it's easy to be published by Jewish presses, it's incredibly hard. I've never succeeded. The chances are one in a zillion billion. I know Lillian from Columbia very well. I pitched her umpteen books, and it's always, Mel, this is a lovely story, but. And you've done it so many times. Any pieces of advice for the community?

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Well, first of all, Mel, I want you to note that because I've been published by Lillian by Carbon, who I mentioned and Apples and Honey, I cannot tell you how many rejections I've received from all three and continue to receive. So that's the first word of advice.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Is giving Kirkfield's five Ps patience, perseverance, passion and two others. I can't remember.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

I did say absolutely, absolutely. If you're passionate about writing and writing about specific topics, do it. Just keep on writing, writing, writing. And by the way, Susi was turned down by the two others like, you know, a few years before. And I said, well, I'll give it another shot. What do I have to lose? You know, and it's. You never know. So that's really one. And I think it's very important for authors to find their voice, you know, that each one of us has our own voice. And I think that it's something that every one of us should hone and really create. It's very significant as an author for your style to work on that also.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Okay, wonderful. So it's always wonderful having guests. It's very rare that I get to interview somebody who lives about 10 miles away from me and such a similar background. So Tammy Leeman Vilcig, it was great interviewing you. We're celebrating three books coming out in the same year now.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

It's great being here. Mel.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Hold on. No, we're now bragging again. So on the Wings of Eagles with Apple and Honey. Now this is the cue for you to raise the book. Okay? The Henna Helper.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

The Henna Helper.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Also Apples and Honey out this year and Rembrandt's Blessing Car. Ben, another wonderful book by Tammy the.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Henna Alper are coming out October 29th. The other two are already out.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Okay, but they can be pre ordered.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Yes, absolutely. Place your orders now.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Absolutely. So everybody you've seen is Akish Lyoti T her books. Thank you. Her books are lovely and you're lovely and you know, I just. May there be many dinosaurs like you on this planet. May we never go. May we never go extinct.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

I hope so.

[Mel Rosenberg]

It's been great. We're going to say shalom, it's been.

[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

Wonderful being with you.

[Mel Rosenberg]

Shalom, Peace to everybody. And we're going to go ahead and come back in and sum up just you and me and to everybody else, shalom, Bye bye from the Holy Land. And we'll see you next week.

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[Mel Rosenberg]

Limu. Is that guy with the binoculars watching us?

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[Tammy Lehman Wilzik]

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