About this book
A young teenager who spoke out for gun control in front of tens of thousands.
An Israeli street artist who painted an ancient city with modern images.
A biotechnologist who led the quest for a Covid vaccine.
In Heroes with Chutzpah, readers will meet 101 Jewish changemakers from the recent past and present, who challenged the status quo in the arts, sciences, social justice, sports and politics. Each one-page biography is accompanied by an original digital portrait. This children’s book about Jewish heroes is inspiring and fun.
Heroes with Chutzpah captures the diversity of the global Jewish community, showcasing Jews of different racial backgrounds, gender and sexual identities, and religious orientations from secular to Orthodox. Instead of focusing exclusively on icons, we included an eclectic mix of both lesser-known and renowned personalities with engaging, inspiring, and meaningful stories that will resonate with children of all backgrounds.
Heroes with Chutzpah is written especially with readers ages 8 to 14 in mind. The biographies are short, just a page for each one, and the illustrations are compelling. It makes the perfect gift for B’nai Mitzvah, birthdays and Hanukkah!
In a non-graphic way, the biographies delve into topics that require a bit of maturity, for example, the Holocaust and gender and sexual identity. While younger readers could enjoy the stories, they may wish to read them with a parent or other adult. All of the heroes identify as Jewish and Judaism is a key component of many stories, but not all stories. It is appropriate for Jewish young people and for curious readers of different faith traditions.
Advance Praise
“Representation matters. The Jewish role models featured in this book help kids visualize what is possible. Meet some of the bold changemakers who emerged from the margins.”
—Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi, Central Synagogue, NYC
“In a time where so many in our community are feeling alone and vulnerable, it is important for us to show children and the younger generation that we are strong and resilient and that they are not alone. Kids will read the stories and be inspired and motivated to be the best that they can be.”
—Rep. Alma Hernandez, Arizona State House
“Who knows which idealistic child will see themselves in a Jewish hero and themselves make a transformational impact? Countless young readers of this inspiring, age-appropriate book!”
—Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director of the Religious Action Center
“In these pages we meet the Jews that changed the world. What better inspiration to young people who can place their identity within the larger panoply of Jewish experience while also learning that there are no limits to what one may accomplish. The book is timely, important and really fun.”
—Ted Deutsch, former Congressman
“Our kids need heroes. This book will give them who they need… The stories will take the express lane to your soul.”
—Rabbi Jeff Salkin
About the Authors
Deborah Bodin Cohen has published eight picture books including the Engineer Ari series, and the teen novel Lilith’s Ark. Her books have been featured by the Grinspoon Foundation’s PJ library and received numerous honors, including a National Jewish Book Award, Sydney Taylor Honors, and notable book designations by Association of Jewish Libraries. Her books have been translated into Spanish, German and Russian. She graduated with high honors from the honors English Program at University of Michigan. She co-authored Heroes with Chutzpah and created the digital artwork.
She lives in Rockville, MD, with her husband David, three children and a rather unruly Collie named Indigo.
Dr. Kerry Olitzky was voted by Newsweek as one of the fifty leading rabbis in North America. He is the author of many books and hundreds of articles. Starting out his career as a congregational rabbi and educator, he then served on the faculty and administration of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion for 15 years. He then went on to become the vice president of the Wexner Heritage Foundation, the premier adult learning and leadership training program in the US and Canada. Kerry then became the executive director of the Jewish Outreach Institute (later named Big Tent Judaism) which he led for twenty years. This organization focused on outreach to those on the periphery of the community with an emphasis on reaching those who are intermarried. His most recent children’s books include: Where’s the Potty on this Ark? and The Littlest Candle: A Hanukkah Story, which was Amazon’s no. 1 new release in the Jewish children’s category.
He lives in New Jersey. He and his wife have two sons, both rabbis, and seven grandchildren.
Together, Kerry and Debbie have authored a number of children’s books, including the soon-to-be-released A Welcoming Seder Story for Passover (Kalaniot Books).
101 Heroes with Chutzpah
Sarah Silverman Outspoken Actor & Comedian
Yossi Abramowitz Solar Farmer known as “Captain Sunshine”
Elie Wiesel Witness, Writer & Activist for Tolerance
Gertrude “Trudy” Elion Pioneering Female Scientist
Sally Priesand First Female Rabbi in the United States
Regina Jonas Trailblazing Rabbi, Hidden & Forgotten
Deborah Lipstadt Holocaust Historian & Ambassador
David Saperstein Rabbi Lobbyist of Capitol Hill
Lynne Landsberg Rabbi & Disability Advocate
Kivie Kaplan Civil Rights Activist & NAACP President
Bob Dylan Legendary Folk-Rock Songwriter & Singer
Debbie Friedman Revolutionary Writer of Jewish Music
Leonard Cohen Poetic Songwriter, Soulful Singer
Albert Bourla Pfizer CEO during the Covid Epidemic
Jonas Salk Scientist who Developed the Polio Vaccine
Frida Kahlo Mexican Artist & Political Radical
Maurice Sendak Children’s Illustrator & Author
Stan Lee Writer, Editor & Publisher at Marvel Comics
Judith Resnik NASA Astronaut
Anna Sokolow Dancer, Choreographer & Activist
Bella Savitzky Abzug Congresswoman & Ardent Feminist
Jamie Raskin Congressman & Constitutional Attorney
Elena Kagan Supreme Court Justice
Sara Hurwitz Groundbreaking Orthodox Rabbinic Leader
Helen Suzman Legislator who Fought Apartheid
Gershom Sizomu Ugandan Rabbi & Statesman
Anat Hoffman Israeli Civil & Religious Rights Activist
Mark Spitz Olympic Swimming Champion
Ágnes Keleti Olympic Gymnast & Coach
Yosef Yekutieli Founder of the Maccabiah Games
Douglas Emhoff Attorney & U.S. Second Gentleman
Ralph Lauren Iconic Fashion Designer
Annie Leibovitz Famed Portrait Photographer
Volodymyr Zelenskyy President & Defender of Ukraine
Avital Sharansky Soviet Jewry Activist
Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo Mayor of Mexico City
Simcha Blass Israeli Inventor of Drip Irrigation
Hedy Lamarr Actor, Model & Inventor
Gal Gadot Actor and Feminist
Yityish “Titi” Aynaw Israeli Beauty Queen from Ethiopia
Naomi Wadler Student Activist for Gun Control
Steven Spielberg Renowned Director, Producer & Screenwriter
Itzhak Perlman Virtuoso on Violin
Aaron Lansky Founder of the Yiddish Book Center
Leonard Nimoy Actor, Best Known as Star Trek’s Spock
Mayim Bialik Actor, Writer & Neuroscientist
Judy Blume Groundbreaking Novelist for Kids & Teens
Idina Menzel Singer & Actor called Queen of Broadway
Natalie Portman Award-winning Actor & Activist
Moe Berg Baseball Catcher, Linguist & Spy
Sandy Koufax All-Star Baseball Pitcher
Randi Weingarten Labor Leader & Attorney
Bernie Sanders Senator Committed to Economic Equity
Joseph Lieberman Orthodox Senator & Israel Advocate
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Supreme Court Justice & Feminist Leader
Joe Levin, Jr. Leading Civil Rights Attorney
Simone Veil Esteemed European Parliament President
Simon Wiesenthal Holocaust Survivor & Nazi Hunter
Moshe Safdie Architect who Transformed Jerusalem
Frank Gehry Visionary International Architect
Amit Goffer Inventor of Standing Wheelchair
Barbara Walters Celebrated Broadcast Journalist
Gloria Steinem Journalist & Feminist Activist
Stosh Cotler Activist & Community Mobilizer
Angela Warnick Buchdahl Korean-American Rabbi
Michael Twitty Award-Winning Food Historian
Rachel Cowan Trailblazing Rabbi for Inclusion
Andrew Goodman Freedom Rider & Martyr for Civil Rights
Harvey Milk Pioneering Gay Elected Official
Eytan Fox Innovative Israeli Film Director
Emerich “Imi” Lichtenfeld Martial Artist, founder of Krav Maga
Uzia Galil Founding Father of High-Tech in Israel
Sheryl Sandberg Technology Executive & Author
Aly Raisman Olympic Gymnastic Champion
Paula Abdul Energetic Singer, Songwriter & Dancer
Daveed Diggs Actor & Rapper, Best Known for Hamilton
Jacobo Timerman Argentine Journalist & Political Dissident
Miguel Najdorf Renowned Chess Grandmaster
David Ben-Gurion First Prime Minister of Israel
Yitzhak Rabin Israeli Soldier, Prime Minister, Peacemaker
Edward Kessler Interfaith Relations Thought Leader
Eddie Jacobson Best Friends with a President
Isaac Mizrahi Self-Made Fashion Designer
Jennie Grossinger Resort Owner Committed to Integration
Red Auerbach Basketball Coaching Legend
Sue Bird WNBA Basketball Star
Janet Yellen Secretary of the Treasury
Danny Siegel Educator, Poet & Tzedakah Hero
Amichai Lau-Lavie Rabbi, Organizer, Performance Artist
Abby Stein Rabbi & Transgender Activist
Daniel Radcliffe Actor & Activist, Living with a Disability
Rebecca Dubowe Rabbinic Leader with Hearing Loss
Alma Hernandez State Legislator
Moacyr Scliar Brazilian Physician & Writer
Ann Landers & Abigail Van Buren Twin Advice Columnists
Becky Silverstein Gender-Bending Rabbi & LGBTQ Activist
Judith Love Cohen NASA Engineer Dedicated to Girls in Sciences
Arno Penzias German Refugee & Nobel-winning Physicist
Solomon Souza Street Artist Who is Painting the World
Mel Blanc The Man of a Thousand Voices
