Best this month
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story
This DVD is a rerelease of the four-hour TV miniseries that first aired in 1985. It tells the dramatic true story of a Lutheran Swede who demonstrated a boundless talent for compassion during World War II. Although his country had remained neutral and the fighting would be over within a year, Raoul Wallenberg (Richard Chamberlain) went on a dangerous humanitarian mission to rescue Hungary’s Jews, courageously confronting the last gasp of Nazi terror. Wallenberg is credited with saving nearly 100,000 lives, one eighth of Hungary’s Jewish commu- nity—more people than were rescued by any other individual or institution in Europe.
On Jan. 17, 1945, he was taken into Soviet Union custody and disappeared into its prison system. Although his fate is unknown, Wallenberg’s legacy is secure. On the way to the Holocaust Museum on the western outskirts of Jerusalem is an avenue of trees commemorating “Righteous Gentiles” who risked their lives to save Jews. A medal with each name contains a Talmudic inscription: “Whoever saves a single soul, it is as if he saved the whole world.” One of them is the Raoul Wallenberg tree (Paramount Home Video, not rated).
Grandma’s Wedding Album
In this enchanting book for ages 4-8 by Harriet Zief- ert, a brother and
sister dress up and pretend they are going to get married, but
they don’t know much about the rite. Grandma shows them pictures of her wedding to Poppy. She talks about the functions of ring bearer, the flower girl, the vows, the party, the cake and throwing the bouquet before departing for their honeymoon. Grandma’s Wedding Album is a delight from start to finish, with colorful illustrations by Karla Gudeon conveying all the zest of a wedding. Best of all, the story models an important role grandparents can play in explaining some of the more important rituals in life by sharing their stories (Blue Apple Books, www.
blueapplebooks.com).
The Brussats pub- lish the website www. SpiritualityandPractice. com where you can find more information about the items reviewed in this column.
Creating Rituals: A New Way of Healing for Everyday Life
Jim Clarke issues a wake-up call for Christian communities to see the importance of ritual in spiritual formation. The pace of modern life is fran- tic. We rise early in the morning to face the relentless demands of the day before the seeming swift coming of night. We don’t take time to honor the transitions of our lives—those moments given to us by God that alter the shape, direction and quality of our days. Although churches have rituals associated with baptism, confirmation and communion, many believers don’t mark the significant transitional moments such as birth, the first day of school, puberty, obtaining a driver’s license, graduation, leaving home and trauma (such as a major accident, health crisis, divorce). Clarke would like us to give more attention to the creation of meaningful ways of honoring relationships, loss, and public and religious holidays (Paulist Press,
www.paulistpress.com).
42 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
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