Beam of Light

The Story of the First White House Menorah

By: Elisa Boxer

Narrated by: Elisa Boxer

The first piece of Judaica in the White House's permanent holiday collection was introduced for Hanukkah in 2022. This lovely picture book—adapted for audio—tells the history and importance of its creation.

The official White House menorah is a symbol of strength and perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds. It was created from a piece of reclaimed wood salvaged during a Truman-era renovation of the building. That beam of White House wood sat in storage for seventy years, through thirteen different presidents. It might have been destroyed, but instead it waited for its new purpose. And so, in 2022, it was transformed into a menorah that will shine its beams of light every year, celebrating the resilience and permanence of Jewish people in America and abroad.

Critic reviews

"With earnest prose and reportorial, pencil- and watercolor-style images, Boxer and Moore cast that beam as this picture book’s narrating protagonist, imbuing it with a perspective that explicitly connects its own arc of resilience and renewal with the history of Jewish people during WWII. "
—Publishers Weekly

"The story of the beam is compelling. It all blends with the theme of survival and renewal. An interesting and informative story focusing on both the history of the White House and menorahs. "
—School Library Journal

"In this moving account, the humble menorah symbolizes the ancient miracle of salvation, as well as Jewish resilience and “strength for generations to come.” The muted, dignified illustrations echo the solemnity of the text ,effectively capturing historical details and settings. An inspired and stirring tale to share at Hanukkah—or any time of year. —Kirkus