Service of Responsibility with Kathryn Otoshi

Award-winning author and illustrator Kathryn Otoshi will be the guest speaker for the Temple's annual Service of Responsibility, which commemorates the Holocaust and urges the community to end genocide in our  time.  Otoshi's best-known books, One and Zero promote respect and encourage compassion and kindness. She wrote several children’s books before the publication of One (2008), winner of ten national book awards, including the E.B. White Read Aloud Honor Book and the Teacher's Choice Award. The simple 32-page book is an anti-bullying story, introducing colors, numbers, and counting—skillfully playing upon larger themes of tolerance, acceptance, and the power of one voice. Her follow-up book Zero (2010) explores accepting different body types, developing social skills and character, and learning what it means to find value in yourself and in others. These thoughtful books led to her current work and involvement with Facing History & Ourselves, a respected school outreach program that encourages communities to promote character-building and tolerance in our youth.