Additional information
by Ariana Mizrahi (Author), Siona Benjamin (Illustrator)
The Blue Butterfly of Cochin is the story of the ancient Jewish Indian community's mass immigration to Israel in the 1950s. We follow Leah as she struggles to come to terms with leaving her beloved India and moving to the newly-formed country of Israel. Accompanied by a magical butterfly and through dream-like illustrations, both Leah and the reader, are transported from the lush Indian coastline to the awesome beauty of the Israeli desert.
Author Biography
Ariana Mizrahi is a writer, teacher, director, and doctorate candidate in education leadership and innovation at The Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration at Yeshiva University in New York City. Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ariana enjoys reflecting on her diverse background as a proud Hispanic Jew. Ariana is also the Director of Hebrew Language Instruction at Yeshiva Har Torah in Little Neck, New York. Ariana lives in Brooklyn New York with her husband and three children.
Illustrator Siona Benjaminis a painter from Mumbai, now living in the United States. Her work reflects her background as a Jew raised in a Hindu and Muslim India. Siona has a MFA in painting and a second MFA in theater set design. She was awarded two Fulbright Fellowships, one in India and a second in Israel. She has exhibited her work in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Siona does private and public art commissions, while also selling and exhibiting in galleries and museums. In 2021 she illustrated the children's picture book, I Am Hava: A Song's Story of Love, Hope and Joy by Freda Lewkowicz.
