Not long after I posted last week’s blog, I received a news alert sharing the sad news that Supreme Court Justice and legendary human being Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died due to metastatic pancreatic cancer. Ginsburg had been a legal powerhouse for years, but only recently had she become a pop culture icon as well. She had become such a symbol of strength and justice that she was even widely known by her initials - a mononym of sorts - RBG. If you’ve been paying even the slightest bit of attention over the past few years, you’ve probably heard of her astonishing accomplishments. She attended Harvard Law then graduated from Cornell Law in an era when women were rarely admitted to law school - while she and her husband Martin were at Harvard Law Martin was diagnosed with cancer; RBG collected and organized notes from Martin’s classmates so that he could continue his studies - all while she was attending and studying for her own classes. RBG worked with the ACLU to seek equality under the law for both men and women, she presented to the Supreme Court of the United States six times and garnered favorable judgment for her clients in five of those cases. RBG was the second woman appointed to the SCOTUS (Sandra Day O’Connor being the first) and the first Jewish woman appointed to the Court. Her reputation as a firebrand was widely known and when the Court’s opinion differed from her own, she was famous for wearing her “dissent collar” to the announcement of Court decisions. Over the past few years, her health was a source of news and worry for many - she had been diagnosed with cancer more than once and suffered injury after a fall, among other things; yet famously never missed a day of arguments at Court, even while undergoing chemotherapy.

Because of her tenacity, her intelligence, and her dogged fight for equality her popularity has risen for years. She has been the subject of several books for adults and children alike as well as a movie or two. This week, I thought I’d share a few titles so that you can explore and be inspired by her extraordinary life.

My Own Words - Ruth Bader Ginsburg with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams

When Ruth Bader Ginsburg Chewed 100 Sticks of Gum - Mark Weakland, illustrations by Daniela Volpari

My Little Golden Book about Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Shana Corey, illustrated by Margaux Lucas

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes her Mark - Debbie Levy, illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley

Who Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Patricia Brennan Demuth

RBG - Betsy West and Julie Cohen

On the Basis of Sex - Mimi Leder 

In the Jewish tradition, the phrase “Rest In Peace” is not commonly used; instead, most would say “zikhronah livrakkah” or “may her memory be a blessing.” I also found this translation, and find this expression to be both beautiful and appropriate: “zekher tzadik livrakkah,” in English one would say “May the memory of this righteous one be a blessing.”

Indeed.