Noach Builds a Ship

Have you ever heard of Noach? Noach built a ship — an enormous ship. Hashem Himself had told him to build it.

Hashem had told Noach how bad the people had become. They stole from one another. They lied to one another. They were cold and unkind, and each one thought only of himself. One man alone was still good: Noach — and his children, of course.

One day Hashem said to Noach: Build a great ship. That ship we call the Teivah — the Ark. Noach's Ark.

For Hashem was going to cover the whole world with water. But Noach was to stay dry — Noach and all the animals; they were to be saved. So Noach built a ship three floors high, with rooms for all the animals and for his family. And the Ark grew and grew, until it was enormous.

All his friends and neighbours came by and asked: "Noach, what are you building?" — "A ship," said Noach, "for a great flood is coming. Hashem is angry with the wicked people who never do anything for anyone else." But the people only laughed at him. A flood? Nobody believed it.