By Deb Silverthorn

Frisco native Abigail “Abi” Rajunov has been coloring in and out of the lines since she was a preschool student at Congregation Anshai Torah. Now, her designs are decorating the pages to help tell the story of “Ping Pong Shabbat: The True Story of Estee Ackerman.”

“I have always liked to draw and I’ve never grown out of it,” said Rajunov, who now lives in Addison. “I never thought of it as more than a hobby until I was halfway through high school and realized it could be my career.

“At first I thought about animation, but as I began taking classes I learned about the many opportunities in illustration and, after a four-week summer program, I fell in love with that specialty.”

Rajunov is the daughter of Debbie and Manuel and sister of Josh. A graduate of Rick Reedy High School, she was a member of BBYO’s Ginny Weinstein and participated in Anshai Torah’s USY. She was a student, and then teacher, at the One River School of Art + Design.

With a bachelor’s degree in fine art from the Ringling College of Art, she’s now pursuing a master’s degree from the University of Hartford. “Ping Pong Shabbat” is her first traditionally published book, following graphic novels based on the lives of textile artist Sonya Clark and the late portraiture artist Romaine Brooks. Rajunov’s portfolio earned her the opportunity to illustrate the novels, which are part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s “Drawn to Art: A Tale of Inspiring Women Artists” exhibit.

During her senior year of college, Rajunov applied to literary agencies and was accepted. Just a month after her May 2023 graduation, she received the offer and the manuscript for “Ping Pong Shabbat.”

Working with the book’s art director, Rajunov illustrated the tale of real-life U.S. National Table Tennis Champion Estee Ackerman. In 2012, at age 11, with one player to beat to win a gold medal, Ackerman forfeited the final match, which had been set to be played on Shabbat.

“That was a pivotal moment in my life,” said Ackerman, who in 2013 returned and won the championship title. She won two gold medals at the AAU Junior Olympics in Houston in 2016 but, in both 2020 and 2024, was refused support by officials when Olympic trials were held on Shabbat. Still, she’s hopeful for 2028.

“Torah and physical fitness are my passions and I love being a Jew who passes on the traditions of those before us,” said Ackerman, now a middle school Navi (prophets) and physical education teacher. “This book is very special and the artwork is spectacular. The whole project has been a meaningful experience.”

The book came into being as its author, Ann Diament Koffsky, and Ackerman’s family belong to the same congregation. Koffsky had seen the sports whiz play during a Pesach program and was duly impressed.

“It sure wasn’t the tennis table that I knew; it was a whole other level, and I was so impressed. I watched her succeed, knew her story, saw the celebrity she became and knew this was a wonderful story to share,” said Koffsky, an author/illustrator of more than 50 titles.

“I’d asked about illustrating it myself, but the publisher had another idea for this one and Abigail came through just beautifully,” Koffsky added. “She’s going to be a rock star because she knows how to tell stories from the picture.”

For her next project, Rajunov is illustrating a graphic novel for young adults about the life of Dr. Janus Korczak, who ran a Jewish orphanage in Warsaw, Poland, from 1911 to 1942 and who was sent to his death at Treblinka. She is also working on her first book as author/illustrator, “If I Lived in the Sky,” about a forest bear who wants to be a bird. Both books are expected for publication in the spring of 2026.

“Estee is an inspiration and this was a wonderful project,” said Rajunov.  “Living your passion is important. That’s what Estee does and, through this and other books I’m working on, I am too.”

“Ping Pong Shabbat” is available on Amazon.com and also at AbigailRajunov.net.