Apples and Honey: A Rosh Hashanah Story

by Zucker

Overview

Rosh Hashanah is the autumn holiday when Jewish families combine religious worship with festivity to celebrate the Jewish New Year. This story's family visits their synagogue where the Shofar is blown to encourage the congregation to perform good deeds in the new year. Later, at the family table, the kids share apples and honey with Mom and Dad. This delightful picture book depicts a typical Jewish family as they celebrate one of the year's most important holidays. The traditional warmth of the Jewish holidays are reflected in cheerful and attractive little stories that speak not only to Jewish children but to boys and girls of all faiths. On the last two pages of each book, the traditions and meanings of the holiday are summarized for parents to relate to their children. There are attractive color illustrations on every page. (Ages 3-7)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780711220164
Publisher:	Lincoln, Frances Limited
Publication date:	07/08/2008
Series:	Festival Time! Series
Edition description:	First Paperback Edition
Pages:	20
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

Editorial Reviews

Charming characters carry the very young reader through the basics of celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. We learn the custom of wearing something new for the holiday; of dipping apples in honey for "sweet times ahead;" of greeting friends on the way to synagogue services; of listening to the one hundred sounds blown on the shofar (explained in the back Notes as "a ram's horn...a bit like a trumpet...very hard to blow...takes lots of practice"). We also learn about the ceremony of Tashlich, "say(ing) goodbye to the sad things from last year by throwing crumbs into the river;" eating a pomegranate; and looking at the new crescent moon. Endnotes add additional information and explain more about a central portion of the services, the shofar. The pictures are a delight?pastel watercolors of happy people doing things they really enjoy together. Part of Barron's "Festival Time!" series, which also includes stories for Chanukah, Passover and Purim, this book is sure to be requested again and again. 2002, Barron's, Ages 2 to 6.
— Judy Chernak

Children's Literature

PreS-In this pleasant offering, a family celebrates the Jewish New Year by putting on new clothing, eating apples dipped in honey, and listening to the sounds of the shofar in the synagogue. They also observe the ceremony of Tashlich and throw crumbs that symbolize sins into the river. Observant families might find the book useful, but others will find it too brief to help in understanding the holiday. The notes at the end provide some additional information. Cohen's soft, colorful illustrations depict the season and the traditions.-Susan Pine, New York Public Library

School Library Journal