On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

by Cathy Goldberg Fishman, Melanie W. Hall (Illustrator)

Overview

"Every year, people we know send cards to wish me and my family a happy and healthy New Year. La Shana Tova, they say in Hebrew."
How can you tell when it is time for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? The young girl in this story can tell when her family receives cards wishing them a happy New Year. They gather together to light candles for the holiday meal and say blessings over apples and honey. They go to synagogue to pray and hear the shofar. From New Year cards and having a special holiday meal, to worshiping at temple and sending the year's sins away on the river, the young narrator of this story describes each activity of the High Holy Days as she experiences this special time with her family.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689838927
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	09/01/2000
Edition description:	Repackage
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

More than just a description of the Jewish New Year holidays, this book tells the story of one familyÕs celebration through the eyes of the youngest daughter. It is this young narrator who tells not only about her family's rituals and their religious significance; but also of her feelings about the celebrations and how they help bring her closer to God. The sepia tone collage illustrations match the mood of the book perfectly and somehow provide a comforting sense of universality to this thorough description of one people's important holiday. The appended glossary will help readers of all ages decode and understand the unfamiliar Hebrew words used in the text.

Children's Literature - Judy Katsh

PreS-Gr 3This companion volume to the author and illustrator's On Passover (Atheneum, 1997) offers a basic, but solid introduction to the customs and symbols of the Jewish New Year and Day of Repentance that can be understood by both Jewish and non-Jewish children. The young narrator describes her family's preparation for each holiday, succinctly explaining the meaning and use of each symbol in both home and synagogue. Italicized Hebrew words are identified in a one-page glossary. Hall's skillfully blended, autumn-toned, mixed-media illustrations show the young girl interacting with her family as they celebrate the two special days. Layers of paint and oil pastel or crayon add texture and depth, sometimes producing a scratchboard effect. Lace and woven materials are either printed or used as an underlay to the paint. The illustrations are tied together through the inclusion of small cards bearing traditional New Year's greetings. A clear, interesting, attractively illustrated introduction to these holidays.Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH

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