by Allison Ofanansky ; photographed by Eliyahu Alpern ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 4, 2016
While those who attend Jewish services will likely find this the most attention-grabbing, this is still pertinent to readers...
Learn the many specific steps necessary to create a Torah.
The Torah is “the holiest text of the Jewish people.” The words written on the Torah scroll are commandments for living and stories of creation. They have been preserved and revered for countless generations. In this copiously illustrated book, the author and photographer provide step-by-step directions for making a Torah scroll, from preparing the parchment and ink to writing the words and decorating covers. Ofanansky frequently engages readers in the process by asking questions such as “What tradition do YOU like to keep” and also includes interactive features, such as matching the correct answers in columns. There are many factoids, as in “304,805 / The number of letters in a Torah scroll,” as well as quotations from those engaged in the process. Readers can also learn how to make a yad, or pointer, used when reading from the text. There is a strong sense of community and modernity as men and women and girls and boys all work together for this very special creation.
While those who attend Jewish services will likely find this the most attention-grabbing, this is still pertinent to readers interested in religious studies. (Informational picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-68115-516-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Apples & Honey Press
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
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by Richard Michelson ; illustrated by Karla Gudeon ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 21, 2017
A lively introduction to the work of a Hebrew language scholar and lover—and his family.
The ancient Hebrew language enters the modern world.
In 1885 Jerusalem, a young boy named Ben-Zion cannot converse with the polyglot children of his age because his father has decreed that he speak only Hebrew, “the first child in more than two thousand years” to do so. The father, Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, is a Zionist immigrant to Palestine and fervently believes that Jews from every country, speaking so many different languages, should return to the language of their ancestors and of Jewish Scripture. Ben-Zion is not popular in the neighborhood; some consider Hebrew a holy tongue to be used only in prayer. The father persists and finds that he needs to invent words to modernize the ancient language. Thus, by combining the Hebrew words for “wheel” and for “a pair of” he creates a word for bicycle. Ben-Yehuda’s work leads to a network of schools, a dictionary, and the eventual designation of Hebrew in 1948 as the national language of Israel. Michelson’s account, based on history, is presented as a story with invented dialogue, which he addresses in his author’s note. Gudeon’s digitized watercolor illustrations, full of children, are lively and feature Hebrew words and letters as part of the page design.
A lively introduction to the work of a Hebrew language scholar and lover—and his family. (afterword, further reading) (Picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: Feb. 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58089-636-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
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by Allison Ofanansky ; photographed by Eliyahu Alpern ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2017
An interesting glimpse into a lesser-known holiday.
Three Israeli children tour sites in Jerusalem as they learn about the holy day Tisha B’Av, which commemorates the destruction of both the first and second temples.
Their tour leads them from the Mount of Olives to the Western Wall, which for years had been the only visible remnant of the Temple. But large-scale archaeological activity has uncovered many areas that have been buried for centuries. The children visit some of these sights with knowledgeable guides who provide insights into life in Jerusalem more than 2,000 years ago, when the Roman army destroyed the Temple. They venture underneath the city through Muslim-built archways and passages that lead to the mosques now on the Temple Mount. They see baths, remnants of a marketplace, and a moat. They also visit another site, where they have a chance to sift through dirt from the Temple Mount excavation, looking for objects that had been buried there. Told directly and simply and illustrated entirely in photographs, readers follow the fair-skinned Jewish children on their journey of discovery. Although the boys wear their kippahs, they and their older girl cousin are dressed as casually as any other contemporary children. Oddly, the children are all named with the exception of the young boy narrator. Information about the holiday traditions and practices is woven seamlessly into the tale.
An interesting glimpse into a lesser-known holiday. (afterword) (Picture book/religion. 6-9)Pub Date: May 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4677-8930-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
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