Customer Reviews

A Confused Hanukkah: An Original Story of Chelm

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Too bad some of these other reviewers feel the way they do. I read this book completely different. To me it puts a mirror up to all of us and how we approach the holiday and reminds us that sometimes we lose sight of what it's all about. It's not unlike when Christians complain that with all the decorations, parties, gifts, Santa Claus and everything else that comes with the holidays, they lose sight of "the reason for the season". That's what makes this book "work" - the fools are busy on focusing on "how" to celebrate Hanukkah, not "why". I'd recommend it to families who want to give their kids a fun and entertaining reminder.

What a great book. My kids love it and read it every night. It is often confusing to kids nowadays to have two gift giving holidays in the same month. This combines both holidays in a funny and warm way. I wish this book was written when I was a kid. I plan on buying copies for all my nephews. This is destined to become a parenial classic. I also think that with so many interfaith marriages this a good book to unite both religions. Many book stores in my area are out of stock so if Amazon has it in stock buy it. When "Fiddler on the Roof" came out people thought of it as a Jewish play until they saw it and realized it was about all imigrant groups. Everyone should try this book. You won't be sorry.

This book is really very clever. It not only brings up the tradition of the people of Chelm, who are all foolish, but it brings forth the idea of Jewish people surrounded and overwhelmed by the Christmas celebrations. I think the author handles this in a fun and delightful way, and allows the people of Chelm to relearn the meaning of Hanukkah. This is also a supreme tradition of our faith, as the Rabbis of Blessed memory always taught to relearn and rediscover each Jewish holiday, and therefore gain new meaning from it. I think the book does this in a humorous way, and would make a delightful Animated Holiday show.

Chelm stories poke fun of the villagers, but they sometimes have a message. For example, one of my favorite Chelm Chanukah stories is the one that explains why the dreidels in Chelm have no letters. In the process, it tells the story of Chanukah. It also reveals that the villagers understand that all miracles are great, that this one happened in the land of Israel. One I didn't like as much involved a villager getting a table to place the village chanukah so that the people could celebrate. In the process, you gather that he thinks the table could walk. No great story is told. This story fits in the former category, but I think the message, about confusing the holiday with the celebrations from "the Big City," is designed more for adults than for children. It's an important message, but is it designed for the target audience?

Hanukkah is fast approaching the village of Chelm, but the Rabbi has disappeared and nobody else remembers the rituals for celebrating Hanukkah. It's up to Yossel to journey to another village to learn how to celebrate - but he's a simple person and may not find the right place in time. An original story based on the `town of fools' idea brings Hanukkah to life.

The story was cute and the pictures were also cute. My daughter enjoys this book very much. Isn't that what its all about?

Finally, a really heartwarming Chanukah story. This really needs to be made into an animated feature. We need something uplifting and joyful at the holiday season to try to balance the onslaught of Christmas cartoons. Very positive, great for the kids!

This newly created story does not jive well with the original Chelm stories. The fools who lived in fictional Chelm at least knew that they were Jewish and what their roots and tradition called for--not Christmas trees, not Santa Claus. The story will tend--true to its title--to confuse a child growing up in a blended Jewish/Christian home. Throwing in a couple of Yiddish words here and there isn't enough to make the tale beneficial for a vulnerable child. Read it carefully before buying or gifting it...

This book is an insult to the rich tradition of Chelm stories.
Interfaith families would be better served by a warm holiday story of some sort, instead of one that messes with traditional culture.
Just because the Chelmites are fools doesn't make them unaware of how to celebrate Jewish holidays. There are plenty of Hanukkah stories around that feature Chelm and Chelm's silliness. The endorsement by Leonard Nimoy on the book jacket shouldn't compel anyone.

I found this book to be totally offensive. This author clearly has read stories of Chelm (where this story takes place) but does not understand them. The story is clearly a love story to Xmas written by someone who does not even understand the true meaning of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is not just about the miracle of the oil lasting eight days instead of 1. It is about NOT assimilating into the surrounding culture, which is exactly what this story attempts to do.