the Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays [Paperback]

Malka Drucker (Author), Nancy Patz (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: K and up

The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays is a compendium of facts, activities, and stories from around the world suitable for use by the entire family.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Jewish tradition holds that parents bear the responsibility of teaching children the Torah, the ethical way to live, as well as the history of Judaism. But how can parents teach these crucial lessons in ways that are entertaining, meaningful, and respectful? What happens if they can't remember all the lessons and important historical events? This Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays offers some solutions to these quandaries. For instance, by reading the compelling Hebrew stories and poems aloud, parents help children learn through the realm imagination--the place where characters, images, and ancient lessons come alive. "Listening to a riveting story will build anticipation for a holiday, encourage a wish for a Jewish life, and create sweet memories of reading together," offers Malka Drucker in her introduction. The treasury also includes numerous poems, holiday crafts, recipes, and family activities. This is an excellent gift and keepsake for any Jewish household with young children. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly

Opening with Rosh Hashanah, this oversize volume focuses on nine holidays and also discusses Shabbat, supplementing clear explanations with stories by such writers as Isaac Bashevis Singer, crafts and recipes, songsAeven a play for Purim. "Truly a treasury," said PW in a starred review. All ages.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Gift edition (September 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316193135
• ISBN-13: 978-0316193139
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 0.5 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,066,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Malka Drucker is the author of 21 books, including the award-winning-Frida Kahlo, Rescuers: Portraits of Moral Courage in the Holocaust, Grandma's Latkes and White Fire: A Portrait of Women Spiritual Leaders in America. White Fire won the 2005 PEN Southwest Book Award in non-fiction. Her highly acclaimed Jewish Holiday Series won the Southern California Council on Literature for Children Prize series. Another of her biographies, ELIEZER BEN YEHUDA: Father of Modern Hebrew won the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) Janusz Korczak Literary Competition and Frida Kahlo was chosen as an American Bookseller "PICK OF THE LISTS." She belongs to many literary organizations, including: The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, The Southern California Council on Literature for Young People, the Association of Jewish Librarians, The Authors Guild, and PEN. Her newest book, Jewish American Heroes, publishes, August 2008.

Ordained in 1998 from the Academy for Jewish Religion, a transdenominational seminary, Malka Drucker is also the founding rabbi of HaMakom: The Place for Passionate and Progressive Judaism, in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure chest, November 22, 2001

By 

Alyssa A. Lappen (Earth) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: the Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays (Paperback)

This wonderful book is divided into 11 sections for 11 holidays, each section with several delicious entries.

The book begins at the beginning, with 12 entries on Rosh Hashanah (the birthday of the world) and Yom Kippur. Like all the sections, this one opens with a description of the holidays and their spiritual significance. Next comes a biblical story of Moshe's mistake, whose epigraph explains that there is no Hebrew word for sin. "Het" (pronounced with a guttural "ch") actually means "to miss the mark."

One of these is the tale of Zuzya, adapted from the Yiddish genius, I.L. Peretz. When Zuzya missed prayers, the villagers claimed he was speaking to God. A stranger laughed. The next day, he followed Zuzya as he dressed as a peasant, walked to the woods, gave an old widow wood and lit her hearth comforting her with the assurance that God would provide her funds to pay him later. The section also gives recipes for honey cake and challah, explains the Shofar blasts, and recounts the Torah portion from Yom Kippur afternoon--the story of Jonah and the great fish.

The Sukkot section explains significance of the harvest festival, the booth (open to the sky) that must be built to mark it and the 4 plant species that help to celebrate the feast. Readers are treated to a story for Sukkot from Chelm, the realm of fools; one on invisible guests and the importance of hospitality; and a short David Adler tale of a city family whose landlord objects to their hut on the apartment building roof. Two entries on Simchat Torah follow a recipe for stuffed pumpkin.

For Chanukah, readers will find the music and words to Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages), a recipe for potato pancakes (latkes), the rules for a game of dreidel--and a delightful Isaac Bashevis Singer tale, Zlateh the Goat.

The remaining sections are each as rich as the first three. The Tu B'Sh'vat (birthday of trees) section includes a Midrashic tale, Honi and the Carob Tree and a story by Janice May Udry. Purim features a play and a story from Sadie Rose Weilerstein on K'tonton, the Jewish Tom Thumb. Pesach (Passover) includes stories about Moses, the Jewish flight from slavery in Egypt and its significance for every Jew today, and Barbara Cohen's modern-day classic, The Carp in the Bathtub.

Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust remembrance day, features the most famous entry from Anne Frank's diary and the famous Hannah Senesh poem, Eili, Eili. It is followed by a moving section on Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel Independence Day, including Brothers, a story on Jewish flight from the Nazis by Shalom Hetkin.

The book closes with a delightful section on most important Jewish holiday of all, Shabbat. Here we find several prayers and traditions, along with Mrs. Markowitz and the Sabbath Candlesticks by Amy Schwartz.

This book is a treasure chest. Alyssa A. Lappen

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Probably better for older kids, November 15, 2010

By 

D&M "D&M" (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: the Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays (Paperback)

This is probably not the best family holidays book if you have little kids. It's old fashioned looking, the pictures are not colorful or engaging and it's text-dense. Overall, the information is good, good stories, suggestions etc but I wouldn't recommend unless your kids are 7+.

18 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Also for Christians very informative, December 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays (Hardcover)

Yes, also for Christians, this book is very informative. There's not mere therory but a marvelous mix of a holiday's meaning in life, biblical and other stories about it, backery etc. I find Christian and Jewish holidays are not too far away different in what really they want to express.