From the Publisher
How do you teach Shabbat to children so that it really matters in their lives? Let's Talk about the Sabbath, a new book by veteran children's writer Dorothy Kripke, helps parents and teachers do just that-by capturing a bit of Shabbat's magic within its pages.
For over 45 years Kripke has been teaching children and adults about the beauty of Judaism, its celebrations and lifecycle events. Best known for her Let's Talk About... series for young children, Kripke's signature style draws readers in with simple yet meaningful descriptions of Jewish life. Let's Talk about the Sabbath delves into one of Judaism's most beautiful and central concepts, providing young people with their own guide to the Sabbath.
Beautifully written in poetry and prose, Kripke enchants readers with all the aspects of Shabbat, including candles and wine, Sabbath angels, study and prayer, and the beautiful Havdalah ceremony that ends the day. Kripke's well-rounded work also includes a description of how Shabbat has been observed throughout history, as well as explanations of how other Jewish lifecycle events such as brit milah and bar/bat mitzvah connect with Shabbat to create the fabric of Jewish life. The final chapter confronts the challenges of observing Shabbat in the modern world, noting that, although some families may not be able to observe Shabbat fully, there are still unique aspects of Shabbat that they can bring into their home.
As in her previous books, Kripke addresses her reader intimately, as a close friend. Let's Talk about the Sabbath opens with a letter to the reader, using a parable to gently set the tone for a magical journey into the world of Shabbat. Children will be drawn in by the letter's first lines, "Have you ever found secret treasure? You can! Where? In 'make-believe' stories! Not gold, or silver, or jewels, but something even more precious-ideas!" Each chapter also begins with a rhymed verse about different aspects of the Sabbath, such as prayer, study and rest.
With Kripke's graceful text and rich, original artwork by artists Stacy Crossland and Joy Nelkin Weider, Let's Talk about the Sabbath will be a truly valuable addition to any family's Judaica collection. Nothing else-except Shabbat itself-quite captures the cadences of this special day.
From the Back Cover
"I was six years old when, on a snowy Shabbat afternoon, my parents said, 'We want to read aloud a book to you. It's called Let's Talk About God by Dorothy Kripke.' It was my first Jewish book...and it changed my life. Suddenly, all of my questions about God-where does God live, how does God know what we do, why does God let bad things happen-were answered in the gentle, knowing words of an extraordinary teacher and author.
"I knew Mrs. Kripke as 'the rebbetzin,' the wife of our rabbi, Myer S. Kripke of Beth El Synagogue in Omaha, Nebraska. While my mother sang in the choir, I used to sit with her in shul on Friday nights-fifth aisle center, directly in front of the rabbi's lectern. Her wonderful series of Let's Talk About... books were loved not only by me, but by an entire generation of Jewish children and their families.
"There is no finer way for parents and grandparents to introduce the meaning and practice of Shabbat to their children and grandchildren than to read Let's Talk about the Sabbath."
(Dr. Ron Wolfson, Vice President and Director, Whizin Center for the Jewish Future, University of Judaism)
