Mommy Never Went to Hebrew School [Paperback]

Mindy Avra Portnoy (Author), Shelly O., Jacqueline Haas (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1989

A young boy discusses why and how his mother converted to Judaism before he was born.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- While looking through family photographs, an eight-year-old Jewish boy discovers pictures of his mother sitting under a Christmas tree. For the first time, he wonders why his maternal grandparents have a Christmas tree and his paternal grandparents do not. His inquiries lead to a serious conversation with his mother about her conversion from Christianity to Judaism. This timeless topic is presented in a sensitive, caring, and accurate manner. Through a straightforward narrative and well-chosen vocabulary, some difficult concepts are explained in terms that children will understand. Interjections of the narrator's thoughts provide a humorous balance to the somber topic: "Last week, when I didn't feel like waking up for Hebrew School, I told mom I shouldn't have to go because she didn't have to when she was little. I thought it was a great argument." Realistic illustrations complement and enhance the text, overlapping present day scenes in black and white with blue and white pictures from memory. The attractive visual dimension makes this an outstanding purchase. --Susan Kaminow, Arlington County Public Library, VA PRAGOFF, Fiona. Clothes. ISBN 0-385-26388-0 .
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

This picture book presents the rosiest possible scenario for a child encountering his mother's conversion from Christianity to Judaism. Mixed marriages are a fact of life among many segments of the Jewish community, except the Orthodox. Even widiin Orthodoxy, however, one increasingly encounters a spouse who was not Jewish by birth, who converted to Judaism either before or after the first encounter with the future marriage partner. Portnoy presents a situation in which the mother learned about Judaism and became a Jew through a procedure that even the Orthodox would consider valid. Strictly within those parameters, die book succeeds. I only wish matters were so simple for the thousands of children who might identify with this book. In this book, the mother's parents greet the situation with total acceptance. That's the fantasy element. The child encounters no conflict over Christmas and Easter or steeples and Jesus. Instead, everything is just great and there are no problems at all. It's a nice picture, and I suppose for the young children at which the book is aimed, it's better to conceal the pain. The author is identified as a woman "rabbi," so the Orthodox market is lost. But the book should be of interest to those with a Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist clientele. -- From Independent Publisher --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kar-Ben Pub (October 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930494970
• ISBN-13: 978-0930494971
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,836,356 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I thought it was, February 22, 2008

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Karen R. Swanay "subjective interpretation is... (Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mommy Never Went to Hebrew School (Hardcover)

I didn't know this was a picture book. After getting a copy of an out of print book, I read it in about 1.5 minutes and donated it to our Temple. It's not worth the trouble really.