Plays for Learning : Israel Reborn: Legends of the Diaspora and Israel's Modern Rebirth for Grades 4-6 (Young actors series) [Paperback]

L. E. McCullough (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2001 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Young actors series

Twelve original plays drawn from the flowering of Jewish culture during the Diaspora and the modern rebirth of Judaism worldwide—tales of Hasidic wit and wisdom, Midrash and Haggadah stories, legends of the Kaballah, Sephardic and Ashkenazic and more.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-A worthwhile addition. These 12 plays explore the history and culture of the Jewish people during the Diaspora, beginning with their expulsion from the ancient land of Israel and culminating in the declaration of the modern Jewish state in 1948. They draw from a wide variety of Judaic sources, including the Kaballah, Midrash, holiday stories, folktales, and actual historical events. Several plays combine thematically similar elements gleaned from legend and lore; for example, "Nitwits and Numskulls: Outwitting the Oppressor" weaves together three different tales that celebrate the cleverness of the Jews in surviving social and political oppression. A few of the selections focus on important individuals such as the Baal Shem Tov and Theodor Herzl. Clearly written staging, casting, and costuming instructions accompany each play; in addition, the majority include a musical score consisting of one or more songs, mostly traditional Yiddish and Hebrew tunes but a few written by the author. Humor abounds, particularly in those plays that draw on Jewish folklore. However, the ones that depict historical moments are predictably more somber in tone, and occasionally seem too long to hold the interest of the intended audience. In addition, a few of the selections suffer from a repetitive format that quickly loses its luster. Still, the author encourages those producing these plays to use whatever creative means they have available to make them their own, and provides a worthy foundation toward that end.
Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Smith & Kraus Pub Inc; 1st edition (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575252538
• ISBN-13: 978-1575252537
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,647,452 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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