Rivkas First Thanksgiving [Paperback]

Elsa Rael (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

More than anything, Rivka wants to celebrate Thanksgiving. She has learned all about the holiday in school and knows her family has a lot to be thankful for in America. But Rivka's parents are Jewish immigrants from Poland, and they wonder what Pilgrims and Indians have to do with them. Is Thanksgiving really a holiday for Jews?

Rivka's grandmother, Bubbeh, decides to take over: She will bring Rivka to see the Rabbi Yoshe Preminger -- and whatever the Rabbi concludes, Rivka will have to live with. Rivka knows that Thanksgiving is a holiday for all Americans, from all backgrounds and religions. But how can she convince the esteemed Rabbi Preminger?

Elsa Okon Rael and Maryann Kovalski bring the bustling Lower East Side to life in this heartwarming story. Set in the 1910s, Rivka's First Thanksgiving is about respecting old traditions while embracing new ones, about giving thanks and celebrating freedom in America. Perhaps most important, Rivka's story teaches us that even the wisest adults have something to learn from children.

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

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

After learning about Thanksgiving in school in the 1910s, nine-year-old Rivka succeeds in persuading her immigrant family and her rabbi that it is a holiday for all Americans even Jewish families. Rivka's case to her rabbi (and six of his peers) is impassioned, although some readers may have trouble believing that none of these learned men has heard of the holiday. Kovalski (Queen Nadine) is at her best with scenes of the Lower East Side's bustling streets, but her cartoonish illustrations often clash with Rael's (What Zeesie Saw on Delancy Street) moving message. Ages 5-9.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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

From School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-After learning about Thanksgiving at school, Rivka tries to persuade her Jewish immigrant family to observe this quintessential American holiday. But their resistance to participating in a "Gentile" celebration leads the nine-year-old to confront the family's rabbi with a letter pointing out the similarities between the Pilgrims and the Jews in escaping religious persecution. While the theme of an immigrant child trying to bridge the gap between her new life in America and the traditions of her family is one that endures, this book fails to convey the cultural importance of Thanksgiving, not to mention the vibrant life of Jewish immigrants on New York's Lower East Side in the 1910s. Based on a story passed down through the author's family, the text is wordy and presupposes too much knowledge about Jewish immigrants. The pencil-and-acrylic illustrations are cloyingly sweet and merely average in quality. On some pages, Rivka appears to be a much younger child, which contradicts her precocious challenge to the esteemed rabbi. An additional title at best.

Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 30 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1422360369
• ISBN-13: 978-1422360361
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,074,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Children are Hungry to understand American traditions, December 12, 2001

By 

J. Gardner (Westchester County, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rivka's First Thanksgiving (Hardcover)

The recent political atmosphere makes this book even more profoundly important. Children see the need and are starving to understand each other's cultures. I read it to my 11-yr and 13-yr. Puerto Rican - American born niece & nephew a couple of days before Thanksgiving, wondering if they'd be too old & too sophisticated to enjoy it, (they are Harry Potter fans.) This book both empowered them and satisfied their need to more fully understand how children from a different culture (Jewish) relate to "Thanksgiving." It 's apparent that we've gotton away from the roots of this American holiday and that "Thanksgiving" had never clicked in their heads. It helped them to understand why people from other countries still come to America today. My "kids" strongly identifed with "Rivka's" courage to stand up for her own point of view . They were thoroughy engaged in the story and loved the illustrations-and so did I. J. Gardner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Why should Thanksgiving be important for the Jews?, November 24, 2008

By 

Rachel L. Solomin "Jewish educator and rabbi" (Mountain View, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rivka's First Thanksgiving (Paperback)

Rivka's First Thanksgiving explains in moving detail why Jews have special reasons to be thankful for the freedom and safety we have found in the U.S. Parents and teachers should review the Yiddish vocabulary (found in a glossary in the back) before reading to children. I recommend this book for classroom reading and discussions at home, with an ideal audience of 4th through 6th graders. Younger children will have difficulty with the wordy text and the mentions of disturbing events (like pogroms) from Jewish history. It also depicts some aspects of traditional Jewish life (such as a rebbetzin who covers her hair with a wig and batei-dinin--rabbinic courts) with which many children will be unfamiliar. I have had particular success with this book in discussing with my 6th-grade students (who still get excited by a good picture book) how Thanksgiving is unlike other "American" holidays (like New Year's, Halloween, etc.) and merits Jewish communal celebrations as well as celebrations at home.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Jewish Immigrant Experience, November 9, 2001

By 

Andrea Simon (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rivka's First Thanksgiving (Hardcover)

In rich and spirited prose, accompanied by warmly rendered illustrations, Rivka's First Thanksgiving captures the texture and cadence of early 20th century Jewish immigrant life in New York City. The story teaches children the importance of old traditions, as well as the necessity for creating new ones. The reader can almost smell the turkey -- and the challah!