The Jewish holiday of Passover begins tonight at sundown and will continue for the next week. Here are some great books for Jews and Gentiles to share with their families about this tradition.
The Story of Passover by Norma Simon
This book is great for elementary aged children. It explains the story of the Passover, Exodus and Diaspora as well as all the different parts of the seder. Though it is intended more for gentiles and converts who have not grown up with the tradition, Jewish families might find it helpful in explaining the importance of the holiday to younger children. The book even includes recipes and craft ideas!
The Magician's Visit retold by Barbara Diamond Goldin
This is a fun story of a Passover miracle granted to a poor but faithful couple.
Miriam's Cup by Fran Manushkin
This story is another good one for elementary aged children. It tells the story of slavery in Egypt, Passover and the Exodus from the perspective of Moses' older sister Miriam. An empowering story for girls of all faiths.
Showing posts with label holidays around the world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays around the world. Show all posts
Monday, April 18, 2011
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Dinosaur on Hanukkah
Today's highlighted book is: Dinosaur on Hanukkah by Diane Levin Rauchwerger
This books tells the story of a little boy and a dinosaur friend who comes to celebrate Hanukkah. The dino is no native to the traditions, but he tries with his best intents to celebrate, though he is not always successful and sometimes makes a rude and messy house guest. Still, boy and dino have a good time and the little boy even invites Dinosaur back for Shabbat! All in all a cute story and one children of all faiths can enjoy.
Similar Titles:
Tonight is the eighth and final night of Hanukkah. If you have Jewish friends, why not make them a Happy Hanukkah card? You can incorporate the traditional colors of Hanukkah, and the flag of Isreal: Blue and White, into your card as well as the symbols of the Menorah, Dreidle and Star of David.
If you don't have any Jewish friends, then check out your local Jewish Community Center to see if they do a public menorah lighting that you can attend! Hanukkah is all about sharing the miracle light with the world and many JCCs welcome the opportunity to share their faith traditions with others.
Similar Titles:
- Dinosaur on Shabbat by Diane Levin Rauchwerger
- Dinosaur on Passover by Diane Levin Rauchwerger
- The Kvetch Who Stole Hanukkah by Bill Berlin
- Maccabee!: The Story of Hanukkah by Tilda Balsley
Tonight is the eighth and final night of Hanukkah. If you have Jewish friends, why not make them a Happy Hanukkah card? You can incorporate the traditional colors of Hanukkah, and the flag of Isreal: Blue and White, into your card as well as the symbols of the Menorah, Dreidle and Star of David.
If you don't have any Jewish friends, then check out your local Jewish Community Center to see if they do a public menorah lighting that you can attend! Hanukkah is all about sharing the miracle light with the world and many JCCs welcome the opportunity to share their faith traditions with others.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Santa's Eleven Months Off
Today's highlighted book: Santa's Eleven Months Off by Mike Reiss
In this rhyming story the reader follows Santa through the eleven months of the year between New Years and next December. Take trips with Santa around to world to relax, recuperate and refuel before starting on the coming Christmas' work. This is a fun story with some good illustrations and the rhyming text helps pre-readers develop their phonemic awareness.
Similar Titles:
Similar Titles:
- Santa Claustrophobia by Mike Reiss
- How Murray Saved Christmas by Mike Reiss
- Merry Un-Christmas by Mike Reiss
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Eight Winter Nights
Today's highlighted book is: Eight Winter Nights: A Family Hanukkah Book by Laura Krauss Melmed
This picture book tells the story of one family's Hanukkah celebration through several short poems. The illustrations are charming and the final pages include great information on the story of Hanukkah and it's traditions for those that might not be familiar with the story of the temple and it's miracle lamp oil.
Similar Titles:
Here is a super easy recipe for classic latkes from My Jewish Learning.
2 lbs (1 kg) potatoes
2 large eggs
Salt
Oil for frying
Peel and finely grate the potatoes. Put them straight into cold water, then drain and squeeze them as dry as you can by pressing them with your hands in a colander. This is to remove the starchy liquid, which could make the latkes soggy
Beat the eggs lightly with salt, add to the potatoes, and stir well. Film the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat. Take serving-spoonfuls, or as much as 1/4 cup (50 ml), of the mixture and drop into the hot oil. Flatten a little, and lower the heat so that the fritters cook through evenly. When one side is brown, turn over and brown the other.
Lift out and serve very hot.
Variation
You may add black pepper, chopped parsley, and finely chopped onion to the egg and potato mixture.
Adding 4 tablespoons of potato flour binds the fritters into firmer, more compact cakes, easier to handle but not quite as lovely to eat.
Tonight at sundown Jewish families around the world will light the first candle of Hanukkah.
Happy Hanukkah! Nes gadol haya sham!
Similar Titles:
- Moishe's Miracle by Laura Krauss Melmed
- Runaway Dreidel! by Leslea Newman
- Latkes, Latkes, Good to Eat by Naomi Howland
- Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel
Make Potato Latkes
Here is a super easy recipe for classic latkes from My Jewish Learning.
2 lbs (1 kg) potatoes
2 large eggs
Salt
Oil for frying
Peel and finely grate the potatoes. Put them straight into cold water, then drain and squeeze them as dry as you can by pressing them with your hands in a colander. This is to remove the starchy liquid, which could make the latkes soggy
Beat the eggs lightly with salt, add to the potatoes, and stir well. Film the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat. Take serving-spoonfuls, or as much as 1/4 cup (50 ml), of the mixture and drop into the hot oil. Flatten a little, and lower the heat so that the fritters cook through evenly. When one side is brown, turn over and brown the other.
Lift out and serve very hot.
Variation
You may add black pepper, chopped parsley, and finely chopped onion to the egg and potato mixture.
Adding 4 tablespoons of potato flour binds the fritters into firmer, more compact cakes, easier to handle but not quite as lovely to eat.
Tonight at sundown Jewish families around the world will light the first candle of Hanukkah.
Happy Hanukkah! Nes gadol haya sham!
Friday, November 26, 2010
A Story a Day 'Til Christmas
There are so many children's books available for the holidays it hardly seems fair to try and highlight them all in just 3 or 4 weekly posts, so this year The Kids' Stacks will be highlighting A Story A Day 'Til Christmas. 25 different stories along with craft ideas and recipes for families and care givers to share. The countdown will begin on Wednesday, December 1 so be sure to check in and check back each day as we count down to Christmas.
And don't fret, while I personally celebrate Christmas, I will, as always, be sure to highlight books and activities appropriate for families of all cultures and beliefs - because no one should be left out!
I hope you and yours have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I look forward to seeing you back here December 1.
And don't fret, while I personally celebrate Christmas, I will, as always, be sure to highlight books and activities appropriate for families of all cultures and beliefs - because no one should be left out!
I hope you and yours have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I look forward to seeing you back here December 1.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Happy Hanukkah!
The 8 day celebration of Hanukkah began this last Friday evening, tonight Jewish families around the world will light the third candle, celebrating the miracle of the oil.
In my work I try to highlight the winter celebrations of cultures from all around the world. I adore the holidays, and winter-time celebrations have existed since well before the birth of Christ, so while Christmas gets all the press (and is the holiday I myself celebrate), winter has long been a time to celebrate and gather together regardless of culture or beliefs.
Since this is the week of Hanukkah I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite Hanukkah story books.
As a child my mother bought me a book about the miracle of Hanukkah called Festival of Lights: The Story of Hanukkah. The book told the historical story of Maccabees rebuilding the temple and how the sacred oil for the lamp lasted 8 whole days, the books then goes on to explain the menorah, dreidel and the music for a favorite holiday song. For those gentiles out there, the book is a great introduction to the story behind the celebration.
Last year I stumbled upon another great Hanukkah book. Most books about the holiday seem to be written for a non-Jewish audience, but the book Moishe's Miracle is a great book for Jewish children who already know the holiday and its traditions as well as gentile kids who will find the story equally entertaining because Hanukkah is just the back drop to the action of the story.
In the United States we often associate Hanukkah with potato pancakes called latkes, these tasty treats (which make an appearance in Moishe's Miracle) are from the Ashkenazim tradition, the Jewish people of central and eastern Europe. But did you know that there are also Jewish people from Iberia and the Mediterranean, the Sephardic Jews? They have their own Hanukkah tradition of bunuelos. Bunuelos and latkes are both fried treats. Fried foods are very popular around Hanukkah because they hearken back to the miracle oil in the temple. The Sephardic Jews brought the tradition of bunuelos with them to Mexico and they are now a popular treat for Christmas as well.
Here is a great recipe, just like my lita makes them!
Latkes and bunuelos are both easy to make - try them out this week with your family.
In my work I try to highlight the winter celebrations of cultures from all around the world. I adore the holidays, and winter-time celebrations have existed since well before the birth of Christ, so while Christmas gets all the press (and is the holiday I myself celebrate), winter has long been a time to celebrate and gather together regardless of culture or beliefs.
Since this is the week of Hanukkah I wanted to highlight a few of my favorite Hanukkah story books.
As a child my mother bought me a book about the miracle of Hanukkah called Festival of Lights: The Story of Hanukkah. The book told the historical story of Maccabees rebuilding the temple and how the sacred oil for the lamp lasted 8 whole days, the books then goes on to explain the menorah, dreidel and the music for a favorite holiday song. For those gentiles out there, the book is a great introduction to the story behind the celebration.
Last year I stumbled upon another great Hanukkah book. Most books about the holiday seem to be written for a non-Jewish audience, but the book Moishe's Miracle is a great book for Jewish children who already know the holiday and its traditions as well as gentile kids who will find the story equally entertaining because Hanukkah is just the back drop to the action of the story.
In the United States we often associate Hanukkah with potato pancakes called latkes, these tasty treats (which make an appearance in Moishe's Miracle) are from the Ashkenazim tradition, the Jewish people of central and eastern Europe. But did you know that there are also Jewish people from Iberia and the Mediterranean, the Sephardic Jews? They have their own Hanukkah tradition of bunuelos. Bunuelos and latkes are both fried treats. Fried foods are very popular around Hanukkah because they hearken back to the miracle oil in the temple. The Sephardic Jews brought the tradition of bunuelos with them to Mexico and they are now a popular treat for Christmas as well.
Here is a great recipe, just like my lita makes them!
Latkes and bunuelos are both easy to make - try them out this week with your family.
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Days of Awe
Shalom!
Today is Yom Kippur, which our Jewish readers already know is the culmination of the Days of Awe which stretch a span of 10 days from Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) to today, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
For those of you not familiar with the Jewish high holidays, now would be a great time to introduce yourself and your family to them - especially if your child has friends who practice the Jewish faith.
Sound the Shofar! by Leslie Kimmelman
and
Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by National Geographic
Are two great resources. For those Jewish readers already familiar with the high holidays these are still great books, especially the later, as it shows how Jewish cultures all around the world celebrate the holidays. It is interesting to compare what is the same, and what is different between their celebrations and your own.
Now I am only part Jewish, and my family no longer practices - so I, unfortuantely, do not have a handed down family recipe for the Challah (the bread eatten at meals during the Days of Awe) - but Here Is A Good One - I hope you'll give it a try!
Today is Yom Kippur, which our Jewish readers already know is the culmination of the Days of Awe which stretch a span of 10 days from Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) to today, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
For those of you not familiar with the Jewish high holidays, now would be a great time to introduce yourself and your family to them - especially if your child has friends who practice the Jewish faith.
Sound the Shofar! by Leslie Kimmelman
and
Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by National Geographic
Are two great resources. For those Jewish readers already familiar with the high holidays these are still great books, especially the later, as it shows how Jewish cultures all around the world celebrate the holidays. It is interesting to compare what is the same, and what is different between their celebrations and your own.
Now I am only part Jewish, and my family no longer practices - so I, unfortuantely, do not have a handed down family recipe for the Challah (the bread eatten at meals during the Days of Awe) - but Here Is A Good One - I hope you'll give it a try!
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