The Charlotte Jewish News - October 2018 - Page 37
kids will be delightfully surprised
with this inventive spin on the
biblical story of Noah, from the
Book of Genesis. As Noah and
his wife, Naamah, greet each of
the animals onto the ark, Naamah
makes sure they are comfortable.
“Be careful not to hit your head
on the ceiling,” she warns.
The ark comes well designed,
with big pothes for the elephants
and little ones for smaller friends.
When a baby raccoon needs to
use the bathroom. Mother Hen
patiently guides the young one to
learn how. The animals offer an
empathetic lesson in taking care
of one’s body, complete with a
prayer. And off they sail on the
ark as the rains begin.
Kerry Olitzky’s simple, light
hearted prose is paired well with
Abigail Tompkins’ playful illus
trations. The book makes a time
ly read during the High Holidays
because the story of Noah is read
in synagogues on the second
Shabbat following Simchat To
rah, when the cycle of reading the
Torah begins anew.
New Children’s Books: A Magical Shoebox and Animals from
Everywhere
By Penny Schwartz
Boston (JTA) - From an Afri
can warthog to swinging orang
utans, animals from all comers
of the planet are featured in two
stories among a new crop of chil
dren’s books at the Jewish New
Year that also includes a lyrical
poem of the biblical story of cre-
ahon and a magical story about an
ordinary shoebox.
And a bonus: An illustrated
pictme book tells the story of Re
gina Jonas, the German Jewish
girl who followed her dream to
become the first woman ordained
as a rabbi.
Young ones can get a jump
start on the new year by turning
the pages on these entertaiiung
and iirformahve reads.
Who’s Got the Etrog?
Jane Kohuth; illustrations by
Elissambura
Kar-Ben; ages 4-8
In this brightly illustrated story
for Sukkot, Jane Kohuth weaves
a playful folk-like tale told in
simple poehc verse. In her raral
village in Uganda, under a bright
and full milk-bowl moon. Auntie
Sanyu is preparing for the fall
harvest holiday when Jews build
a hut called a sukkah where they
eat, welcome guests, and some
times even sleep. Kids follow
Aunhe Sanyu as she decorates
her sukkah and places a lulav, the
bunch of green palm branches.
and a bright yellow etrog, the lem-
on-like frait, on a tray to be used
in the holiday rituals by Auntie
Sanyu’s aiumal guests. But Wart-
hog loves the etrog so much, he
doesn’t want to hand it over to the
lion, parrots, or giraffe. A young
girl named Sara intervenes.
The story comes to life in Elis-
sambura’s boldly colored, strik
ing collage-style illustrahons.
The back page explains the his
tory of the Ugandan Jewish com
munity called the Abayudaya,
and a glossary explains about the
sukkah and lulav and terms like
“Oy,vey!”
Regina Persisted: An Untold
Story
Sandy Eisenberg Sasso; illus
trated by Margeaux Lucas
Apples & Honey Press; ages 7-12
These days, when Jew-
ish-American kids attend syna
gogue during the High Holidays,
it’s not that unusual to have a fe
male rabbi leading the congrega
tion. Older kids may be fascinat
ed to learn about Regina Jonas,
the German Jew who in 1935,
against many odds and strict gen
der roles, became the first woman
ordained as a rabbi.
In this illustrated biography,
which garnered a starred review
from Kirkus, Sandy Eisenberg
Sasso traces how Jonas persisted
unhl religious authorities finally
allowed her to take the exam to
become a rabbi. Margeaux Lu
cas’ illustrahons capture the peri
od, with drawings of Berlin life.
(Continued on page 39)
Shani’s Shoebox
Written and illustrated by Ri
nat Hoffer; translated (from
Hebrew) by Noga Applebaum
Green Bean Books; ages 4-8
Prepare to be enchanted.
Shani’s Shoebox, a gently rhym
ing poem-story for Rosh Hasha-
nah by the award-wiiming Israeli
illustrator and children’s author
Rinat Hoffer, will kick off the
Jewish New Year on the right
foot.
Shani’s “abba,” the Hebrew
word for dad, surprises her with
a pair of shiny new red shoes for
Rosh Hashanah. Naturally she
tosses aside the ordinary looking
shoebox.
“It was only a box after all,
nothing more,” she says.
ButonYomKippur, Shaiu finds
the box hidden behind stuffed ani
mals and the next day crafts it into
a sukkah. During Chanukah, a cat
discovers the discarded box and
uses it to stay warm in the winter.
Season to season, the box takes
on a magical quality, turning up
in new guises and with new uses
throughout a year’s worth of Jew
ish holidays.
The next Rosh Hashanah,
when Shani’s father fills the box
with a new pair of shoes — this
time they are blue — Shani is re
minded of the year’s adventures.
Hoffer’s colorful, aiumated il
lustrations draw in readers with
vibrant energy. In one scene, as
the family prepares the house
for Passover, Shani is on a stool
clearung a mirror and her dad is
sweeping. It’s refreshing to have
a children’s story that depicts a
father in everyday roles more
commonly associated with moms,
like buying shoes for his kids and
clearung the house.
Where’s the Potty on This Ark?
Kerry Olitzky; illustration by
Abigail Tompkins
Kar-Ben; ages 1-4
Even on Noah’s Ark, the ani
mals need to use the potty. Yoimg
Hebrew Cemetery
of Greater Ctiaflone
Create
Jour ’’—--
goc^
COMMUNITY
PARTNER
A FCJC program
LEGACY
DONORS
The following individuals/families are in the Book of
Life Society and have granted us permission to share
with you that Hebrew Cemetery Association has
been included as a beneficiary of their legacy gift.
Anonymous* (3)
Sanford and Lois Benjamin
Bobbi and Don Bernstein
Barry and Lisa Blau
Jill Blumenthal
David and Bonnie Bernstein
Sera and Marvin Callif
David and Aleen Epstein
Jacob M. and Hunter K. Fuerstman
Sandra Goldman
Mark and Linda Goldsmith
Meg D. Goldstein and
Matthew Luftglass
Bill and Patty (DBM) Gorelick
Jake Jacobson
Nancy and Robert Kipnis
Lorrie and Barry Klemons and Family
Barry Bobrow and Karen Knoble
Elise and Jaime Kosofsky
Eric and Susan Lerner
Harry and Gloria Lerner
Barbara and Jerry Levin
David and Brenda Levin and Family
Louis Sinkoe and H. Kevin Levine
Howard and Julie Lerner Levine
Leon and Sandra Levine
Eric Levinson
Lisa Strause Levinson
Michael Littauer
Annie and Harrison Lord
Rose (DBM) and Abe (DBM) Luski
Peggy and John (DBM) McManus
Paula Sigal Musler
Marcelle and Allan Oxman
Albert Rogat
Estelle and Murray (DBM) Rosen
Fern T. Sanderson
Marty and Elaine Schefflin
Marc and Mattye Silverman
Gary and Maxine (DBM) Silverstein
Marcia and Paul Simon
Lori and Eric Sklut
Philip and Lauren Stark
Stephanie and Steven Starr
Norman Steinberger
Jeffrey and Karen Turk
Amy and Mark Vitner
Nora Wolf
Brian Yesowitch Family
Barbara and Herman Ziegler
*Donors who wish to remain anonymous
OBM - Of Biessed Memory
Fcfc
FOUNDATION/ortk
CHARLOTTEJEWISH
COMMUNITY
A supporting organization of Foundation For Fhe Carolinas
To learn how you can create your own Jewish legacy, contact
Phil Warshauer (704) 973-4544 or Nancy Kipnis (704) 973-4554.
704.973.4544 • charlottejewishfoundation.org