On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

The story is told from a child's point of view and explains her family's practices associated with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In doing so, the child explain the significance and differences between the two holidays. While I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book, I had trouble paying attention to the plot of the story. I felt like it did not do a good job of grabbing my attention. When I was finished reading the book, I realized I still did not know what Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are and had to go back and reread.

I loved this book. Children are often curious to know why their classmates celebrate a holiday that they do not understand and this gives a meaningful explanation of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It's not a book I would use in a public school for the classroom, but it should be available in the library to recommend to students when they have questions.

Cathy Goldberg Fishman's On Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is an explaination of the Jewish new year and day of atonement from a child's perspective. The language is easily understood and well written. All illustrations are attractive and appealing to the reader. The author adds a glossary to further explain difficult words that are italicized in the text. The author is credited as being a college graduate, former elementary school teacher, day care director, and children's bookstore owner. However, the book did not provide information that supported the author as an authority on Jewish holidays.

Like the Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar, which begins each year on September 1, the Jewish liturgical calendar begins on Rosh HaShanah, which usually falls in September based on the Jewish lunar calendar. The Biblical traditions of Yom Kippur, as presented in the book of Leviticus in the Old Testament, can no longer be celebrated because the Jewish Temple has been destroyed and the Ark of the Covenant with it's Conciliatory Covering is no longer in the Jewish people's possession. Like the Sunday of the Last Judgment and Forgiveness Vespers, Yom Kippur is a time of examining oneself, forgiving, and asking to be forgiven. It should not surprise us that these elements are present in both Judaism and Orthodox Christianity because show more Orthodox Christianity is a continuation of Judaism which has been transfigured by the Advent of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. show less

Picture books for children, Rosh ha-Shanah--Juvenile literature, Yom Kippur--Juvenile literature,

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