New, Quality Books to Help Celebrate the Jewish Holidays

There is a Jewish holiday every month in the Jewish calendar, each with its own story, celebrations and unique foods, and each celebrated a bit differently by various Jewish communities from around the world. Without Jewish books showing the authentic Jewish holiday experience, it can be hard to learn about these holidays.

According to two veteran Jewish librarians, Susan Kusel and Heidi Rabinowitz, many of the popular Jewish holiday books that make it front and center in bookstores and library displays are not contemporary books nor do they highlight the diversity of the Jewish people. As the Jewish high holidays are approaching, it is important to have new Jewish holiday books available that mirror Brooklyn’s own diverse Jewish communities.

In addition, Jewish books tend to typically be highlighted only around Easter and Christmas. Hanukkah is not the Jewish Christmas. Many reading this may even be surprised to hear that Hanukkah is a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar. It is important to bring the most important Jewish holidays to the forefront of Jewish literature. Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and holidays that fall later in the year are much more important than Hanukkah.

Heidi Rabinowitz and Susan Kusel came up with an idea to highlight holiday books by steering a new Association of Jewish Libraries committee that portray Jewish holidays celebrated authentically.

Here are some great NEW Jewish books to check out from Brooklyn Public Library to jumpstart the year 5785, recommended by the Holiday Highlights committee of the Association of Jewish Libraries — L’Shana Tovah!

Books for Shabbat (The Sabbath)

On Friday Afternoon by Michal Babay, illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt

It’s Friday afternoon! Mom is cooking and baking while Dad cleans the house. Leelee and her dog Pickles are also doing several mitzvot to help prepare for Shabbat, but their help creates more chaos. Eventually, the two start a parade through the neighborhood, which leads family and friends back to the house. They arrive just in time for everyone to help with the final preparations before sitting down to a delicious Shabbat dinner. This book illustrates the relatable look at the preparing-for-the-holiday storm before the calm of Shabbat.

Rising by Sidura Ludwig, illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy

A young child wakes up early Friday morning to prepare challah with their mom. Once they mix in the ingredients and knead the dough, it is time to tuck the challah dough under a towel like a sleeping baby and wait for it to rise. Ima (Mother) explains that everything grows in its own time. This is a tender story about being patient and enjoying the process of preparing for Shabbat. The beautifully detailed illustrations of the family and their home capture an extra element of warmth.

Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year)

Two New Years by Richard Ho, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield

Gorgeous watercolor and papercut illustrations show an interracial Chinese Orthodox Jewish family celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Lunar New Year. The text focuses on similarities between the holidays: time with extended family, traditional foods, and noisy traditions like blowing the shofar and lighting firecrackers. The family celebrates both holidays with excitement and love.

Tzimmes for Tzipporah by Megan Hoyt, illustrated by Christine Battuz

Tzipporah joins her farmer father on the tractor to collect root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, rutabagas, yams, and turnips to make tzimmes for Rosh Hashanah. She learns patience as she gathers, scrubs, and cooks, and takes pride in helping. Cheerful colors and textured patterns are as sweet as tzimmes.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)

Big Bad Wolf’s Yom Kippur by David Sherrin, illustrated by Martín Morón

The Big Bad Wolf thinks that Yom Kippur services will be full of other animals to eat, but the warm greeting from the rabbi, the beauty of the prayers, and the Rabbi's talk of change leaves the Wolf confused. On the way home, instead of eating everyone he comes across, he helps them. Breaking his unintended fast with his new friends settles his confusion as he decides to turn over a new leaf. A clever twist on an old tale.

Sukkot (Harvest Festival)

The Moving Box Sukkah by Leah Rachel Berkowitz, illustrated by Sharon Vargo

A new apartment with no back yard means no proper sukkah for a boy and his single mother. Mom explains how the Jewish people have adapted to new circumstances throughout history, and with some creativity and a pile of moving boxes, the pair build a living room sukkah in which they can “camp out” and start to feel at home. Perfect for many New York families that can relate to the lack of outside space.

The Stars Will Be My Nightlight: A Sukkot Story by Jen Halpern, illustrated by Chiara Fedele

Rich, atmospheric illustrations depict a mother and son who decide to spend the night in their backyard sukkah. The quiet cadence renders this book equally effective as a calming bedtime story and a celebration of connecting to nature and religious tradition in the sukkah.

The Very Best Sukkah: A Story from Uganda by Shoshana Nambi, illustrated by Moran Yogev

Shoshi and her brothers decorate their sukkah in hopes of winning the annual village contest. This engaging story and accompanying backmatter impart information about the holiday and the author’s Abayudaya community, while bright linocut illustrations enhance the book’s strong sense of place.

For more recommendations from the Holiday Highlights committee, check out their page on the Association of Jewish Libraries website.