Skip to main content
  • Tags: Jewish
Why does it always rain on sukkot?
Youdoin, S.S.
Each of the Jewish holidays are explained through a story. The chief angel gives each holiday a gift which explains its meaning.

Who was the woman who wore the hat?
Patz, Nancy
In the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, a lone hat is on display in a glass case. It is all that remains of a woman's life. A pictorial and poetic view of this hat, worn during the Holocaust, is poignantly expressed.

When mindy saved hanukkah
Kimmel, Eric A.
Mindy, a mouse-sized girl, bravely faces a cat in the synagogue to retrieve a candle for her tiny family's Hanukkah menorah. Her mission allows her family to celebrate their special holiday together.

When jessie came across the sea
Hest, Amy
Jessie and her Grandmother are very close family to each other because there are no other relatives. Grandmother teachers Jessie to sew and Jessie teaches Grandmother to read. One day, Jessie is requested to travel to America by the rabbi. Her journey by ship is hard, but she meets a young man, Low, who she finds again in America and marries. Grandmother travels to America on the money that Jessie earned sewing lace for three years.

What zeesie saw on delancey street
Rael, Wlsa Okon
On her 7th birthday, Zeesie goes with Mama and Papa to her first party where suprise packages are auctioned off to raise money. While there she explores a secret money room, and learns a lesson about money, generosity, and the importance of community.

Welcoming babies
Knight, Margy Burns
People celebrate the gift of a new baby in different ways around the world. Babies are welcomed into their families using different customs like singing, kissing, touching, blessing, naming, and other special actions.

Tikvah means hope
Polacco, Patricia
When Justine and Duane help the Roth's build their Sukkoth, they do not realize how special it is until tragedy hits. A large fire rages over the land, saving very few things, yet a miracle does occur.

This is the matzah
Levine, Abby
A Jewish family shops, cooks, and prepares for Passover. The traditions and the meanings behind them are explained in a rhyme.

The wisdom bird: A tale of Solomon and Sheba
Oberman, Sheldon
Queen of Sheba, the wisest woman in the world, travels to Jerusalem after hearing about King Solomon, the wisest man in the world. She hopes to learn something new, but after asking for a palace made out of bird beaks, they both learn something important. This folktale is derived from Jewish, African and Biblical tales.

The tie man's miracle: A chanukah tale
Schnur, Steven
On the last day of Chanukah, an old man stops by Seth's house to sell ties. After talking with the old man for awhile, Seth learns how the man lost his whole family in the Holocaust. Seth makes a wish for the old man as the menorah candles burn out.

The sign in mendel's window
Phillips, Mildred
A small Jewish community is very trusting of a stranger who rents out half of Mendel's shop. But when the man returns to town with two policemen, will Mendel be charged with stealing?This closeknit community works together

The rabbi and the twenty-nine witches
Hirsh, Marilyn
Once a month, when the moon is full, twenty-nine of the meanest, scariest, ugliest, wickedest witches that ever lived came out of the cave to terrify the villagers...until one day the wise rabbi invents a plan to rid his village of those wicked witches forever. The rabbi's clever plan works with hilarious results!

The peddler's gift
Schur, Maxine Rose
Shnook the peddler arrives in the town of Korovenko with his assortment of beautiful, hand-carved dreidels. Leibush notices on that is left behind and makes excuses for keeping it. He soon realizes that the peddlers ways may be a cover for wisdom and forgiveness. As Hanukkah approaches, Shnook leaves Leibush a gift that will last a lifetime.

The number on my grandfather's arm
Adler, David A.
A little girl's grandpa comes over to her house to babysit her. She sees a number on his arm. She asks about it and he tells her about when he was young and in a concentration camp in Germany.

The never-ending greenness
Waldman, Neil
A young boy plants trees to cope with the separation and loss he feels from his father who is at war. In doing this he single handedly turns a gloomy countryside destroyed by war back into the beautiful, alive place it once was. He also starts a holiday known today as Tu b'Shvat.

The matzah that papa brought home
Manushkin, Fran
A little girl and her family celebrate the Passover Seder in repeating rhyme form. The family feasts on matzah, bitter herbs, green vegetables, and haroset.

The magician
Shulevitz, Uri
A magician, who is actually the prophet Elijah, comes to town. He gives an old, poor couple dinner and a soft place to sit during the Passover celebration. The reason the couple is chosen is because they are unselfish and they do not think that they are that bad off, since they have each other.

The little old man and his dreams
Ross, L
A little old man's wish before his death is to attend his granddaughter's wedding and see her happy with her new husband. His journey is plagued with troubles and his gift of pearls is stolen.

The lily cupboard
Oppenheim, Shulamaith
Miriam, who is Jewish, must go live with another family in the country because the Germans are killing the Jews. She learns a new life in the country and successfully hides when the soldiers come to look for her.

The legend of freedom hill
Altman, Linda Jacobs
A Jewish girl and an African American girl become friends during the Gold Rush in California when slavery was against the law. The two girls work together to save Miz Violet, a runaway slave, by searching for gold to buy her freedom from a slave catcher.

The key from Spain: Flory Jagoda and her music
Levy, Debbie
Just as her ancestors were forced to leave Spain during the Inquisition, Flory flees Europe for a new life in the United States, bringing with her a precious harmonica and a passion for Ladino music.

The fourth wise man
Summers, Susan
Atraban is the fourth wise man who is to go see the new born King of the Jews. He never meets the Messiah, but during his travels he is able to help many people with the gifts he carries for the King. After years of travel, Artaban still hasn't met his King, but before both men die Artaban hears the voice of the Messiah.

The chanukkah tree
Kimmel, Eric A.
The citizens of Chelm are tricked by a salesman selling Christmas trees. All the citzens of Chelm are Jewish and celebrate Hanukkah. The salesman tells them that Hanukkah trees are the latest trend in America. They believe him, buy the tree, and find out they were tricked. The citizens make the best of it by continuing the Hanukkah tree for the birds to enjoy.

The chanukkah guest
Kimmel, Eric A.
Bubba Brayna, a very old woman, fixes a Hanukkah dinner for the rabbi and friends. She has an unexpected guest when a bear appears instead.

The carp in the bathtub
Cohen, Barbara
Leah and Henry want to save the carp that their mom will want to cook for dinner. They try to hide the carp in the tub and also in a bucket. Their dad explains that fish are for eating so he gives them a cat as a pet.

The butterfly
Polacco, Patricia
When a little girls meets a ghost which turns out to be a girl that is hiding in the cellar with the rest of her family from the Nazi's. They form a friendship that is strong. But the friendship is broken up by the sudden movement of her and her family. But butterflies show that everything is fine even though they are apart.

The always prayer shawl
Oberman, Sheldon
A person's life is followed from birth to almost death. Jewish traditions, culture, and families are highlighted.

Star of fear, star of hope
Hoelstlandt, Jo
Helen doesn't understand why her best friend, Lydia, has to wear a yellow star. On the eve of Helen's birthday, Nazis begin rounding up Jews. Their friendship is lost forever.

Ruth and naomi
Marzollo, Jean
After their husbands sadly pass away, Ruth moves to Bethlehem with her widowed mother-in-law Naomi. With no money and no sense of hope, the two women are unsure as to what will happen. A kind farmer known as Boaz, however shows his kindness and restores their happiness so that they can begin anew.

Pumpkins: A story for a field
Ray, Mary Lyn
A man is sad to see a beautiful field become a residential development, so he raises money to buy the field by growing pumpkins and selling them all over the world.

Passover
Nerlove, Miriam
It is time for Passover and a father tells his son the tradition of Passover. He explains the different types of food that are eaten and the hunt that occurs after dinner. They then sing songs together.

Papa's latkes
Edwards, Michelle
A Jewish family deals with the recent death of their mother and wife, while trying to keep their Chanukan traditions alive. Each family member deals with their emotions. They work as a single parent family to move on, while embracing their traditions of the past.

One candle
Bunting, Eve
A Jewish family spends Hanukkah that same way every year. Traditions are passed from generation to generation. After a family meal, grandma and great-aunt Rose tell their story. One very special candle is lit in honor of their memories.

Mrs. katz and tush
Polacco, Patricia
Larnel unexpectingly finds himself befriending an old, Polish woman. From Mrs. Katz, he learns Jewish history and begins to appreciate his own African roots.

Make a wish, molly
Cohen, Barbara
A young Russian Jewish girl has difficulties assimilating with the American culture. Making friends is difficult for Molly when other children cannot understand her background. A special birthday celebration finally brings the girls together.

Look what i see! Where can i be? At the Synagogue
Michels, Dia L.
Baby travels with her family to the Synagogue and learns and sees many things related to the Jewish religion and customs.

Kaddish for grandpa in Jesus' name amen
Howe, James
A young girl finds her own spirituality while observing the differing social customs of her Jewish and Christian relatives following her grandfather's sudden death. She interacts with her family to remember her grandfather in special ways at home, at church, and before bed.

Just enough is plenty: A hanukkah tale
Goldin, Barbara Diamond
It is almost time for Hanukkah. Malka's family invites a peddler for dinner. They are surprised when they wake up in the morning and find that the peddler has left behind wonderful gifts.

Hidden child
Millman, Isaac
Over fifty years have passed, and Isaac finally tells his story. He is one of the few survivors of the Holocaust. Isaac experiences many tragedies during the war including losing both parents, friends, and being left to strangers, but finally, was adopted into a home. Although he changes his name, he is adopted in a home where people grow to love him.

Hershel and the hanukkah goblins
Kimmel, Eric A.
Hershel spends his Hanakkah holiday in the old town synagoue. his purpose is to ward off the terrible coblins that keep the villagers from celebrating Hanukkah. Hershel restores the holiday to the village by out-smarting the goblins.

Grandpa's gamble
Michelson, Richard
A brother and sister are tired of always having to be quiet so as not to interrupt Grandpa Sam while he is praying. The children think they have a very boring grandfather. Grandpa Sam overhears the children and tells them the story of his life. He was born a Jew in Poland and to escape persecution he came to the United States. He learns to gamble to make a living but when his daughter becomes very ill he decides to lead an honest, humble life and pray every morning and night. The children are now amazed by their Grandpa Sam's story and respect his prayer time.

Grandma's latkes
Drucker, Malka
Molly tries to beat her grandmother at grating potatoes, but her grandma is too fast. As Molly and her grandmother make latkes for Hanukkah, her grandmother tells a story about why they celebrate Hanukkah.

Flowers on the wall
Nerlove, Miriam
During 1938 in Poland, Rachel and her family are struggling to survive along with other Jews in the area. Her father loses his store, Rachel and her brother stop going to school, and they have nothing to eat. Rachel paints flowers on their apartment walls to pass the time.

Erika's story
Vander Zee, Ruth
After being thrown from a train as a baby during the Holocaust, Erika finds safety, love, and peace in the family that saves her.

Elijah's angel
Rosen, Michael
Elijah and Michael have a unique friendship. Elijah is an 80 year old black Christian barber and Michael is a 9 year old Jewish boy. Elijah and Michael exchange Hanukah and Christmas gifts and reach a level of understanding between their different religions.

Don't forget
Lakin, Patricia
Sarah shares secrets with her neighbors, the Singers, who are Holocaust survivors. She talks with them while out shopping for ingredients for her mother's birthday cake. An orange, cake flour, baking powder, sugar, and eggs are part of the birthday surprise.

Chanukah in chelm
Adler, David A.
Mendal, the caretaker of the Chelm synagogue must find a table to set the menorah on. He searches the synagogue and cannot find one. Rabbi Nachman sends him to a carpenter to get one. Preparation for Hanukkah in this town of Chelm is remarkably eventful and fun.

Cakes and miracles: A purim tale
Goldin, Barbara Diamond
Hershel is a blind boy who loves to play outside and catch frogs in the river. His mother is always angry when he comes home covered with mud. One day Hershel has a dream that he can see. After that, he is able to help his mom make three-cornered fat cakes and cookies to sell at the market so they can earn money.

By the hanukkah light
Oberman, Sheldon
It's Hanukkah so Grandpa and Rachel get ready to light the menorrah. As the family gathers, Grandpa tells the story of how Hanukkah began. When the children ask for another story, Grandpa tells them about Hanukkah when he was a boy during World War II.

Bonjour, lonnie
Ringgold, Faith
Lonnie is an orphan who learns his family heritage through the help of the Love Bird. He eventually finds his adoptive parents.