The PJ Library Book Selection Committee loves Jewish classics, but we’re very excited to share more unusual books with families, too. I Am Hava: A Song’s Story of Love, Hope, & Joy is told from the perspective of a song, “Hava Nagila,” a staple of Jewish weddings and celebrations. Hava is soon joined by the hora, a rollicking circle dance. While both the song and the dance are traditional in the Ashkenazi (central and eastern European) Jewish world, the artwork in this book is a nod to a different Jewish community: the Bene Israel of India. Illustrator Siona Benjamin hails from this community, and she imagines Hava and Hora as signature blue flying women. The illustrations lift “Hava Nagila” and the hora out of the Ashkenazi world and place them in a global context. That’s fitting, since the fact that Jews have lived all over the world has resulted in rich and diverse art, music, and dance.
We hope families will find this book as fascinating as we do. We also hope that it will inspire families to find time to enjoy “Hava Nagila.” Here’s a fun fact: The lyrics to this song include six different Hebrew words for joy! When you listen to the music, this makes sense — it’s nearly impossible to hear it and not feel joyful.
January 2, 2025