Every parent wants their child to be hopeful. The four Jewish holidays (Sigd, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shevat, and Purim) that fall each year between November and March are joyful celebrations of hope. None of these four holidays appear in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). Added later in Jewish history, they have served to inspire us in challenging times. They are four beautiful examples of how Judaism both preserves the old and embraces the new and how diverse holiday customs evolve over time and place throughout the Jewish world.
Sigd, in particular, represents the hope we’ll one day reach Jerusalem if we keep our traditions strong. In that spirit, here are seven stories about hope and homecoming:
by Hava Deevon
Saul from Romania has always dreamed of living in Israel, and so has Solomon from Yemen. When these two travelers meet on the shores of Tel Aviv, they share their stories and their joy.
by Mara Rockliff
Leyzer Zamenhof was surrounded by people who didn’t know how to communicate with each other. Yiddish, German, Polish, Russian — with people speaking so many languages, it was sometimes too easy to misunderstand each other. Zamenhof dreamed of a single language that would allow people from all backgrounds to make themselves understood and maybe even help achieve peace. That's why he began calling himself Dr. Esperanto: one who hopes.
by Kerry Olitzky and Deborah Bodin Cohen
Leah and Aaron are waiting for Papa’s ship to return to the docks of New York. He has promised to bring home a beautiful etrog, a lemon-like fruit used in Sukkot rituals, from Corsica. But as Sukkot approaches, Papa and the etrog are nowhere to be found …
by Leslie Kimmelman
On Eve and Adam’s first day in the world, absolutely everything is new: the animals, the plants, even the sunset. Adam is scared, but Eve has faith, and together they make it through the night.
by Ruth Behar
Estrella’s Tía Fortuna loves her home in Miami, but it’s time for her to move to an assisted living community. Although packing up her belongings is a bittersweet experience, it gives Tía Fortuna the opportunity to show her niece some of the various belongings from her Cuban Jewish background. This poetic story is a sweet representation of Sephardic culture – and of loving family bonds.
by Patricia Polacco
As Jewish families in a California city neighborhood are preparing for Sukkot, a fire sweeps through. It’s a disaster, but out of it comes a miracle involving a little cat.
by Lesley Simpson
Plucky Yuvi, a little Jewish girl living in Ethiopia, dreams of a place where candy grows on trees. Based on a true story, this book tells of Yuvi’s extraordinary journey to Israel with her grandmother, a passage from famine and fear to oranges and freedom.
More
Family Discussion Guide: Tikvah Means Hope
PJ Library’s Sigd Hub
Explore Jewish Values
October 11, 2024