Has a child ever asked you, "what does it mean to be Jewish?" These books are a wonderful starting place for answering this very big question. Of course there's no one way to answer this question -- and for different families the answer may vary too. The books in the list offer conversation starting points to help young children understand some Jewish values, concepts, and holidays. We've included a note about each below:
Gathering Sparks by Howard Schwartz
Recommended for ages 5 to 6
The premise of this book is that Judaism focuses on filling the world with kindness-helping others, caring for the earth and its animals, and making the world a more beautiful, compassionate place to live.
Here is the World by Leslea Newman
Recommended for ages 3 to 4
We recommend this book for its endnotes, since they describe Jewish holiday and life cycle celebrations in detail.
It's a...It's a...It's a Mitzvah by Liz Suneby Diane Heiman
Recommended for ages 6 to 7
This book shows families concrete ways to practice different mitzvot--being kind to others, respecting elders, and more.
For books about specific values and holidays, see one of our book lists:
Being a Good Friend
Being Brave
Kindness
Speaking Up
Visiting Sick Friends
Welcoming Guests
You can browse all PJ Library books here.
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September 18, 2017