Kafka's Curse: A Novel

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South African poet Achmat Dangor's first novel is a rich blend of fairy tale and reality. At the heart of Kafka's Curse lies an Arab myth about a gardener who dared to love a princess and was turned into a tree for his presumption. A similar fate seems to have befallen Oscar Kahn, a Jewish South African architect. Abandoned by his wife after contracting a mysterious malady, he dies alone and his body is undiscovered for many months. By the time the neighbors call the police, "there wasn't much left of the body to bury. It was as if it had crumbled to dust." In the bedroom where Oscar breathed his last, a tree has sprouted up through the floor. But the riddle of this man's death is superceded by the secrets of his life: born Omar Kahn, he was, in fact, an Indian Muslim, not a white Jew. In the days of apartheid, these things mattered and Omar/Oscar, who had the temerity to disguise his ethnicity and to marry a white woman, had apparently paid the price for his subterfuge.

Omar's secret may be shocking to his friends and family, but his is by no means the only one. His wife, his nephew, his brother, even his therapist, all have things they'd prefer to keep hidden--but like pulling a loose thread on a very old and fragile seam, the revelation of Omar's past begins an unraveling of secrets and lies going back generations, with tragic results. Dangor tells his story with economy and grace, offering up love, madness, and betrayal in language as lovely as the themes are grim. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

With the publication in South Africa of Kafka's Curse, the prize-winning poet Achmat Dangor joined the ranks of first-rate literary writers--Gordimer, Brink, Breytenbach, and Coetzee among them--to come out of South Africa.

Brilliantly conceived and powerfully evoked, Kafka's Curse is a modern reinterpretation of the Arabic legend of the gardener who loves a princess and, for his transgression, is transformed into a tree. Reset in South Africa as apartheid was coming undone, this is the story of the Khan family, who are both "colored" and Muslim. When Oscar Khan, a budding architect, dares to pursue a woman outside his race and to change his religious identity, he commits a sin and must be punished. His unforgiving brother, a post-apartheid politician, tries to come to terms with Oscar's apostasy but will himself betray both his principles and his family when he falls in love with Amina, a beautiful and spirited psychotherapist.

Kafka's Curse is both part of the tradition of politically charged South African fiction and a bold departure that makes us see that nation as we never have before. Imbued with a timely resonance even as it is narrated with the lyric and imagistic intensity of magic realism, it announces the arrival of Achmat Dangor in the forefront of contemporary literary novelists.

Customer Reviews:

Disturbing, memorable fiction about a changing South Africa.......2002-02-13

The title of this disturbing novel is a reference to both Kafka`s "Metamorphosis" and the alienated, lonely characters who haunt his fiction. Both themes crop up throughout Dangor's novel: the fable of the man who turns into a tree, a Muslim of Indian descent who reinvents himself as a "white" Jew, and the nation of South Africa itself, before and after apartheid.

Nearly all of its characters, both white and "colored," live miserable, violent lives--symptomatic of the brutal apartheid realm. Yet Dangor convincingly adopts an astonishing range of voices: the conservative Muslim ashamed of his brother's "passing," his perceptive wife who unexpectedly leaves him, his rebellious and cynical teenage daughter, the married psychotherapist with whom he has an affair (and who may or may not be a psychopathic killer). And the novel's violent conclusion actually offers hope: that South Africa may be able to purge itself of its complicated history, just as some of the novel's women are able to leave behind the pasts that torment them.

Readers who enjoy straightforward plots, explicit symbolism, and unambiguous endings will surely be perplexed by this novel; even the family trees and the glossary won't help much in untangling the book's many possible meanings. The story is often as blurry as the racial lines created during apartheid. Yet I cannot get this novel and its lyricism out of my mind; the more I think about it, the more it seems to make sense of the nonsensical, schizophrenic society in which these people somehow managed to live.

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.......2001-10-11

Magical-realism is a very effective form of writing, but there is one caveat. It still ought to be understandable, otherwise it becomes totally abstract. I bought Achmat Dangor's novel in the UK a couple years ago with high hopes. It looked interesting. When I plunged into it recently, however, I found that I was going nowhere fast. It is an involved family saga, it is perhaps an allegory about South Africa before and after apartheid, and it is full of weird, largely-sexual images. In the USA, when segregation flourished, very light African-American descendants sometimes used to "pass", that is, claim to be white and live their lives by passing as white. This practice was no doubt widespread in South Africa too. In KAFKA'S CURSE, everything that is not black or white (an `absolute', that is) survives by passing. A Muslim of Indian descent passes as a Jew, marries a white woman. Crime passes as respectability. Dictatorship passes as democracy. Loneliness passes as marriage. And so on. Everyone is "ducking and diving", but what does it mean ? "Conventionally exotic", a phrase gleaned from the book, comes to my mind. Exoticism is used to wrap a very average product. I don't consider myself a literary idiot, but this one really had me puzzled. Like the art of Jasper Johns or Barnett Newman, if such work grabs you, you may like this novel a lot. If you remain sceptical, you may feel that it is a case of the Emperor's having no clothes. I suggest you try something else in that case and leave the muddled KAFKA'S CURSE for the aficionados of blank novels.

Different Expectations?.......2000-09-06

I was expecting something completely different from the plot. I thought this book was going to be more about the day-to-day life of an Indian Muslim posing as white Jew in post Aparteid South Africa, which leds up to his death. Instead the book focuses its time on life after Omar's/Oscar's death, more particularly revolving around Malik's dilapidated marriage and somewhat difficult children.

I am not sure if Dangor was trying to play on the theme of how Aparteid has affected all the male figures. I think the book would have been much better had there been more discussion about Omar's/Oscar's life, his relationships, and what drew him to 'change'. Although most people do know what Aparteid in South Africa was, it may just seem like a 'distant' thing, considering most of us have never lived under such a ridiculous and absurd government. I thought the book was going to give more insight into the Indian perspective on Aparteid.

The book was also a bit confusing with so many different characters with similar names (Anne and Anna, Salma, Salleem and Sulman) and the ever changing scenes that the author gives no led-ins to. Even with the family trees at the beginning of the book, I was still just as bewildered. And what is with Dangor's obsession with sex. The book seems to exude sexuality left and right unnecessarily.

The bottom line is that I wanted to like this book, but my interest digressed as I perused through it; It came to the point where I didn't even want to read it anymore. I only finishd it so I could have a thorough and fair opinion about it.

Excellent insight into cross cultural relationships.......1999-09-20

This is a hard-to-put-down wickedly humorous and iconoclastic read. The lives of disparate and unusual people are woven into a tongue-in-cheek review of a society that errs in taking itself too seriously. A MUST!

A troubling and wonderful tale of longing in South Africa.......1999-05-13

Wonderfully written, its magic realism captures the madness of both apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa, as well as the incontrollable human urge to rebel against fate.

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The Devil's Arithmetic
Not Enough Depth
Great book...made me cry
The Devil's Arithmetic
Sucked Into the Past a review by James, Taylor, Jonahthan, Sebastianne, Rebecca, and Danilo

The Devil's Arithmetic
Jane Yolen
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140345353

Book Description

Hannah thinks tonightÂ's Passover Seder will be the same as always. Little does she know that this year she will be mysteriously transported into the past where only she knows the horrors that await.

Customer Reviews:

The Devil's Arithmetic.......2007-09-02

Hannah is a young woman, thirteen years old and a fairly normal sounding teenager. She has no true understanding of her family's culture, or of the memories that are in her blood, ones shares and must not forget. Hannah is reborn into Chaya, as she is taken from a normal, rural life in 1942, into one of the Nazi death camps. We watch as the daily struggles for life transform this teenagers understanding of her world, what it has become and what it was. The glimpses of her true time period, the 1980's, are seen as madness in the camps, but she speaks truth. And she remembers the most important gift of all. Chaya gives up her life for Hannah's ancestor, Rivka, so she may escape to live her life. I enjoyed the family future and past connections; it made the book at that more personal since the readers become so close to her extended family, all in both versions of time. The deep emotions this book brings to the surface would take a careful working, well versed teacher. But this book is told in a way that is an accurate, as well as age appropriate way of explaining, in first person, some of the atrocities that humans can do to one another. On page 163, where Hannah is back in her own time and explains to Aunt Eva what the numbers on her arm mean, I almost started crying. What a powerful way to end the book. "J18202. J is for Jew. And 1 because you were alone, alone of the 8 who had been in your family, though 2 was the actual number of them alive..."

Not Enough Depth.......2007-08-26

This was a good book, but it wasn't as informative as I had hoped it would be.

Great book...made me cry.......2007-03-21

I read this in 7th grade some years ago and I couldn't help but cry in class and hope in the future this doesn't happen again. At that time, I knew about the holocaust pretty well and seeing a movie called Paperclips the previous year I say I knew enough, but this book showed it in a simpler way. It was in a view of a girl around my age then or so and it was so very emotional and powerful. This is a great book to read or lend to a friend to show them a part of a history. You learn that Jews are people aswell like any others and they can be a spanish jew, english jew, american jew and so on. It isn't an ethnic/race, it's a religion. Killing Jews then is like killing Catholics right now or any other religion. Jews did nothing wrong, but even today I know some people that hate them, but for no reason, only because they were taught to or what their family believed. After I lended this book to some friends, they understood more.

Overall, this is a great book, which can not only be enjoyed by teenagers, preteens and such, but for adults aswell. You understand it more than by just reading history books, this gives you a story to go along with it and it stays in your mind and doesn't go away like when you study for a one time exam and it is no use to you after you ace the test. This is a really must read.

The Devil's Arithmetic.......2007-03-13

The more that are added the more that are subtracted...
"The devil's arithmetic," that was what Gitl called it. Everyday, more and more Zungangi arrive at the camps. Everyday more Jews are chosen. The more in the camps the less in the world. Adding and subtracting. The children think the work is hard, but the Jews hated it because they subtracted lives and added Jews to the horror.
It all started when Hannah, a young Jewish girl, resented going to her family's traditions. She symbolically opened the door to the prophet Elijah after she drank too much wine at her family's Passover Seder. She is transported back in time to 1942, just before the Holocaust. The Nazis came and took the Jews away. Hannah tried to warn people about the concentration camps but nobody believed her. Hannah learned why all of her relatives were so upset about the numbers on their left arms.
The Devil's Arithmetic, by Jane Yolen, was very descriptive and touching, especially when Chaya makes a sacrifice -a big one- for family, friends, and religion. This was a fabulous insight on what really happened in the Holocaust. This book made you feel like you were really in the concentration camps and you could almost hear the harsh voices and smell the horrible smells of blood and sweat.
We highly recommend this book for readers of all ages. It gives you a whole other opinion on the Holocaust and lets you really know how horrible it was and how many people died long, slow, painful deaths. It makes you cry, laugh, smile, and opens up a whole new point of view.

Sucked Into the Past a review by James, Taylor, Jonahthan, Sebastianne, Rebecca, and Danilo.......2007-03-13

Picture this, you are a thirteen year old girl who hates going to her family Seder. You're forced to go anyway, and you open the door for the prophet Elijah. In the award winning (National Jewish Book Award) novel the Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen, weird things start to happen. Jane Yolen captivates the heart and soul in each and every reader, ensuring that readers will be delighted to the fullest.
The Devil's Arithmetic is about a girl named Hannah at her Passover Seder she opens the door to the prophet Elijah and ends up in a small village in 1942. It's during the second World War, before this Hannah lives in New Rochelle with her father, mother, and little brother. But after that fateful night, when she was hurled into the past she became different. People keep confusing her with someone else, a girl named Chaya. They talk about her parents, dead from Cholera and a place called Lublin. But her parents are fine aren't they? At a wedding,Hannah, the bride, groom, and everyone else are captured by the Nazi's and taken to concentration camps. Once there, Hannah doesn't know past from present. In this book Hannah goes from being selfish to fighting for the Jews, being strong although people have lost all hope, and being brave even though she knows only fate lie ahead. Jane Yolen brings the past into the present with this dynamic book that draws you into the setting. It makes you want to cry, and in the end sigh with relief. This book tells you to never give up and to be grateful for what you have. It is a lesson on how cruel people can really be.
Everyone will enjoy this captivating book about survival. I would recommend this book to kids age 11 and up. People who enjoy history and survival books will appreciate this astounding story about the Holocaust by the wonderful author Jane Yolen.

The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story (Holocaust)

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Truth IS stranger than fiction
The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story
Epic survival story

The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story (Holocaust)
Peter Lane Taylor , and Christos Nicola
Manufacturer: Kar-Ben Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580132618

Customer Reviews:

Truth IS stranger than fiction.......2007-09-19

A book that should be read by all Holocaust-denyers. Had the privelage of meeting the authors and one of the family members written about.

The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story.......2007-08-06

Two authors, a cave expert and a photographer, tell this almost unbelievable story of how thirty-eight Jews from a village in the Ukraine survived the Holocaust. They clung tenaciously to life in two different caves for over one year, and somehow managed to come out of the experience physically, mentally, and emotionally intact. We feel admiration and empathy for these determined people who risked everything in order to stay together.
The story of the caves is interwoven with the story of these people's survival. The authors conducted extensive interviews and consulted the memoir, We Fight to Survive, written in 1960 by Esther Stermer, the matriarch of one of the families. This book reads like an adventure story with a suspense-filled plot and fascinating characters. However, this is brutal fact, not artificial fiction. Generous margins, gorgeous photos of the people and places involved, accurate maps and fascinating sidebars make for a handsome book. The only elements lacking are an index and bibliography. One of the survivors, Shulim Stermer, states: "Everyone has it inside of them to survive." Peter Taylor wondered if he would be capable of the same will to fight for his own family's survival. The Secret of Priest's Grotto brings us face to face with this difficult question. Ages 10-14.

Epic survival story.......2007-05-07

I visited the Priest's Grotto in 1990 and found the story local cavers told us fascinating. However it took the amazing detective work of Cris Nicola to uncover the entire story of survival. The book accurately conveys the cave environment and the conditions found there. Cris and Peter are able to put this into language that non caver types can understand. The book had special meaning to me as I am one of few Americans to actually visit the site. To anyone this story is a moving example of a family fighting to survive under horrible conditions. The photo of the present day family on page 61 brought tears to my eyes. I highly reccomend giving this book a read.

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'The journey has come back to where it first began'
An excellent short history of the Hebrews

My People: The Story of the Jews
Abba Eban
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0394727592
Release Date: 1984-09-12

Customer Reviews:

'The journey has come back to where it first began'.......2007-08-22

Abba Eban was one of Israel's greatest statesmen. Here the man who helped to make history, documents the history of his own people.My People: The Story of the Jews is the history of the Jewish Nation from the time of Abram and his journey into Canaan, until 1968 CE.

He points out that just as the history of the Jewish Nation began in the Land of Israel, with the return of the Jews to Israel and the re-establishment of the State of Israel 'The journey has come back to where it first began'.
Eban covers the story of Abram and his journey to Canaan, the sojourn of the Israelites in Egypt, and their return to Canaan under Joshuah's leadership.
He succintly and skilfully describes the history of ancient Israel describing the great Commonwelath of David and Solomon, the division of the Land of Israel into two Kingdoms, and the wisdom of the Prophets.

He describes how 'Israel's history assumes a unique quality with the Babylonian captivity.Many people have preserved their nationalism on their own soil, even under foreign conquest, but never before had any people preserved it's national identity and spiritual distinctiveness in exile for thousands of years with sufficient vitality to ensure an ultimate rebirth'.
Through millenia the Nation of Israel has remained a unique nation, even in exile retaining it's eternal link with the Land of Israel.
As we progress through the history of the Jewish people through the Greek and Roman conquests and the courageous resistance of the Jews to the ocupation of their homeland, through the destruction of the temple and the eventual exile from the land we are reminded of this.
One must remember that there always remained a Jewish presence in the Land of Israel, throughout the exile, There was never a time when there were no Jews in the Holy Land. This is a story of endurance and renewal. It is a story of how the Jews survived all the massacres and persecution, from the Romans to the Crusaders who swept across Europe anihilating Jewish communities, to the horrific Chmielnitzki massacres and the pogroms in Eastern Europe, the Jews endured.
They refused to assimilate or renounce their faith.
Some like Mohammed and Martin Luther began with a sympathetic attitude to the Jews in the hope that the Jews would adopt these men's religions. When the Jews refused they turned on the Jews with savagery and hate.
The greatest miracle of all was the return to Zion.
We learn the real reason why the Arab leaders opposed the retun of the Jews to their ancient homeland. The doctrine of political equality and social justice that had swept through Europe and later across the Atlantic had made no impression on the dark Arab hinterland, and the Arab leaders and landowner feared the influence the Jewish example of democracy and socail justice would make on their own downtrodden masses.
That is why they stirred up their subjects to attack the Jewish returnees as they have been doing since 1920.
Describing the new Jewish communities set up in the Holy Land in the 1920s and 30s, many of them refugees from Nazi Germany, Eban describes how
'Settlement. cultivation of the land, and self-defence, were the practical answer of Palestine Jewry to Arab hostility and British vacillation. The response was coloured by an awareness of the inherent right of peoples to self-protection and by a belief in the inalienable dignity of human life as a principle from which Jewish life should not be excluded. The years 1939 to 1945 would see that principle shattered across the bloodstained continent of Europe'.
Eban stresses how the Zionist leadership tried to warn the world of the impending holocaust by the Nazis of world Jewry, and in vain urged the allies to act to save the 6 million Jews.
As Ebban describes the rebirth of the State of Israel and the wars of defence, he also stresses the great achievements in culture, medicine, humanity and science made by the Jewish State.
An answer to the vile critics of Israel today :"It is not an offense against the Middle Eastern traditions for a non-Arab and non-Moslem sovereignty to live and flourish in the original home of Hebrew memory and thought. The question is not whetherb Israel will change it's special nature, but whether the Arabs will come to terms with Israel as it is".
In discussing the Six Day War Ebban describes how the Arabs surrounded Israel with troops and weapons, openly threatening Israel and issuing threats of anihilation, much like those being currently issued by Iranian modern day Hitler, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The Six Day War was forced on Israel by the Arabs.
Essentially we are left marvelling how a world that once thundered at the Jews to get out of every land they lived in are now thundering at the Jews to leave their ancient homeland.
Abba Eban was a great statesman and leader and also proves that he was a great historian and writer. It is a pity he is no longer with us.

An excellent short history of the Hebrews.......2005-03-02

Abba Eban begins this 550-page work by talking about the Patriarchs. There is a problem with this, given that the history of the Patriarchs is part legend. But it is recent enough so that there is real history to cover plenty of what was going on in the Middle East at the time. And Eban reminds us that the religion of Abraham was not that of, say, Moses. Abraham's "God was not unique, omnipresent, or fully transcendent. He was the deity of Abraham's family, not of other families, still less of all mankind."

The author traces the history of the Hebrews from then on, through the age of judges, Kings and Queens, Exile, Roman dominion, the Diaspora, and so on. I was intrigued by the effect of the Fourth Lateran Council, convened in 1215 by Pope Innocent III. This Council appears to have been directly responsible for the next three centuries of Jewish expulsions from various countries in Europe.

There is an excellent discussion of Theodore Herzl and the rise of Modern Zionism. Eban has over a page of quotes from Herzl's Diaries about it. "What made me into a Zionist was the Dreyfus case." "Death to Jews all because one was a traitor? But was he really a traitor?" "In a lower stratum of society, I would deny such a possibility among Jews as little as among Christians. In Alfred Dreyfus's case, however, it was psychologically impossible. A wealthy man, who had chosen this career only through ambition, simply could not have committed the most dishonorable of all crimes." Herzl realized that Dreyfus's desire for honor was too great for him to have done it.

By the way, not only did the case make Herzl a Zionist, I think it ought to make every human being a Zionist. Zionism is Jewish nationalism, and that is merely a commitment to human rights for all people (including Jews).

The author discusses the fate of the Jews during World War Two. He explains that the slaughter of the Jews was not the work of only a few people. "Thousands of officials were necessary to carry out these tasks."

Nor were the Germans and their allies the only culprits. Lord Moyne, the British Colonial Secretary, refused to allow Romanian Jews to immigrate to the Levant in 1941. Instead, he helped keep the notorious British White Paper of 1939 in force. Moyne later insisted that Britian could "not be a party to any measures which could undermine the existing policy regarding illegal immigration" into the Levant. Perhaps it is not surprising that justice was served when Moyne was assassinated in 1944.

Nor is it surprising that Chaim Weizmann, speaking at the 1946 Zionist Congress, in a classic understatement said of the 1939 White Paper, "Few documents in history have worse consequences for which to answer."

The book continues through the Six Day War and beyond. That war actually began not on June 5, 1967 with the Israeli air strikes on Egypt but on May 22, 1967 when Egypt's Nasser announced the imposition of a blockade of the Gulf of Aqaba. In a speech (on May 22) which "settled for all time the question of responsibility for the 1967 war," Nasser said:

"Taking over Sharm-el-Sheikh means confrontation with Israel. Taking such action means that we are ready to enter war with Israel. It is not a separate action. The battle will be a general one and our basic objective will be to destroy Israel."

In retrospect, the Arab side would have profited little from defeating Israel. They also failed to profit from losing to it. That's still the case.

I highly recommend this book.

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MASTERPIECE!
When Jessie Came Across the Sea
Great Book to Read to 7-8 Year Olds Learning about World
A beautiful, touching story
Beautiful

When Jessie Came Across the Sea
Amy Hest
Manufacturer: Candlewick
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0763600946
Release Date: 1997-11-03

Book Description

In an inspiring pairing, Amy Hest and P.J. Lynch create an unforgettable tribute to the immigrant experience.

Jessie lives with her grandmother in a poor village in the valleys of eastern Europe. When, to everyone's surprise, young Jessie is chosen by the village rabbi to travel to America, and to leave her grandmother behind, they both feel their hearts will break.

Award-winning author Amy Hest brings her sure and inspired touch to the story of our immigrant heritage as she follows Jessie across the ocean to a new life—and a new love—in America.

Exquisitely illustrated by P.J. Lynch, with paintings that glow with warmth and carefully observed detail, WHEN JESSIE COMES ACROSS THE SEA transcends time and culture in a tribute to the courage and hope of all who seek a better life. It is destined to become a modern classic.

Customer Reviews:

MASTERPIECE! .......2007-05-07

Hest, A. (1997). When Jessie came across the sea. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Synopsis: Young Jessie lives with her beloved grandmother in Russia during the World War I time period. Her grandmother has Jessie educated with boys to ensure Jessie's ability to read and write. Jessie attempts to teach her grandmother to read and write. Meanwhile, Grandmother teaches Jessie how to sew lace. When Jessie is chosen to go to America by the rabbi, Jessie is fearful of leaving her grandmother, who is her only family, to go to a strange new place called New York. Jessie makes the lengthy trip to America all alone. However, she makes the acquaintance of many other immigrants who are as frightened as Jessie. Jessie's favorite friend is a boy her age named Lou. After making the long daunting trip to America, Jessie finds that it is going to be hard work to save enough money to bring Grandmother to America. Jessie works hard and attends schools with the support of the rabbi's cousin. Several years later, Jessie meets Lou again in Central Park. After some time courting, Lou asks Jessie to marry him. Jessie replies not yet. She is waiting for the perfect time for their wedding. Readers cannot help the heart-felt connections that are found within this story.

Evaluation: Readers are incredibly drawn into this story of a young immigrant girl. Ann Hest presents the text on a stark white background surrounded by P. J. Lynch's exquisite watercolor and gouache illustrations. Many of Lynch's illustrations expand across a double page spread which leaves readers feeling the warmth of the sunset across the Atlantic, the wind blowing through Jessie's glorious red locks, or the mist blowing through the harbor early in the morning. Readers are instantly compassionate for the immigrants who left their homes and families behind in their native countries to come to America for a better life. Hest shows some of the struggles felt by young immigrant children. For example, Jessie, even though aged 12, had to begin school in the first grade. Starting immigrant children in the primary grades no matter their chronological age was a customary practice of educators during the early 20th century. Teachers will likely use this text while studying Immigration with students. Children ages 8-12 will love this story and be captivated by its illustrations. This is a MUST HAVE for any Immigration unit!

When Jessie Came Across the Sea .......2005-12-09

This is a great historical fiction picture book. The illustrator, P.J. Lynch did a marvelous job of creating the characters and scenes for every page. Reading this out loud is a perfect way to teach about other countries and peoples. This story would be a first glimpse for some children at immigrant history and what Ellis Island was all about. With the help of the detailed illustrations, the past comes to life along with the emotional parting and reunions of loved ones.

Great Book to Read to 7-8 Year Olds Learning about World.......2004-01-19

My son really enjoyed this story of a young orphaned girl "chosen" (to her dismay) to leave her country and go to America by herself, leaving behind her grandmother. The pictures are excellent, and the story moves quickly. The story provoked frequent questions by my son such as: "Why did Jessie have to leave her homeland and her grandmother?" and "Why did the villagers think going to America was such a good thing?" Because Jessie was a child, my son identified with her. A beautiful story.

A beautiful, touching story.......2002-12-31

Even though it breaks her heart to be separated from her beloved grandmother, Jessie leaves her small town when she is offered a trip to America. She vividly describes the wonder of living in the new world and finding a new love. She works hard and uses her sewing skills to save toward purchasing a ticket for her grandmother.

This 1998 Kate Greenaway award winner uses lush paintings to portray a realistic setting of the story. The illustrations complement the story, but they are so beautiful that they almost overwhelm the story.

I enjoyed this beautiful story and its beautiful illustrations. Though at times heartbreaking, the story of Jessie and her trip across the sea to America is very inspirational.

Beautiful.......2002-06-13

Somehow, I always have a fondness for beautiful picture books. I always feel that a children's picture book should be something of beauty that is timeless...something that we can all treasure but something that is especially written in the straightforward language that a child understands. This is certainly not one of those mediocre, trashily illustrated, dime-a-dozen children's book. It is the uplifting story of Jessie, a girl who comes to America to begin a new life. The language is simple but beautiful, and Jessie is someone who we can all love. And the illustrations...oh!!! They are so gorgeously realistic; especially the cover with its beautifully done painting of immigrants watching the Statue of Liberty as they arrive in America. Beautiful story, beautiful pictures...what more could you want? "When Jessie Came Accross the Sea" is the kind of book that every child should have.

Average customer rating:

Impressive, Fun
Four and a half, really. An excellent introduction.
A Broad View Of Jewish History
The Story of the Nation of Israel
Fascinating Read

The Jews: Story of a People
Howard Fast
Manufacturer: IBooks, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1596872497

Book Description

Beginning in the ancient world, this colorful, fast-paced saga enriches our understanding of the Jews and their impact on the world. With drama no fiction can match, master storyteller Howard Fast traces the evolution of a tradition powerful enough to give lasting identity to a scattered, wandering people. Bringing to life the extraordinary men and women who have shaped history-Moses, Hillel, Jesus (and many more)-this compelling book explores the customs and philosophies that have endured persecution, emigration, and the Holocaust. Fast also probes the towering achievements of this unique and fascinating people, illustrating their important role in the origins of Western culture, Christianity and modern Europe. The Jews is comprehensive, enlightening and utterly readable.

Customer Reviews:

Impressive, Fun.......2007-09-29

This particular book on the history of the jews is just amazing. The writer did an excellent job of making something very complicated-like the history of a nation over thousands of years-into something easy to read and understand. And enjoy! History is not easy to write nor to read. This book makes use of extensive reasearch, yet it is laid out in in a surprisingly enjoyable format. Highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history of the jews.

Four and a half, really. An excellent introduction........2007-09-11

`The Jews, Story of a People' by the very well known novelist and screenplay author, Howard Fast, is not a straightforward history covering every dot and whittle of Jewish religious and political history. That task would require a far larger volume, and I suspect many such books have been written to cover just such an account. The narrative in this book, however, is strictly based on historical and archeological findings. It's story of the Jews from the dawn of history to the beginning of true history writing, from about 1200 BCE to the time of the historian, Josephus, in 60 CE is NOT based on retelling the stories of the Jewish Testament, the `Law, the Prophets, and the Wisdom writings'. It is also not a fictionalized history, as one sees from the pen of Gore Vidal on parts of American history. With some trepidation, I might liken it to Truman Capote's `non-fiction novel' approach of `In Cold Blood'. That is, it recounts history with the novelist's skill in narrative.
The book covers all major events in Jewish history from the age when it was a collection of nomadic tribes traveling back and forth from one pasture to another to the Holocaust, but it concentrates on the highpoints. Whole centuries such as the time between the end of Solomon's reign in 931 BCE and the start of the Babylonian captivity of Judea in 586 BCE are glossed over. And, major figures such as Isaiah seem to get practically no treatment at all. That does not mean this is a `bad' book. It only means that it is good for some purposes and not good for other. Fortunately, it fit my purposes perfectly, as I wanted a good general summary of Old Testament Judaism in order to present a historical introduction to a class of people studying parts of the New Testament.
Most revealing for my purposes is the explanation given of the role of the Jerusalem temple in Judaism before the Babylonian captivity, and how the first destruction of the temple leads to the kind of full-fledged Jewish monotheism we see today. While a careful reading of the Torah hints at the fact that the Hebrew tribes lead by Moses really treated Yahweh as simply `their' god, in a world filled with gods, from the Canaanite Baal to the Egyptian pantheon, the Chaldean pantheon, the Greek pantheon, and the Persian pantheon. The early civilizations of the Middle East were simply awash in deities, and everyone lived with that fact. The small difference which grew into a major `paradigm shift' to true monotheism is that the early Hebrews had just one god for themselves, instead the large families of deities found in Thebes, Ur, and Olympus. And, the single venue where a Hebrew could truly commune with their God was in the temple of Jerusalem. So what happens when that temple is literally swept from the face of the earth (the first time) by the Babylonians? One thing that happens in Babylon is the writing down of the Torah and the rest of the Jewish scriptures after 586 BCE. Another thing is the invention of the synagogue and the origins of the rabbinical movement, leading to the Pharisees known so well by their appearance in the Gospels of the New Testament.
What makes Fast's book so useful is that he gives first place to cultural and theological matters, and deals little with lots of names and dates. What frustrates me about the book is that although I have great faith in Fast's accuracy, at least his being true to his scholarly sources; I miss all those annoying scholarly paraphernalia such as footnotes. I'm annoyed to no end when Fast refers to the `Unknown Prophet', but gives us no references to the scriptures where the Unknown Prophet is quoted or mentioned. This is especially noisome, as when I look up the `Unknown Prophet' in the 6 volume Anchor Dictionary of the Bible, there is no reference to such a person. Even worse is the fact that this label is missing from the `Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion'. I also miss good maps of Palestine at the time of the very early Hebrew tribes. I have a library full of such maps, but none of them refer to the early players in exactly the same terms as Fast uses from his archeological sources.

Note that since I wrote this review, I've read more about pre-Christian Hebrew history in other souces, and I am just a bit less sure of Fast's total accuracy. I still think it's a good place to start, as long as you immediately move on to other sources, once you've gotten your feet wet with Fast.
In the end, I'm still delighted to have found this book and I get much from it for my study of Babylonian, Greek, and Roman influences on Judaism at the time of Christ.

A Broad View Of Jewish History.......2007-03-24

Howard Fast's "The Jews: Story Of A People" tells the magnificent story of the Jewish nation. Covering thousands of years in a 360 pages, Fast paints in broad strokes, emphasizing themes and movements, highlighted by exceptional individuals.

Beginning with Moses, he carries the story through the period of the Judges, the Kingdom of David and Solomon, the divided kingdom, the exile, the Diaspora and the establishment of the state of Israel.

Throughout this history, Fast highlights several turning points in the Jewish story. Moses' role in the establishment of the Jews as a people provides a beginning point. The status of the Davidic Kingdom is placed in perspective among the neighboring realms. The crucial role of the Babylonian Exile in defining the Jewish idea and the Jews' relationship to the Samaritans aids the reader's understanding. The explanation of the Diaspora which occurred during Biblical times and after the destruction of Jerusalem helps the reader appreciate the new status of the Jews as a people living outside of their homeland. The narrative of the role of the Jews in Europe during the centuries of the Christian era makes for fascinating reading. Their role as physicians and in the transmission of knowledge of medicine other professions helps place them in the saga of European civilization. Fast does a good job of explaining the shifting locations and distinctive traits of Jewry in Spain, Germany and Eastern Europe over the centuries.

Much attention is directed to the role of the United States in the history of the Jews. Early American Jews are examined as well as the role of America in molding the Jewish identity. The differing characteristics among the different waves of Jewish immigration, particularly the German, Spanish and, later, Eastern European Jews gives the reader a better appreciation for the Jewish experience in America.

The state of the Jews during World War II is covered in relatively little depth, but little is possible in a book with such a broad scope. Fast makes an attempt to describe the Holocaust from the perspective of the Jews. The post war establishment of the State of Israel provides an appropriate conclusion of the story.

This book is told from a Jewish perspective, but does maintain a balanced view. Fast's suggestion that Jesus probably lead a rebellion will be dismissed by many readers. His frequent characterization of the role of Christians in institutionalizing anti-Semitism probably contains a great deal of truth. While chastising Britain and the U.S. for their refusal to open their doors, and those of Palestine, to Jewish refugees from Nazi Europe, he does give credit to the U.S. for the shelter which it did provide.

Viewed form a Christian perspective, I found the sections dealing with the Biblical era to be fascinating. I find the later sections to be valuable for the overall view they give of the Jewish role in history. While one will often encounter the role of Jews in other histories, this book places the elements of the story in their proper places. I cannot determine how this book would appear in the eyes of a Jewish reader, but for this Christian, it was a very worthwhile read.

The Story of the Nation of Israel.......2005-01-27

The Jews : Story of a People by Howard Fast

Howard Fast was a most brilliant author. I have read his novels that revolve around the history of Ancient Israel: My Glorious Brothers; Moses, Prince of Egypt and Agrippa's Daughter.

In this work , published in 1968, he puts his pen to the service of documenting the history of the Jewish Nation.

The result is compelling and fascinating, in the incredible style of Howard Fast. The first three chapters deal with his theory as to the origin of the Hebrew people, and cannot be said to be really history. It is simply theory - which largely departs from the Biblical narrative- without any real proof or substance. Yet it is an interesting theory nonetheless. He deals comprehensively with Israel at the time of Herod and Hillel, and the life of Yehoshuah Ben Yosef (Jesus) and the birth of Christianity, under the ideas of Saul of Tarsus (Paul). Fast writes at length about how the Church planted the seeds of hatred that lead to the centuries of anti-Semitic terror and bloodshed against the Jewish people in Europe. He documents the Diaspora of the Jews when most of them where forced out of their homeland of Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel), by the Roman Empire, into the Mediterranean Lands the Balkans, Spain, Greece and Italy, and from there into Germany, France and England and then into Poland, Russia, the Baltic Lands, Belarus and the Ukraine.

The story of the Jews is a long and tragic tale of suffering and bloodshed of a people separated from their homeland for so many centuries and unable to determine their own future... Take this passage about the genocide visited upon the Jews in Mediaeval Germany by the Crusaders: " In Neuss, the Crusaders where drunk, and in the spirit of good fun they flung more than twenty women and a hundred children into the river, seeing how far two men could fling a screaming child. At Mors almost a thousand Jewish bodies where observed floating in the Rhine. At Alternah, the humane Archbishop Egbert attempted to defend the Jews and was beaten half to death. In Regensburg, the Jews where cut down in the streets. A Count Agthar likened it to rabbit hunting. A great pile of Jewish bodies was dragged into the main square, and crusaders amused themselves by beheading the dead. Over four thousand Jews where killed in the Rhine district alone."

But it also the story of their great contribution to all the lands in which they where dispersed, how they gave so much to the advancement of finance, commerce, medicine, navigation, astronomy, science, medicine and ideas.

And we also read in this volume the intriguing story of the Jews in other lands, like China and India, where thriving Jewish communities existed, as well as the large Jewish communities of the Middle East, which lived under the ebb and flow of alternating prosperity and persecution by their Muslim overlords.

There is a chapter of the Jews in America, and their remarkable contribution to that remarkable land.

Fast gives a fascinating account of the journey of Jewish history until the horrors of the most devastating blow of all, Hitler's holocaust.

There are troubling parallels between the systematic vilification of Jews before the Holocaust and the current vilification of the Jewish people and Israel. Suffice it to note the annual flood of anti-Israel resolutions at the UN; or the public opinion polls taken in Europe, which single out Israel as a danger to world peace; or the divestment campaigns being waged in the US against Israel; or the attempts to delegitimize Israel's very existence. The complicity of the Allies in WW II is mirrored by the support the PLO has been receiving from Europe, China and Russia to this very day.

If remembering Auschwitz should teach us anything, it is that we must all support Israel and the Jewish people against the vilification and the complicity we are witnessing, knowing where it inevitably leads.

As with the holocaust, the same kind of Jew-haters will again attempt to appease Arab rage with Jewish blood and land. We must stand up against it. Jews are still dying for only one reason; being a Jew.

Like a Phoenix out of the ashes of the Shoah (as the holocaust is known in Hebrew) the reborn Jewish State of Israel arose. The great hope of the Jewish Nation - the national anthem of Israel is Hatikvah - the Hope.

Fast points out that there was NEVER a time when there where not Jewish communities living in the Land of Israel, from the time of Moses until today: " In 1495 there where over two hundred Jewish families in Jerusalem, and there where functioning synagogues in half a hundred other spots in Palestine. In 1520, in Safed alone, there where two thousand Jewish families...By 1600, we must conclude that somewhere between 100 000 and 200 000 Jews where resident in Palestine."

The State of Israel embodies the hopes and lives on the Jewish Nation, with 5 million Jews today living in Israel. The destruction of Israel would mean another holocaust of Jews.

Hope writes in this book, what should ring out as an answer to Israel's loathsome critics: "The meaning of Israel is clear. The Jew has experienced too much death, and a portion of the Jewish people decided that they would die quietly no more. So it is: and no argument, no clever political talk, no logic and no parading of right and wrong can change this fact. The Jews returned to Israel because it was their ancient land. From 1810 onwards Jews in Palestine have been murdered by Arabs. The pious Jews of Safed , who would raise no hand in their defense , had been robbed and murdered and burned out again and again by Arabs-as the Jews in Jerusalem and Tiberias had been robbed and slain and burned out. Bedouin Arabs passed through Palestine at will-and robbed and killed Jews as a profitable thing. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries , Arab feudal lords in Palestine organized pogroms precisely as the Czar had organized pogroms. Palestine was a blighted and empty land until the Zionist Movement returned it to life..."

Fascinating Read.......2005-01-09

For the first time I see a book that actually discusses the history of the Jewish people without vague religious references to supernatural events. Truly an insightful read for anyone who wants to discover the marvelous history of the Jewish people and desires to understand the role of the Bible in understanding that history.

The Always Prayer Shawl (Reading Rainbow Books)

Average customer rating:

Family, tradition, Jewish life, and love shine through
The strength of prayer
A Bar Mitzvah Gift
A moving celebration of famiy and religious tradition

The Always Prayer Shawl (Reading Rainbow Books)
Sheldon Oberman
Manufacturer: Boyds Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Short Story Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1590783328

Customer Reviews:

Family, tradition, Jewish life, and love shine through.......2006-08-17

in this well crafted story about a young boy. The Always Prayer Shawl was selected to be included in the Jewish Community Library of Los Angeles public radio production "One People Many Stories: Jewish Stories from Around the World." Henry Winkler reads this love filled story on the CD, One People, Many Stories: Jewish Stories from Around the World.

The strength of prayer.......2001-09-09

The bond of grandson and grandfather in this handsome and heart-warming tale about a Tallit is indeed good for people of all ages and all faiths--girls and women, boys and men. It tells of the undying human urge for freedom and fulfillment and reinforces the importance of prayer, and the strength of tradition and family. Alyssa A. Lappen

A Bar Mitzvah Gift.......2001-01-04

I got this as a pre Bar Mitzvah gift and at first I thought it wasn't what I wanted because I figured it was for younger kids but when I read it I felt it was for everybody, even people who aren't Jewish. It was a story about a person's whole life and how they change which was pretty neat to think about especially when you are having a bar mitzvah. My grandmother gave it to me because she said it was like her dad's life. It is sort of getting me ready for my bar mitzvah to think about the importance of tradition in your life

A moving celebration of famiy and religious tradition.......1998-09-03

This is a beautiful, moving story that was a gift for our son on his bris. (It moved me to tears when I first read it.) Exquisitely illustrated and well-told, the story celebrates values, tradition, and intergenerational relationships. It will be a great conversation starter with our son, when he is older, about our own family history. It would make a great gift for a bar mitzvah or any occasion.

Average customer rating:

I bought this book for myself
Historically valuable but plain
reaching for more when you're done
Fool's paradise

Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories
Isaac Bashevis Singer
Manufacturer: Michael Di Capua
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060284773
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Amazon.com

From two masters who need no introduction comes a handsome reprint of the classic Newbery Honor book Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories. With wit and whimsy, Maurice Sendak illustrates seven tales about the legendary village of fools, Chelm, written by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Silly, outrageous, and sometimes poignant, the stories (translated from the Yiddish) reflect the traditions, heroes, and villains of middle European folklore. The devil makes an appearance more than once, as do the ever-so-foolish yet highly revered Elders of Chelm. In "The Mixed-Up Feet and the Silly Bridegroom," four sisters wake one morning to discover that their feet have become mixed up in the bed they share. A wise Elder advises their mother to whack the bed with a big stick, thus causing each girl to grab her own feet in pain and surprise. When their feet are sorted out, he then recommends, the sisters should be married off as soon as possible, to reduce the possibility of similar mix-ups in the future. Of course, none of them count on the breathtaking stupidity of the first bridegroom. Another not-so-clever fellow stars in "The First Shlemiel." When this man's wife asks him to do three things for her, he promptly and accidentally proceeds to breach each one of his promises, resulting in a baby with a bump on his head, an escaped rooster, and an emptied pot of jam. Somehow, though, possibly because ignorance is bliss, fools always come out on top in these wonderful stories, making for terrific read-aloud, laugh-aloud fun for the entire family. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

`[A] delightful and distinguished book [of seven tales] from middle European folklore [by the winner of the 1978 Nobel Prize for Literature].' 'BL.

1967 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books of 1940-1970 (ALA)
1966 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
"Best of the Best" Children's Books 1966-1978 (SLJ)
Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1966 (NYT)
Children's Books of 1966 (Library of Congress)
Children's Books of the Year 1966 (CSA)

Customer Reviews:

I bought this book for myself.......2007-08-03

Singer and Sendak are an unbeatable combination. Sendak is amazing in what he can do with pen and ink (no color). I think those who are familiar with Yiddish culture would appreciate these stories more than those who are not.

Historically valuable but plain.......2007-03-23

I do enjoy a good story, and Zlateh is full of them, with nice drawings by Maurice Sendek. But they do get kind of drab. These aren't stories that are overly funny or have an intellectual twist at the end that I was expecting. These are stories of a culture and they capture the strengths and weaknesses of that culture and do so quite wonderfully. Just be warned, the cultural quirks and expectations of the stories in this book will receive less appreciation from our technology-loving culture than they deserve. The book itself is a quick and comfortable read and has the potential for an excellent bed-time book for 4-8 year olds.

reaching for more when you're done.......2004-12-01

Zlateh the goat and other stories really tells you from the very beginning that the town, Chelm, is a village of fools. There are many stories in here, complete with lovely pencil drawings with great detail to go along with it. He finishes off the book with the story: Zlateh the Goat, just to leave you looking at the book after it's done, and wanting another copy. You might just hug this book to your chest when you're done, and since it has won a medal, that does not only symbolize that it is a great book. It also tells you that the very book you are looking at, about to hold in your hands, will teach you valuable lessons and charming stories.
Try it!!!!!! (And a great read aloud, too).

Fool's paradise.......2002-06-02

If your children love either Isaac Singer or Chelm, look no further than these seven tales. They will treasure the book always, because, as Singer noted in the Foreword to this 1966 volume, "In stories time does not vanish. Neither do men and animals. For the writer and his readers the creatures go on living forever. What happened a long time ago is still present." Singer dedicated the stories to "children who had no chance to grow up because of stupid wars and cruel persecutions" and hoped readers would grow into men and women who "love not only their own children but all good children everywhere." It's hard to imagine otherwise.

The book opens with a tale called "Fool's Paradise," in which Atzel, the son of Kadish grew up with an unheard of disease: He thought himself dead. Lazy by nature, he did nothing at all. His parents tried everything, and finally consulted Dr. Yoetz. After telling his parents to prepare a darkened room to look like paradise, with white satin sheets, the good physician came to examine the young man and pronounced him "dead." Delighted with this outcome, Atzel regained his appetite and energy, and remained animated until the next day. When exactly the same food was brought to him a winged angel told him, "In paradise, my lord, one always eats the same food." On asking the time of day, he was told "In paradise there is neither day nor night."

Atzel could not meet with anyone, do anything, see his parents or his beloved, whom he was told was mourning him but would meet another young man and marry him instead. "That's how it is with the living." After eight days, Atzel began to see the value of living. He would rather chop wood and carry stones than stay in paradise, and would rather kill himself than stay there forever. At that point, Dr. Yoetz told Atzel he was not dead after all. Upon returning to the land of the living, Atzel married his beloved and became one of the most industrious and productive souls in the region. (Many souls now seeking paradise could benefit from this story.)

Not all Singer's fools lived in paradise. Some lived in Chelm, the village of idiots young and old. When it snowed on Hanukkah once, all of Chelm glittered like a silver tablecloth. The moon shone; the stars twinkled; the snow shimmered like pearls and diamonds. And the Elders of Chelm believed that a treasure had fallen from the sky. Rather than trample it, they planned to send a messenger to all the houses to tell the people to stay indoors until the treasure could be harvested. But how could the messenger tell them without himself destroying their riches? Suffice it to say the Chelmnicks ended no richer than they began, but for the laughter they provided to outsiders peering in through Singer's window.

Book Description

Rebecca's Journey Home opens as two young brothers eagerly await their mom's return from Vietnam with their newly adopted baby sister Rebecca. The story follows the family through the baby's arrival, her first Shabbat in her new home, and her visit to the mikvah as she is converted to Judaism.

Customer Reviews:

Vietnamese, American, and Jewish.......2007-03-14

Mrs. Stein is eager to adopt a new baby girl to add to her family, consisting of herself and Mr. Stein, along with Jacob (age 8), and Gabe (age 4). As she tells her family," There were so many babies and children in the world whose parents had loved them, but could not take care of them". The story follows familiar territory- over a period of a year, Mrs. Stein gets ready for the big day; she needs to fill out documents, answer questions, and attend meetings until she is finally told there is a baby waiting for her in Vietnam. While in Vietnam, she patiently waits for permission to take the baby home and spends her time shopping and emailing her family who can't wait to meet baby Rebecca. Back in the United States, the focus is on Rebecca's Judaism; on Shabbat, a special blessing is made for her. When she is almost one; Rebecca is taken to the mikvah and given the Hebrew name, Rivka Shoshanah. As her mother proudly states, " She is now Vietnamese, American, and Jewish!".
This endearing picture book perfectly captures the growing trend of international adoption among the American Jewish community. Warm, stylized pastel double-spread illustrations complement the text and make this a great book for sharing aloud. The author, a mom with an adopted Vietnamese baby, draws on her own experiences, to realistically portray the excitement and joy of having a new family member. For all families, this title would be especially useful in a Jewish preschool or temple library.
Ages 4-8.
Reviewed by Debby Gold

A 2007 Sydney Taylor Honor Award Winner for Younger Readers.......2007-01-28

A picture book portraying a Jewish-American family adopting a child from overseas is long overdue and Rebecca's Journey Home handles the subject with sensitivity and warmth. The beautifully written text explains how the Stein family, with two biological children, wish to build their family and share their home with one of the many children in the world "whose parents had loved them but could not take care of them." Each Shabbat since the beginning of their adoption process the family blesses their two boys and includes a blessing for their new daughter in Vietnam. They explain to their sons that while their new sister Rebecca will always be Vietnamese, she will also be American and Jewish. The story ends with Rebecca's trip to the mikveh where she receives her Hebrew name. This book will especially appeal to families with adopted children and libraries who wish to celebrate the diversity of the Jewish community.

A beautiful account of an Asian adoption by observant Jews.......2007-01-12

This touchingly illustrated book normalizes the adoption path toward building a Jewish family. The author describes the process of adding a Vietnamese-born child to a Jewish family. The text resonnates with its simplicity. Even though it is filled with warm emotions, it is never corny and respects the diversity that it added to a family in a multi-cultural adoption as an addition of greater wealth of identities. This book would appeal to children as young as 3 and up to about 8.

Average customer rating:

review of "Sara's Journey"

Sara's Journey
David L. Shapiro
Manufacturer: Jewish Publication Society of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0827607768

Book Description

Sara, a Jewish 12-year-old in 1919 Russia, has spunk, independence, and a deep commitment to her heritage. Suddenly orphaned under mysterious circumstances, her home and shtetl destroyed, Sara begins a daring journey toward Budapest and her eventual destination, Palestine. On this amazing odyssey, Sara meets fascinating people of all sorts. Set against a backdrop of stormy historical events -- pogroms, the influenza epidemic, the Bolshevik Revolution, and the struggle to create the State of Israel -- this riveting young-adult novel is told with warmth, grace, and subtlety.

Through the heart and mind of Sara, young readers will experience a world of connections between generations, genders, cultures, religions, and nationalities. Sara grows into a true follower of her father's wise advice: "Be bold and brave, but not foolhardy."

Customer Reviews:

review of "Sara's Journey" .......2005-10-17

The author does an excellent job writing about an interesting period of life. He writes with much sensitivity and excitement. It's a book children as well as adults will enjoy. I hope this author comes out with more books!

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