by Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is a major Jewish holiday celebrated in the spring. Its history goes back thousands of years; modern Jews tend to combine tradition and innovative symbolism in their celebrations today. It is a holiday celebrated at home rather than in the synagogue, and it emphasizes family and learning. Before I share […]
Jewish Kidlit Awards
by The #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement has brought much-needed attention to children’s literature with diverse characters and themes, but recognition for these books is not a new idea. Youth literature awards exist for minorities from American Indians to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community to the differently abled. As a synagogue librarian, my particular minority focus is on awards for […]
Hanukkah Books: A Diverse Dozen
by In recent years, publishers have begun to offer more Hanukkah books depicting the diversity of Jewish families. We have a wonderful list of diverse Hanukkah books for you, but first a few facts about the holiday. Hanukkah Facts The dates of Hanukkah change each year on the Western calendar, falling in November or December. […]