Jewish Children's Literature

In this modern trend it becomes necessary to guide the students about various religions and cultures.Specifically in the places where the Jewish people are in few,parents and teachers should look for Jewish Children's Literature.Not only will the Jewish children enjoy books about their religion but also other children will learn about a culture that they may know little about.

Selecting good Jewish children's literature can be a problem for anyone who is not familiar with the Jewish way of life. One important concern about Jewish children's literature is that the book illustrates Jewish values. Therefore, the book should reflect moral values. The values are moral qualities, adherence to commandments or good deeds, and instruction on how to be a decent person. These values will also help non Jewish children learn wonderful life lessons.

Another selection policy is always to choose books that are written for the grade level you plan to use the book. Using different selection sources will help you to know the reading level of each book. If the teacher is going to read the book to the students, it can be a little above the children's grade level.

If you are unclear about a book you would like to select, there is an excellent database that will help you to select the best of Jewish Children's Literature. The database is www.ajljewishvalues.org. Other qualifications for being a part of this database are that the books meet literary and artistic standards. The books must have Jewish content, characters, time, place, or theme. If the books are translations from Hebrew, they are immediately added to the database. Of course, the Jewish content must be accurate, authentic, and sensitive to Jewish concerns.

Because non Jewish children have no concept of Jewish holidays or celebrations, books on these subjects are great with children of all religious affiliations. Choosing books on the Passover will certainly interest even the Christian children because they are familiar with the Passover from their own religious training. A great book about the Passover is Wonders and Miracles. This book explains the true meaning of Passover. This book should be read before Seder so that children can understand its meaning. A wonderful idea might be to ask a Rabbi to visit the class after the children have finished the book. Naturally, the children will have many questions and who better to answer them than a Rabbi. The artwork in this book is especially beautiful and helps to advance the story.

Hanukkah is another festival that children will enjoy reading about. This Jewish holiday is all about family and friends. A Hanukkah Treasury is a perfect choice for the classroom because of dozens of poems, stories, songs, history, and even Jewish recipes. After reading some of the literature, children might choose song, poem, or even a recipe to bring to the class.

As our country becomes more and more multicultural, our children must learn about all of the different religions and cultures they may meet. These Jewish children's literature books will not only help non Jewish children, but they will also give Jewish children a chance to share their culture and religion.



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Children's Literature News:
Mail on Sunday (London, England), The - Family Pick Of The Day
February 28, 2010 -- FAMILY PICK OF THE DAY Blue Peter BBC1, 4.35pm Joel Defries, Helen Skelton and Andy Akinwolere (right) reveal the show's Book of the Year. The...


Get to Know Connie Cazort: Former teacher delights in reading stories . - Everything Alabama Blog
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Green eggs and ham rule at SouthCoast schools - South Coast Today
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Bath Chronicle, The - Children join in literary festival
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Childrens computer games, comics, novels worthy of academic study
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Pupils fulfill a need to read - Courier-Post
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'Objects of Wonder' - Sun-Journal
This oil-on-canvas painting, titled "A Garland of Pink Roses," was done by Flemish artist Daniel Seghers, who lived from 1590 to 1661. This gelatin silver print done by Ralph Steiner in 1930 is titled "Ham and Eggs." Fumio Yoshimura of Japan created ...


Book spotlight (Children's): Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Most of you probably know Lois Lowry as the author of The Giver, but I would like to spotlight here a different book of hers: Number the Stars, winner of the Newberry medal for Children's Literature...


Class to teach art of storytelling - Athens Messenger
Area residents can learn how to carry on the ancient tradition of storytelling in a series of workshops that begin this evening. The Athens Public Library will present an eight-week class, EURśStorytelling Workshop for Beginning and Experienced ...


Dr. Seuss Birthday: Read Across America Day - Limelife
At 106 years old, Dr. Seuss is still going strong in the hearts and imaginations of children everywhere. Today is his birthday, so let's eat some Green Eggs and Ham. Dr. Seuss developed some of the most iconic characters in children's literature ...




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