Month: March 2017

Mazel tov! This blog is now a year old. Thank you to all my readers for your feedback and encouragement!

Last year, I posted about Dual Discovery. Since, thank G-d, we have many more subscribers now, I am going to repost it. And even if you read it last year — this is the kind of book you can read over and over again.

Book recommendation: Dual Discovery

The Mosaica Haggadah just came out, in time for Pesach, and it looks interesting. I haven’t seen the actual book yet, but here’s the description from Mosaica Press:

“Why is this Haggadah different from all other Haggadahs?
Join Rabbi Sender and Chamie Haber and their charming family at their Pesach Seder – and experience this special night with this most special educational Haggadah.

Unique features include:
Real questions and insightful comments of dozens of bright and engaging students
Fascinating and meaningful short explanations by a world-class educator
Yocheved Nadell’s delightful contemporary illustrations
Laminated pages to allow for easy use at the Seder table for many years
Year after year, Jews of all affiliations celebrate the Passover Seder surrounded by loved ones. Indeed, handing down the story of our people each year at the Pesach Seder transcends generations.

Rabbi Sender and Chamie’s Passover Seders are known far and wide for being entertaining, interesting and unforgettable. The Mosaica Haggadah will inspire your family like never before.”

We recently read Locked in Time with my seven year old son, and he loved it. It’s a fast-paced mystery involving a long lost treasure, but it also revolves around the sale of chametz and conveys the seriousness of the transaction. It’s a fun pre-Pesach read.

Just a Week to Go: One Boy’s Pesach Preparations in Jerusalem’s Old City by Yeshara Gold is one of my favorite Pesach books for the younger children. It’s a classic, published thirty years ago. The book follows a five year old boy as he and his family get ready for Pesach and includes real photographs taken in the Old City of Jerusalem. I love how the book builds up excitement about the upcoming holiday while teaching about its meaning and customs.

There is another book about the same boy and his family, which is about preparing for Shabbos — Hurry, Friday’s a short day: One boy’s Erev Shabbat in Jerusalem’s Old City. My family enjoys it too.

Hope everyone had a nice Purim. In my family, we’ve begun learning about Pesach. If you’re looking for good books for your family, or for nice children’s haggados to use at the Seder, this Pesach book list has something for all tastes and ages. Happy learning (and cleaning :))!

We spent some time this morning looking at the book Purim and the Persian Empire by Rabbi Yehuda Landy. It puts Megillas Esther into its historical context, both according to Jewish tradition and according to secular history. Our favorite part of the book are the pictures — what Achashveirosh’s palace looked like, what kind of dishes Persian nobility ate from, the view of present day Shushan and the location of the palace. The book is fascinating. It’s not a children’s book, but even younger children can appreciate the pictures.

Have a joyous month of Adar!