The True Story of Nonna

Karen Fisman is the author of Nonna's Hanukkah Surprise. Below, she shares the story of the Nonna who inspired her interfaith Hanukkah story.

You can get Nonna's Hanukkah Surprise, as well as Kar-Ben's annual Hanukkah deal, 8 Books for $8, on the Kar-Ben website.

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In a couple of weeks time, I will be travelling to the remote Canadian city of Sault Ste Marie to do a reading of Nonna's Hanukkah Surprise. Sault Ste Marie, or the Soo as it is affectionately known, has a large population of second generation immigrant families. There are lots of Finns and Italians, but very few Jews. So why, you may be wondering, would I be travelling there to do a Hanukkah reading?

Well, if a book could have a birthplace, Nonna's Hanukkah Surprise would have been born in the Soo. That was where I first met Nonna, and it was also where I learned about the joy of sharing holiday traditions with non-Jewish family.

Nonna was Italian and Catholic. She had emigrated from Calabria to the Soo in the 1950's, settling in that bitterly cold city with its beautiful stark surroundings and a steel mill that provided jobs to new immigrants. When I met Nonna, she was in her seventies, and as the Italian immigrant community stuck together, I was one of the first Jews that she had ever met.

I still remember that first meeting: Nonna hugging me tight, then shepherding me to the kitchen where everyone was gathered. I was peppered with questions about my family and what I did. The topic of my Jewish identity went untouched, but when dinner was served, Nonna took me aside to share that, especially for me, she'd made her meatballs without pork that day. Several years later our son was born, and the issues became larger than pork in the meatballs. We had decided to raise our kids as Jews and Nonna struggled to understand how this would impact her grandchild. When she came to visit the new baby, she brought him a gift, a Magen David and a cross, hanging together on a gold chain as in her mind, her grandchild was both Jewish and Christian. My husband gently explained that this was not the case. There would be no baptism, but there would be a bris. Her grandchild would be raised as a Jew.

We'll never know what internal struggle Nonna might have had with our decision. We only experienced her full-on effort to understand and be a part of our Jewish lives. She visited us during the holidays, paying close attention at the Passover seders, and witnessing (though not participating in) our Yom Kippur fasts. We would visit her at Christmas, bringing along first one child and then two, excluding ourselves from church services, but enjoying the holiday feasts and family time.

As our kids got older, we started packing a Hanukkah bag for our Christmas visits, whether the holidays coincided or not. Our kids delighted in teaching Nonna and the cousins to play dreidl, using chocolate gelt as currency. In subsequent years, the Hanukkah bag grew as our kids contributed their ideas. We schlepped Hanukkah decorations, menorah, beeswax candles and Hanukkah stories along. We also bought Nonna a food processor to expedite our latke making, as latkes had become a staple of the holiday feasts. It was a wonderful way of sharing our celebration as Nonna and the cousins were sharing theirs.

Nonna passed away some years ago. Reflecting on the sweet memories of our holiday visits, I wrote Nonna's Hanukkah Surprise, about an inter-faith family's holiday celebration. The story is about little Rachel, who brings Hanukkah to her non-Jewish Nonna's house. When things happen to go awry, it's Nonna (of course) who steps up to save the day.

So now, I imagine, you can understand why I will be travelling to the Soo with my family and our Hanukkah bag to do a Hanukkah reading. The reading will be hosted by the church that Nonna used to belong to. Churchgoers will be at the event along with members of the Soo's Jewish community. And I will be sharing Nonna's Hanukkah Surprise and its message of love and acceptance with all of them.

Happy Hanukkah to all!

Eight Activities for Eight Nights!

Hanukkah is here! Of course, reading a good book is one of our favorite holiday activities, but below we've put together a list of eight more for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah!

Make Your Own Menorah from Joyful Jewish

Let even the youngest children participate in the lighting of the menorah with this pretty homemade menorah with paper "flames" that kids can safely use!

You'll need: paint, construction paper, toilet paper or other cardboard tubes, and popsicle sticks

Follow the instructions here.

Milk Carton Dreidel from Spoonful

Make recycling a part of your Hanukkah season with this nifty dreidel made from a milk carton!

You'll need: empty 8oz milk carton, craft knife, unsharpened pencil, blue masking tape, and a paint pen


Follow the instructions here.

Hanukkah Gelt Cookies from More Quiche, Please

Now you have your homemade dreidel and so much Hanukkah gelt you're not sure what to do with it all. Turns out they're a perfect way to dress up some holiday cookies!

You'll need: peanut butter, margarine, eggs, sugar, flour, baking soda, vanilla, and 3 bags of Hanukkah gelt

Follow the instructions here.

Hanukkah Door Decoration from DLTK's Home

Decorate your door with this colorful Hanukkah wreath that needs just a few materials that you're sure to find around the house!

You'll need: wire coat hanger, toilet paper rolls, paint, paper, tape, glue, scissors

Instructions available here.

Learn about the Maccabees with these Activities

Help children learn and remember the story of Hanukkah with these fun coloring and maze activities from Kar-Ben!

You'll need: printed activity pages and colored pencils, crayons, or markers

Download the Maccabee color-by-number here, the Maccabee shield here, and the Torch Relay Maze here.


Homemade Hanukkah Cards from Scrumdilly-do

Help children learn the importance of showing they care with these sweet handmade Hanukkah cards, which are much more unique than store-bought cards.


You'll need: tinfoil, glue, cardboard, scissors, colored tissue paper, thread, and glitter

Follow the instructions here.

Decorate Your Home from Enchanted Learning and She Knows Parenting

Kids will love to help decorate with these unique tin and felt designs that they can make themselves!




Metal Star of David
You'll need: disposable pie plate or roasting pan, a marker, scissors, a nail, and string or yarn
Follow the instructions here.

Felt Dreidels
You'll need: assorted colors of felt, pen, scissors, glue, string, and tape
Follow the instructions here. The page also includes a popsicle stick Star of David craft.

Still looking for last-minute Hanukkah gifts? Check out the Kar-Ben website for great deals and new Hanukkah books like Latke, the Lucky Dog!

Our Favorite New Hanukkah Pup

This week's blog features a guest post from Ellen Fischer, author of Latke, the Lucky Dog, a sweet story about a fuzzy puppy named Latke who is rescued from an animal shelter on the first night of Hanukkah. Although he has trouble learning the house rules and gets into all sorts of hijinks, he is one Lucky Dog! Told from the pup’s point of view, this sweet Hanukkah story for little ones is a great addition to Kar-Ben’s Hanukkah collection and our December Book of the Month!

Latke, the Lucky Dog is available at your local Judaica store, or online here.

Read about where Ellen got her inspiration for Latke below:

“Where does your inspiration come from?”  It’s a frequent question I’m asked. And the easy answer is “life.”  The more satisfying answer is, “ family, students, friends, nature, books.  If you observe and listen, inspiration is everywhere.”

For Latke, the Lucky Dog, the inspiration was right at home.  Our own shaggy haired, medium sized, golden brown Jazzie gave us14 years of laughter, fun and challenges.

When Jazzie arrived at our home, she was an adorable, fluffy puppy.  Being the diligent “parent,” I enrolled the two of us in “Puppy Pre-school.”  Jazzie quickly became the star of the class.  “Wow!” I thought.  “This training will be a piece of cake.”  Of course, once we were home, it was a different story.  As I walked in the kitchen one morning, there on the floor was a book with all the corners chewed to bits.  I recognized the book immediately. How to Train Your Puppy. This was certainly my first sign as to just who was really in charge.

Our Jazzie, just like Latke, really did chew up one of the kids’s favorite dreidels.  Our Jazzie really did tear open Hanukkah presents.  (see photos below)  And our Jazzie, just like Latke, eventually learned the rules. (Well, most of them anyway)  Given the opportunity she would eat the sufganiyot, no matter what the rules were!  And like Latke, my children always came to Jazzie’s defense.  They loved her no matter what.

Anyone who’s had a pet, knows they are more than animals.  They are family members.   And of course, we all know exactly what they would be saying if they could talk. 

So when I got ready to write a story with a dog as “the star,” I had all the material I needed.  I thought it would be really fun to use voice of Latke. (Because they do talk, right?)  Mostly, Latke, the Lucky Dog is a story of unconditional love.  Just as Jazzie gave us, just as we gave her.

 

Eight Activities for Eight Nights!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and this year, that means Hanukkah is too! Here are eight fun and informative activities for you and your little ones to do together (for both holidays!) this year:

"Thankful Thoughts" Turkeys

For Thanksgiving and the first night of Hanukkah, take a moment to appreciate what you have.

You'll need: construction paper, scissors, and colored pencils, crayons, or markers

 Draw and decorate a hand turkey (made by simply tracing your hand), and then write one thing you are thankful for on each of its feathers. Or you can make more colorful turkeys like these.


Make Your Own Menorah from Joyful Jewish

Let even the youngest children participate in the lighting of the menorah with this pretty homemade menorah with paper "flames" that kids can safely use!

You'll need: paint, construction paper, toilet paper or other cardboard tubes, and popsicle sticks

Follow the instructions here.


Learn about the Maccabees with these Activities

Help children learn and remember the story of Hanukkah with these fun coloring and maze activities from Kar-Ben!

You'll need: printed activity pages and colored pencils, crayons, or markers

Download the Maccabee color-by-number here, the Maccabee shield here, and the Torch Relay Maze here.


Homemade Hanukkah Cards from Scrumdilly-do

Help children learn the importance of showing they care with these sweet handmade Hanukkah cards, which are much more unique than store-bought cards.


You'll need: tinfoil, glue, cardboard, scissors, colored tissue paper, thread, and glitter

Follow the instructions here.

Decorate Your Home from Enchanted Learning and She Knows Parenting

Kids will love to help decorate with these unique tin and felt designs that they can make themselves!




Metal Star of David
You'll need: disposable pie plate or roasting pan, a marker, scissors, a nail, and string or yarn
Follow the instructions here.

Felt Dreidels
You'll need: assorted colors of felt, pen, scissors, glue, string, and tape
Follow the instructions here. The page also includes a popsicle stick Star of David craft.

Milk Carton Dreidel from Spoonful

Make recycling a part of your Hanukkah season with this nifty dreidel made from a milk carton!

You'll need: empty 8oz milk carton, craft knife, unsharpened pencil, blue masking tape, and a paint pen


Follow the instructions here.


Hanukkah Gelt Cookies from More Quiche, Please

Now you have your homemade dreidel and so much Hanukkah gelt you're not sure what to do with it all. Turns out they're a perfect way to dress up some holiday cookies!

You'll need: peanut butter, margarine, eggs, sugar, flour, baking soda, vanilla, and 3 bags of Hanukkah gelt

Follow the instructions here.


Still looking for Hanukkah gifts? Check out the Kar-Ben website for great deals and new Hanukkah books, or get a great deal on a Kar-Ben audio eBook for your favorite device!

A Guest Post from Author Jane Sutton (and a book trailer too!)

It's hard to pick the perfect gift, and Esther the Gorilla's choices seem all wrong at first. But it all gets sorted out when she invites her animal friends to a joyful Hanukkah party. For a sneak peek, check out the book trailer!

In today's guest blog post, author Jane Sutton talks about what it was like to have illustrator Andy Rowland bring her book to life:

 

"As a picture book author, when I turn my story over to the illustrator, I feel the way I did when I left my infant with a babysitter for the first time. Would the illustrator treat my story/my baby with care? What if the illustrator was careless and oblivious to the story’s charms? Or spoiled it with busy-ness? Or didn’t “get” the characters’ personalities?

Waiting to see the sketches can feel like sitting through a T-ball game prolonged by a series of rain delays.

But in the case of Esther's Hanukkah Disaster, the illustrator—Andy Rowland—treated my story about the shopping-challenged Esther’ the Gorilla with exquisite TLC. Every picture is adorable, with rich details that are wonderful to explore. To my delight, Andy didn’t just bring out the humor in the text, but added visual humor not in the text. One of Esther’s file folders is labeled “boring paperwork,” and the shopping list on her fridge lists bananas four times. Most important to me was that, like a good caretaker, the illustrator was sensitive to the main character’s emotions. When Esther is sad, she looks really sad. And when she’s happy because her Hanukkah party is so joyful, Andy has her long gorilla arms clapping over her head, an infectiously toothy grin spread across her face.

Yes, my story/my baby was definitely in good hands. I needn’t have worried…well, I guess I did need to, since worrying happens to be in my nature."

 

Q & A with Jane Sutton

Why did you want to become an author?

I've always enjoyed writing. In elementary school, I would turn an assignment to "write a paragraph using all the spelling words" into a three-act play. An essay I wrote in fifth grade is entitled "A Criticism of Humanity on Behalf of Ducks." In college, a sociology professor assigned us to "do something you always wanted to do and keep a journal on it." I wrote a series of children's stories, and that's when I knew I wanted to write children's books.

Do you have any advice for future authors?

Write, write, write. Keep a notebook with you at all times (well, maybe not in the shower) because you never know when you'll get an idea for a story.

Where did you get the inspiration for Esther's Hanukkah Disaster?

I used to tell my children a version of this story, and it gradually evolved into a book.

How do you hope your book will impact the Jewish life of a child?

At first Esther purchases gifts because they appeal to her, not really thinking about the recipient. Her eventual understanding encourages the Jewish value of thinking about others - compassion and empathy. Also, the characters express clearly that the significance of Hanukkah is more important than the gifts. Finally, even though these are anthropomorphic animals, they enjoy rich Jewish traditions.

Anything else you would like to share with readers?

I didn't want to grow up. I figured being a kid was a good deal: I got free food and I didn't have to go to work. When I realized I did have to get older after all, I promised myself that I would always remember what it was like to be a child. Being a children's book author is a way of fulfilling that promise to myself.

Jane Sutton grew up in Roslyn, Long Island, where she began writing stories and poems at a young age. She graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A. in Comparative Literature. In addition to writing books, Jane is a writing tutor and teaches a community education class for adults about how to write for kids. She, her husband, and grown children live in the Boston area.

You can get a copy of Esther's Hanukkah Disaster here!

Thinking of Engineer Ari in Jerusalem

Kar-Ben friend and Engineer Ari fan Kathe recently wrote us about the newly renovated Jerusalem train station. She said it made her think of the Engineer Ari books, and it certainly reminded us of them as well!

The History
On August 27, 1892, the first train steamed into Jerusalem from Jaffa, carrying passengers and cargo. A month later, during the High Holidays, the railway officially opened. The train shortened the trip between the Mediterranean coast and Jerusalem from 3 days to 3 1/2 hours. Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the father of modern Hebrew, who lived in Jerusalem at the time, coined the word rakevet (train) from the Biblical word for "chariot."

The railway began as a modest operation with three train built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia. It was rumored that the trains were originally intended for the first Panama Canal project. When this project failed, the trains were shipped to Jaffa instead. The railway was 55 miles long, made 6 stops between Jaffa and Jerusalem, and rose nearly 2500 feet as it curved up through the Judean mountains.

In 1998, the Jerusalem-Jaffa railway and the Jerusalem Railway Station were closed, and the station lay neglected for many years.

In May 2013, however, the Jerusalem train station was newly renovated, incorporating modern shops, restaurants, and other attractions into the historic site, making the old station into a hub of activity as a cultural and entertainment center.

Engineer Ari
Enigineer Ari has had many different adventures on the railway, but Enigneer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride highlights a particular moment in history - the opening of the railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem - and this particular train station.

In Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride, Engineer Ari has been chosen to drive the very first train from Jaffa to Jerusalem - what an honor! But after boasting to his fellow engineers, he forgets to say good-bye. As he journeys up and down the hills wishing everyone a Happy New Year, he remembers that Rosh Hashanah is a time for turning around and saying you're sorry.

Other Engineer Ari titles include Engineer Ari and the Hanukkah Mishap and Engineer Ari and the Sukkah Express, available at www.karben.com.

Thank you for the photos, Kathe!

What Does a Gorilla Gift at Hanukkah? Ask Author Jane Sutton!

Being funny is hard work. Not all writers have a wellspring of humor to tap into or the patience to refine an idea until it goes from potentially humorous to side-splitting. Jane Sutton, elected class comedienne in high school, gives young readers everywhere the gift of giggles as they read her new Hanukkah book about a gift mix-up, Esther's Hanukkah Disaster (available September 2013).



Esther's Hanukkah Disaster
It’s hard to pick the perfect gift, and Esther the Gorilla’s choices seem all wrong at first. But it all gets sorted out when she invites her animal friends to a joyful Hanukkah party.

 
Jane Sutton grew up in Roslyn, Long Island, where she began writing stories and poems at a young age. She graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A. in Comparative Literature. In addition to writing books, Jane is a writing tutor and teaches a community education class for adults about how to write for kids. She, her husband, and grown children live in the Boston area.

We interviewed Jane about being a cut-up and having the guts to cut (as in revision) and about Esther's Hanukkah Disaster:
 
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Horton Hatches an Egg by Dr. Seuss

What’s your favorite line from a book?
From George and Martha by James Marshall: “How do you expect to walk home with your loafers full of split pea soup?” she asked George.

Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
James Marshall, Arnold Lobel, Virginia Lee Burton

Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
I have always enjoyed writing. In elementary school, I would turn an assignment to "write a paragraph using all the spelling words" into a three-act play. An essay I wrote in fifth grade is entitled "A Criticism of Humanity on Behalf of the Ducks." In college (Brandeis University), a sociology professor assigned us to "do something you always wanted to do and keep a journal on it." I wrote a series of children's stories, and that’s when I knew I wanted to write children’s books.

Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Write, write, write. Keep a notebook with you at all times (well, maybe not in the shower) because you never know when you’ll get an idea for a story.

Where did you get the inspiration for your latest or upcoming Kar-Ben book?
I used to tell my children a version of this story, and it gradually evolved into a book.

What are you most excited about promoting in your new book?
The book carries a lesson about the importance of putting oneself in another’s place, but it does so subtly, without hitting the reader over the head, and it’s lots of fun. I think the book lends itself to re-reading because young listeners will know from the beginning how inappropriate Esther’s gift choices are and, I hope, giggle with anticipation of the consequences.

What is the most interesting thing you learned in the process of writing your book?
I learned that my revisions were more effective when I put the book aside for a few days and then returned to it. The time and distance made me see that certain parts could be improved or even cut.

How do you hope your book will impact the Jewish life of a child?
At first Esther (the main character) purchases gifts because they appeal to her, not really thinking about the recipient. Her eventual understanding encourages the Jewish value of thinking about others—compassion and empathy. Also, the characters express clearly that the significance of the holiday of Hanukkah is more important than the gifts. And finally, even though these are anthropomorphic animals, they enjoy rich Jewish traditions.

Anything else you would like to share with readers?
I didn’t want to grow up. I figured being a child was a good deal: I got free food and I didn’t have to go to work. When I realized I did have to get older after all, I promised myself that I would always remember what it was like to be a child. Being a children’s book author is a way of fulfilling that promise to myself.

4 Kids' Hanukkah Gifts Under $10

4. 8 Books for 8 Bucks for 8 Nights of Hanukkah
Give a book each night or give one to eight of your favorite young readers!

For $8, get an assortment of Kar-Ben's award winning books to enjoy each night during Hanukkah.  The set includes one paperback copy of each of these Hanukkah books:
Ziz and Hanukkah Miracle
Hanukkah Around the World
Harvest of Light
Jodie's Hanukkah Dig
Lots of Latkes
Menorah Under the Sea
Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles
It’s Hanukkah Time

Note: This deal no longer available.  

3. Sammy Spider Plush Toy
At $9.95, this is a great gift for any fan of Sammy Spider to bring imagination to life and create his or her own Sammy adventures! An adorable stuffed Sammy Spider toy with a pouch on his tummy so he can be used as a puppet! Colorful velveteen fabric, bean-bag type stuffing, jointed legs, 5-inch diameter body. U.S. safety-inspected.

2. Thank You, God!: A Child's Book of Prayers

A first prayer book for young children, with 21 traditional prayers in simple Hebrew, transliteration, and English. Contains blessings for a new day, bounty of our food, Sabbath, and holiday rituals. A beautiful book to inspire a lifetime of love for Judaism. $7.95

1. Alef-Bet Yoga

Give the gift of movement, language and fun! Learn the Hebrew alphabet through yoga! Using traditional and modified yoga poses, kids can create the letters and also benefit from the stretching and strengthening offered by each pose. $7.95

Hanukkah Gift Ideas

As a former teacher, aunt and gift giver, I think presents for children should do more than entertain. I like gifting something educational—often books—along with something that provides an experience that has the potential to inspire a lifelong interest.

Here are some ideas for giving this Hanukkah:

The Shabbat Princess
Rosie likes queens, but she really loves princesses! One Shabbat eve, she persuades her parents to invite the Shabbat Princess to their home. As the family prepares for their royal visitor, they are reminded that adding beauty to a mitzvah only increases its worth.

Give the book along with some cheerful, kid-friendly Shabbat candlesticks or crafting supplies to make candlesticks and inspire a life-long awareness of hiddur mitzvah!


Jodie’s Hanukkah Dig
When Jodie begs her dad to take her on an archaeological dig, he agrees to take her to Modi’in, the ancient home of the Maccabees. And when she volunteers to explore an underground cave, she learns that she and the Maccabees, the heroes of the Hanukkah story, have something in common.

Develop a sense of curiosity and adventure with the gift of a children’s metal detector along with a copy of the book, and if you can, spend time together treasure hunting in the backyard.

Harvest of Light

The olive harvest in Israel is a special time. See how the tiny spring flowers blossom into green fruit, then ripen into shiny black olives. Watch the olives as they’re gathered, sorted, and pressed into oil. Then celebrate Hanukkah with an Israeli family, as they use the oil to light their Hanukkah menorah. Come and enjoy the harvest of light.

A fun gift for a family, share this book and a few special bottles of olive oil, and maybe a beautiful loaf of bread for dipping. Inspire Ahavat Yisrael with this book from Kar-Ben’s Nature in Israel series.

Browse all of Kar-Ben's books.

Recipe: Make Your Own Chocolate Hanukkah Gelt

Make your own gelt this year for Hanukkah with this kid-friendly recipe from the new cookbook Maccabee Meals. With eight different menus for creative Hanukkah parties, order your copy in time for Hanukkah.

 

Treats for Hanukkah with Maccabee Meals

It is already November, and Hanukkah is just around the corner. The first candle is on December 8 this year (next year Hanukkah begins on Thanksgiving!). People are already in Hanukkah event and party planning mode, if the number of repins on our Pinterest are any indication! 

Looking for new ideas this year? Check out Kar-Ben’s cookbook Maccabee Meals, which features over 30 recipes and many explanations that are sure to add a kick to your celebrations. Learn how to make all sorts of latkes, cookies, salads, and sides. Try this recipe from Maccabee Meals for your next Hanukkah Celebration! This is a great project for kids!


Alef-Bet Pretzels
Ingredients
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 c. warm water
3 c. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp. water
Kosher salt
Margarine or oil spray

1. In a bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
2. Add flour, sugar, and salt and work into a dough.
3. Cover with a towel and let rise 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
5. Grease cookie sheet.
6. Divide dough into pieces the size of a golf ball. Dust hands with flour. Roll dough into sausages and shape into the letters on the dreidel.
7. Place on cookie sheet, brush with egg mixture, and sprinkle with salt.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until brown.


Enjoy Maccabee Meals during the festival of lights and B’Tayavon (Bon appetite)!

Win a copy by posting your favorite Hanukkah treat in the comments here or at our Facebook page. A winner will be selected at random.

“Iron Chef”? Try “Iron” Latkes!

A family I know hosts one of the most fun Hanukkah parties, and everyone looks forward to it each year: the "Iron" Latke Party. Each family brings their own latke creation and a taste test is done by all. Secret ballots are made and a family is declared a winner and actually given a trophy to keep at their house all year long. Plus, the bragging rights are pretty sweet.

Try these different recipes:

Zucchini and Parmesan Cheese Latke
Sweet Potato Latke
Apple Latkes
Tea Smoked Salmon with Wasabi Latkes
Corn Latkes
Cauliflower Latkes
Russian Walnut Cherry Latkes with Cherry Applesauce

Hannukah: Free to Be Who You Are

There is an interesting piece today over at Raising Kvell by Jordana Horn. The gist of the piece is that a family cannot celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas in deeply meaningful ways simultaneously. Horn prefaces the piece with a disclaimer that she knows that the piece might elicit strong feelings in readers. She underscores a really interesting point: "The Maccabees would rather die than observe any religion other than their own – they recognized that they would and could not be anything other than who they were, Jews. And it is that determination to be who we are and no one else that is what we are celebrating when we celebrate Hanukkah."

In the Kar-Ben book All About Hanukkah, there is a section called Free to Be that gives questions and ideas for families to think about and discuss while the Hanukkah candles are burning:

• Trace you family's geography. Were there times when they emigrated in search of freedom?
• Hanukkah was a struggle for spiritual freedom; Purim was a struggle for physical survival. How are they different?
• Some families light an extra menorah to recall Jews living in poverty, and hunger who cannot celebrate Hanukkah.

by Judyth Groner and Madeline Wikler
illustrated by Kinny Kreiswirth

The story of Hanukkah complete with candle blessings, rules for playing dreidel and other games, recipes, songs, and thoughts on miracles, giving, and more.

“…recommended not only for students beginning to learn about the holidays, but also for teachers and parents to use as guidelines for teaching children who have not yet been exposed to the holidays in depth. Any synagogue or day-school will benefit from adding these titles to their collections.” –Association of Jewish Libraries  Buy your copy today

Chag haBanot, Festival of the Daughters

Story excerpted from Hanukkah Around the World by Tami Lehman-Wilzig

It’s cold and wet on the streets of Paris, but Jacqueline, Geannette, Danielle, and Margot are enjoying the toasty warmth of their Grand-mere’s home. The cousins have already lit the candles for the seventh night of Hanukkah. Grand-mere explains that this night is for girls only, the way it was in Nabeul, Tunisia, where she grew up.

“Hanukkah is the only holiday that starts in one Hebrew month, Kislev, and ends in another, Tevet," Grand-mere explains. “Tonight is Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the new month. When I grew up, the Rosh Chodesh that fell during Hanukkah was a holiday within a holiday. It was called Chag haBanot, Festival of the Daughters.

“And you slept over at your Grand-mere’s house?” asks Jacqueline.

“We did more than that. While the candles burned, we relaxed. No one went into the kitchen. The next day we had a feast for women and girls only.”

“No annoying boys?” asks a wide-eyed Geannette.

“We did serve them a snack after candlelighting—an artichoke, olive spread, or a hard-boiled egg. But the really delicious food was saved for the women’s feast, where young and old gathered to honor Judith, the Hanukkah heroine.”

“I don’t remember a Maccabee named Judith,” insists Margot.

“Aha! I knew one of you would say that. Legend has it that the Maccabees were inspired by Judith’s bravery. Who knows her story?”

“I do,” says Danielle. “Judith fed a Syrian Greek general salty cheese that made him thirsty, so she gave him wine to drink. He got drunk and then she…”

“Stop,” insists Grand-mere. I’ll tell you the whole story tomorrow at the celebration. And I want each one of you to tell a story, too—about a different Jewish heroine.”

“Is that what you did?” asks Jacqueline.

“Oui,” answers Grand-mere. “We had heard enough stories about heroes. On the seventh day of Hanukkah we honored only our heroines: Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, Miriam, Judith, Hannah, and…”

“And that’s it?” interrupts Geannette rudely. Danielle frowns at her. Geannette frowns back.

“That reminds me of another thing we did,” adds Grand-mere. “We settled all fights and apologized to one another.”

“Sorry,” says a half-hearted Danielle.

“Anything else?” continues Geannette.

“At the end of the meal we at special Debla cookies. We’ll bake some tomorrow.”

“No entertainment?” asks Margot.

“Of course,” smiles Grand-mere. “We danced and listened to all the popular songs.”

“Sung by women?”

“Naturally.”

Grand-mere pauses, gets up from her seat, and goes over to a table with drawers. “One last thing. One year my Grand-mere gave me four pieces of her favorite jewelry. Guess who’s going to get them tonight?”

Buy Hanukkah Around the World by Tami Lehman-Wilzig

Dreidel Variation for Little Ones

Have little ones who don't have the patience to sit and play dreidel but still want to be involved?

Try this variation called Dreidel Hunt from the book All About Hanukkah ($7.95, paperback) by Judyth Groner and Madeline Wikler:

One player (the little one) leave the room while the others hide a dreidel. When the player returns to hunto for the hidden dreidel, the rest of the players sing a Hanukkah song. As the searcher comes closer, the singing should get louder. See how long it takes each player to find the dreidel. As an alternative, use a CD of Hanukkah music and turn up the volume to note when the player is closer. Have prizes like gelt and trinkets for everyone!

Hanukkah and Olive Oil

Wonderfully unique, Harvest of Light is a Hanukkah book with no spinning driedels, no shiny presents and no glitzy parties, just the simple gift of olives from nature and the joy a young family experiences during the olive harvest. The book is newly available in paperback, and is a wonderful Hannukah gift (perhaps along with a bottle or two of olive oil) for any family.

Here is a hello from Harvest of Light author Allison Ofanansky from her home in Israel:

After a week of much-needed rain, the olives in the Galilee of northern Israel have turned plump and purple, full of oil.

Along with friends and neighbors, our family is busy harvesting the olives and taking them to the press. So far this year we have taken over 600 kilograms of olives to the press, from which we got about 180 liters of oil, and we aren't done yet!

Before I moved to Israel I never lit a hannukiah with oil, and did not know that hannukah is also a harvest holiday--the harvest of the olives for oil. In addition to lighting the hannukiah with our oil, we also love eating latkes fried in it!

How can you incorporate olive oil into your Hanukkah celebration?
Dip bread in olive oil at dinner
Bake olive oil cake
Have an olive oil tasting party
Make a facial scrub and moisturizer with olive oil and give it as a gift
Make flavored olive oils and give them as gifts
Buy or borrow a lamp that burns oil and use olive oil



 

Feliz Januca

In Mexico, the fesitval of lights is called "Januca."

Children play toma todo--a game of dreidel--but the highlight of the celebration is breaking a pinata shaped like a dreidel and collecting sweets and toys.

Learn more about Hanukkah, Latino-style, complete with recipes for bunuelos, or fried dough!

--from Hanukkah Around the World by Tami Lehman-Wilzig

Great Gifts from Grandparents

Whether Grandma, Babba, Bubbe, Savta, Oma, Saba, Grandpa, Zeidy, Zayde, or Opa, as the line from the book A Grandma Like Yours reminds, whether you call them by their English, Yiddish, or Hebrew names, [grandparents] can be counted on to make each Jewish holiday a special occasion for their grandchildren.” 

One of the ways to make a holiday special is to make a memory together. Sharing a story is a fun way to do that, even if you are far away. You can read a story by telephone or Skype, or you can record yourself reading a book and send the recording and the book—a great help for beginning readers!

Great Gifts to Give this Hanukkah:

A Grandma Like Yours/A Grandpa Like Yours

A whimsical collection of animal grandparents illustrate the characteristics of Jewish grandparents. Read about grandmas, bubbes and savtas from the front of the book, then flip it over to read about grandpas, zaydes and sabas from the other side.

Papa Jethro

Why can’t you be Jewish like me? Why can’t I be Christian like you? a young Jewish girl asks her non-Jewish grandfather.

In answer, her grandfather tells her the biblical story of Jethro, Moses’ non-Jewish father-in-law, whose relationship with his grandson Gershom is a model of love and respect.

With warm watercolor artwork and a gentle storyline, Papa Jethro sensitively looks at the issue of interfaith families and reminds us that the Bible has timely lessons for every generation.

  

Feivel’s Flying Horses

Feivel the woodcarver leaves his family in the Old Country and comes to America to make a new life. As an apprentice to a carousel maker, he lovingly crafts a set of carousel horses in the spirit of his wife and children, dreaming of the day when they will be reunited in America. Based on the true story of Jewish immigrant woodcarvers whose carousel horses have delighted generations of children.

 

Always an Olivia

An elderly black grandmother passes on the story of the family’s Jewish origins to her young granddaughter, Carol Olivia. As family members flee the Spanish Inquisition, are kidnapped by pirates and eventually sail to America, one daughter in each generation is given the name Olivia, from the Hebrew Shulamit meaning “peace,” to honor the Jewish part of their ancestry.

 
 

Sammy Spider Books

In writing the Sammy Spider books, Rouss said she intends for Jewish children to “see the beauty of the Jewish holidays and appreciate our celebrations.” According to Rouss, Jewish people have to “look to ourselves and see what we have in our religion that we can cherish—our holidays.” Sammy Spider is “an outsider that wants to be a part of our holidays. Sammy sees the beauty of it.”

Rouss said Jewish people are “very lucky” because we have a yearly cycle of celebrations that serve to reaffirm our Jewishness almost every month. In writing books for Jewish children, she hopes to instill them with a sense of excitement about being Jewish. Wouldn't you love to share this with your grandchild?

Hanukkah Story Promotes Autism Awareness

Stories can be powerful, accessible ways for children to understand people different than themselves. Stories can also show that people share universal traits in common, like the desire to be happy, healthy and part of a family. Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles is a book that will connect readers with a young autistic character.
Kar-Ben author Tami Lehman-Wilzig lived for a year in Providence, where she met local PJ Library director, Nicole Katzman. Tami introduced Nicole to her books and Nicole, the mother of four young children (one of whom is autistic) and a fierce campaigner for autistic children's rights, told Tami about her determination to have a book on an autistic child written for the American Jewish community. It didn't take long for the two to pair up and develop Kar-Ben's new book Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles. Read the authors’ exchange about their story:

Nicole: Accepting the other in our midst is an important Jewish value. As a mother of an autistic child I didn't feel that acceptance. All too often I found the situation to be reverse and at times painful. I knew that in order to help children understand how to accept the other they needed a story to which they could relate.

Tami: I understood Nicole's feeling of urgency. One of my sons has special needs and I remembered how difficult it was for him as a child. In addition, there were autistic twins in our neighborhood while our sons were growing up, so I was already familiar with autistic behavior. For example, they would continually repeat the same question or statement, but we needed more than behavioral differences. We needed a peg around which we could develop a compelling story.

Nicole: At first I tried writing a story, but it didn't work. After reading it, Tami decided that she had to “interview” me. So I told her all about our son Nathan. She kept prodding me with questions. Finally, she said 'give me an example of something Nathan did that got you really upset.'

Tami: The minute Nicole related the incident of Nathan blowing out the Hanukkah candles the previous year, I knew we had the peg. It was perfect. Nathan's action was off the chart and Hanukkah was a wonderful setting. Creating a story around it with the right feel was the challenge. I wanted the story to be true – not too sugary, but not too tough. Finding the right balance was a challenge and it took several drafts, plus the help of “book doctor” Deborah Brodie to put me on the right track. It was Deborah who suggested that I tell the story from a sibling's vantage point.  The minute I did that, everything fell into place. Since I was already familiar with the repetitive nature of autistic children's conversations, I used that particular quirk to jump start the story. I consulted with Nicole throughout the entire writing process to make sure that Nathan's behavior was on track, as well as the reactions of siblings and kids.  

Nicole: It's exciting for me to have a book on an autistic child that is specifically my son. It's more than a dream come true. It's an opportunity to open people's eyes and minds. Too often they are misinformed about autism, insensitive in their comments and judgmental of both the child and his/her caregivers.

Tami: I am so pleased that Nicole inspired me to write this book. Both of us feel that Nathan Blows Out the Hanukkah Candles will make an important contribution to the Jewish community by being read aloud in the classroom or at home, and then used to open a conversation on how to love, respect and understand children who are different.

Nicole: Do you have a child with autism, or a friend or relative? If you have a story of your own please share it with us. Help us break down the barriers.

Please add your voice to Tami and Nicole’s initiative to create more understanding about autism.  Please post your own comments, story or insights about autism below.