Explore Diversity in Jewish Identity with Picture Books

Culture and tradition are part and parcel of every person’s identity and yet many of us—perhaps especially in the United States—tend to see the identities of those around us as flattened into tropes. Instead of ignoring the nuances that encompass unforced and forced migrations, developments in social and political surroundings, and even availability of food options, picture book readers have both new and nearly new stories that bring a shelf displaying some rich diversity of Jewish identities and experiences, both here and abroad, both in history and in the present.

What we find here are an array of cultural languages (No, not all Jews come from Yiddish-speaking communities), geography (from the Southern Hemisphere as well as the Northern), incidents in larger history that have inspired community movement, and what and how contributions have spilled over into dominant cultures’ adoption of what may have first developed in isolated Jewish traditions (especially, of course, some now widely popular foods). Put aside what you think you know and enter the less reductive realities these kids’ books supply.

Cover of BRING BACK THE BABKA! words by Marilyn Wolpin art by Madison Safer shows large chocolate babka and woman, two boys, cat, and dog

Bring Back the Babka!, by Marilyn Wolpin with illustrations by Madison Safer (Barefoot Books) tells and shows a food-themed mystery that stretches well beyond the title’s Eastern European sweet pastry. While putting the final preparations for Shabbat, and a Friday night family dinner, the babka, which has taken the mother much time and energy to concoct, goes missing. Her young sons chase through their neighborhood searching for the thief and, along the way, neighbors who hail from a variety of Jewish communities worldwide, give them opportunities to taste foods traditional to their own Shabbat tables. As so many Barefoot Books picture books do, this one includes back matter almost as rich as a babka, including a recipe for that and further information about the other dishes—and Jewish roots—our sleuths have discovered.

The Very Best Sukkah: A Story from Uganda, written by Shoshana Nambi and illustrated by Moran Yogev (Kalaniot Books), features a once-a-year holiday that is celebrated by Jews everywhere. Sukkot makes for particularly child-friendly activities and provides a great setting for a picture book that shows one community’s celebration involving building, decorating, and sharing both the work and the delight of winning a contest for their efforts. As indicated by the subtitle, the author draws on her own Ugandan heritage and the features of her Abayudaya community of Ugandan Jews which has its 19th century roots as a response to Islamic and Christian colonialism.

Cover of THE VERY BEST SUKKAH sows a young Ugandan girl with gourd in hand decorating a sukkah, with canine looking on
Cover of EIGHTEEN FLOWERS FOR GRANDMA: A Gift of chai shows a young girl surrounded by various art styles as well as the symbol Chai in Hebrew

Eighteen Flowers for Grandma: A Gift of Chai, written by Alison Goldberg and illustrated by Jesse White (Red Comet Press), gives readers recent kindergarten graduate Sadie who shares a love of art with her grandma and an appreciation of a recently explained custom through her grandma’s gift of a necklace to her. Here, tradition rather than sacred tenet is transmitted to both our heroine and to readers. While they create art together and Grandma prepares for her own upcoming graduation (from college), Sadie learns about the significance of the number eighteen as a means of communicating, through the Hebrew letters for chai (life), a message of hope in life. In a resonant blending of art exploration and intergenerational love, this gentle story can inspire a wide range of topical discussions that are secular, as well as the potential to learn about cultural aspects of some Jewish communities. Generous back matter includes the Hebrew alphabet and a reminder that Hebrew and Yiddish are different languages, the former relevant to Judaism as a religion (among other relationships) and the latter a cultural and secular language from a particular part of the world.

Cover of A MITZVAH FOR GEORGE WASHINGTON shows late 18th century garbed children and a dog in front of a Colonial era synagogue
George Washington’s original Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, 1790

A Mitzvah for George Washington, by Rachelle Burk and illustrated by Chiara Fedele  (Creston Books), is fiction set in the context of an actual historical event. Young Bella and her friends are excited that George Washington will be visiting their hometown of Newport, Rhode Island, to promote support for the passage of the Bill of Rights. Recognizing the importance of its promise of religious freedom, the children want to provide him with candles in honor of his acting as a guiding light. In fact, the Sephardic Jewish community in Newport dates back to the mid-17th century, and President Washington did indeed write a letter, in 1790, read to its Touro Synagogue congregation, affirming “the new national government’s absolute commitment to the free exercise of religious choice.” Bella’s story gives young readers the opportunity to meet a child who finds a way to have her own voice heard in giving thanks.

Cover of A BRIGHT LIGHT IN BUENOS AIRES shows a young blond boy in a soccer shirt with the city of Buenos Aires behind him and his arms raised and glowing with light aboe his head
Cover of THE MIDNIGHT MITZVAH words by Ruth Horowitz art by Jenny Meilihove shows a night time scene with owl, chipmunk and forest
Cover of A QUEEN TO THE RESCUE: The Story of Henrietta Szold, Founder of Hadassah shows Sydney Taylor award seal and the subject as an older woman looking out at the desert

Ready to explore further to discover aspects of Jewish diversity of Jewish communities, ethnic roots, and cultural identitites worldwide? Travel to Argentina with A Bright Light in Buenos Aires, written by Santiago Nadar and illustrated by Paula Wegman (Kalaniot Books) for a contemporary story that shows how Jewish and Argentine identities are blended. Want to find child-friendly tales embedded with Jewish traditions and values? Pick up The Midnight Mitzvah, written by Ruth Horowitz and illustrated by Jenny Meilihove (Barefoot Books) to join a young chipmunk’s enactment of a Talmudic tale. How about picture book biographies celebrating the works of social activism? Among these, you can start with A Queen to the Rescue: The Story of Henrietta Szold, Founder of Hadassah, written by Nancy Churnin and illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg (Creston Books) and learn about an American woman who spent her life working for social justice on an international scale. And there are more picture books available from these publishers and others to take you into discovery of Jewish diversity as well as, of course, holidays, culinary delights, and more.

Scroll to Top