New Year for the Trees: A Chil­dren’s Read­ing List for Tu Bishvat

The con­crete­ness and sim­plic­i­ty of the tree theme makes Tu Bish­vat a won­der­ful hol­i­day to explore with chil­dren. For younger read­ers, try Sylvia Rouss’ Sam­my Spider’s First Tu B’Shevat (ages 3 – 8). Sam­my Spi­der observes a tree through the sea­sons, from plant­i­ng to flow­er­ing to los­ing its leaves. Sammy’s many ques­tions sug­gest to chil­dren that…

Read More

An Interview with Sylvia Rouss

Jewish preschools have a high turnover rate. How did you meet the demanding challenges of this important position and remain dedicated for decades? My commitment to Jewish education began with my own children when I was determined to create a Jewish home environment where we observed Shabbat and the holidays.…

Read More

Jewish Literature for Today’s Children

While Jewish Holy Days and Holocaust related stories make up a large share of Jewish-themed children’s literature, there is also a growing body of published books that tap into Jewish culture through humor and exploration of cultural values and identifiers such as social justice themes.  It is my hope that…

Read More