Sharing Blessings: Children's Stories for Exploring the Spirit of the Jewish Holidays

What is the spiritual message of each of the Jewish holidays?
How do we teach it to our children?

Many books tell children about the historical significance and customs of the holidays. Now, through engaging, creative stories about one family's spiritual preparation, Sharing Blessings explores ways to get into the spirit of the holidays all year long.

Musleah, mother and journalist, and Klayman, father and rabbi, gently give our children the spiritual message and help adult and child explore it together. For 13 different holidays and festivals, there is a story about David, Ilana, and their mom and dad�a story focusing on the spiritual value embodied in each holiday.

Being afraid of the dark, taking a walk in the woods with Grandpa, arguments between David and Ilana, sharing family photos; all become opportunities for learning about how each holiday's meaning is related to our daily life. Each story begins with a brief explanation of the holiday and concludes with a special prayer that child and adult can share to bring the spiritual meaning of the holiday into their own lives.

Shabbat Family • Rosh Hashanah Responsibility • Yom Kippur Prayer • Sukkot Peace • Simchat Torah Joyousness • Hanukkah Convictio • Tu B'Shevat Wonder • Purim Gratitude • Pesach Continuity • Yom Ha-shoah Free Will • Yom Ha-atzma'ut Community • Shavuot Education • Tisha B'Av Rebuilding

Rahel Musleah is a journalist who writes frequently for The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Hadassah Magazine, and other publications. She is the author of B Kol Arev: Songs of the Jews of Calcutta and a forthcoming book on Jewish life cycle for children (Behrman House). Michael Klayman is a rabbi at Temple Israel in Great Neck, NY, and works extensively with children and their families. They are the parents of Shira and Shoshana.