06/24/2024
While preparing for a special ceremony, a grandmother recounts to her granddaughter the origins of the tradition and of their Jewish community, known as the Bene Israel. More than 2,000 years ago, writes Lyons (Zhen Yu and the Snake), a tiny ship carried people fleeing “from ancient Israel in the days when the Greek tyrant Antiochus ruled.” While some people stayed and joined a rebellion, others were forced to flee, escaping with all that was dear to them. Only seven men and seven women survived the terrible storm that shipwrecked the group on India’s shore, where they established lives and slowly began to meld local customs with their own. Folktale-like text then describes how Eliyahu HaNavi—Elijah the prophet—descended from the heavens in a flaming chariot to promise that, because they had not abandoned their faith, the people would “one day... return to our home across the sea.” Benjamin (I Am Hava), working in gouache, markers, and colored pencil and brush pens, creates dramatic, mural-like compositions and dreamy, swirling colors to offer a lesser-told story to a new generation. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. Agent (for author and illustrator): Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary. (Sept.)
"Benjamin's vibrant, mixed-media illustrations bring this historical setting to life while also emphasizing specific details (mezuzot, six-pointed stars, Shabbat candles) that contemporary children will recognize." – Booklist
"Benjamin's vibrant, mixed-media illustrations bring this historical setting to life while also emphasizing specific details (mezuzot, six-pointed stars, Shabbat candles) that contemporary children will recognize." – Booklist
"Benjamin’s sumptuous-hued mixed-media illustrations swirl with color and movement in this story of an underrepresented aspect of Jewish history." – Horn Book
“Gouache, markers, and colored pencil and brush pens [create] dramatic, mural-like compositions and dreamy, swirling colors to offer a lesser-told story to a new generation.” – Publishers Weekly
“Intensely colored multimedia illustrations vividly highlight the stories of the past… A visually enticing testament to the diversity of Jewish life.’ – Kirkus
10/04/2024
Gr 1–4—Over a dish of malida, sweetened rice adorned with fruits and flowers, Nani Penkar shares with her granddaughter the origin story of India's Bene Israel community. Spanning over 2,000 years, the book recounts the harrowing journey of Jewish refugees fleeing the rule of Antiochus. After a violent storm, seven men and seven women wash ashore in India, where they find refuge among locals who, though religiously different, share some similar customs and have respect for diversity. The narrative, crafted in the oral storytelling tradition, is straightforward and engaging, highlighting the resilience of the Bene Israel while blending historical and cultural elements. The illustrations, created with art markers, brush pens, colored pencils, and gouache, evoke a folkloric quality that complements the text, using blue swirls to symbolize the connection to water and the epic journey of the refugees. End notes provide valuable context about the Bene Israel and other significant Jewish communities in India, giving readers a more complete understanding of the presence of Judaism there. VERDICT A worthy addition for collections looking to broaden coverage in their religions representation.—Louie Lauer
2024-08-03
A grandmother tells her granddaughter about their ancestors, who fled Israel for India nearly 2,000 years ago.
In 175 BCE, as Nani Penkar explains to young Maya, many Jews fought back against the Greek tyrant Antiochus, who ruled over Israel. Others—who became known as the Bene Israel—fled by ship. Their vessel was destroyed by a storm at sea; nearly everyone was killed, except for seven men and seven women who were rescued by Eliyahu HaNavi (the Old Testament prophet Elijah) and founded a community in their new home. Nani Penkar adds that Eliyahu HaNavi later appeared on a “flaming chariot” to tell the Bene Israel that they would one day return home. To mark the anniversary of this day, the Bene Israel prepare malida, a dish consisting of flattened rice, coconut, and fruit, and gather at Elijah Rock, where Eliyahu HaNavi is said to have come down from the heavens. Paired with matter-of-fact text, the intensely colored multimedia illustrations vividly highlight the stories of the past and the people who maintained their religious traditions while incorporating Indian customs into their daily lives (for example, speaking the Marathi language). A helpful author’s note explains that most Bene Israel have left India for other countries; Lyons also discusses other Jewish communities in India.
A visually enticing testament to the diversity of Jewish life. (glossary)(Informational picture book. 6-9)
