The Sydney Taylor Shmooze

A Synagogue Just Like Home by Alice Blumenthal McGinty, illustrated by Laurel Molk Candlewick, 2022 Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Cynthia Levinson Buy at Bookshop.org Rabbi Ruben, a tousle-haired young man who wears sneakers and is accompanied everywhere by his adoring dog (who really wishes someone would play ball with him!), loves his cheery synagogue. However, the kitchen sink leaks. The floors creak. And the windows are so drafty, wind blows out the Shabbat candles. No problem! Rabbi Ruben can take care of everything to make the synagogue feel the way it should--like a happy home. But, alas, he can't do it all by himself, and he makes matters even worse when he tries to fix everything alone. Fortunately, the choir director, the Weinstein girls, and other members of the congregation pitch in, literally mopping up after Rabbi Ruben and repairing the leaks, creaks, and drafts. By the end, everyone realizes that a synagogue can indeed feel like a home--because a home is about h

My Israel and Me by Alice Blumenthal McGinty, illustrated by Rotem Teplow Kalaniot Books (imprint of Endless Mountains) Category: Picture Books Reviewer: Sandy Wasserman Buy at Bookshop.org This is the perfect book for introducing the diversity that exists in Israel. In gentle rhymes and careful detailed illustrations, the young picture book reader is introduced to Israel’s bustling city life, kibbutz life, Bedouin life, Arab/Muslim life, Christian life, and Jewish life, all coexisting. Even the cats in Israel play a part in this book, along with the history of how there came to be so many cats. Theres’s the varied geography of this nation (the size of New Jersey), the Negev’s geography, and the story of Israel’s farms and fields, and animals. A double page spread for the tourist enhances the reader’s inclusion in Israel’s story. Some books have back matter for the parent or teacher; this book offers additional information in a small paragraph accompanying each double page