Having just read another children's book by Israeli author, Efrat Shoham, I was happy to have just received If You Were Me and Lived in...Israel... Many of us here in America have long dreamed of traveling to Jerusalem...For me, this is a wonderful opportunity to have a taste of that journey...
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| Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baha'i faiths consider Israel as a Holy Land. ~~~ |
You might live in Jerusalem. It is one of the oldest cities in the world with a long and interesting history.
In 1538 AD, Suleiman the Magnificent, a Turkish king, built a wall around the old city. It is divided into four neighborhoods known as the Christian, Armenian, Muslim, and Jewish quarters. Each group has ancient and important buildings in their section that brings millions of tourists to the city every year to learn and celebrate their religions.
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If You Were Me and Lived in Israel:
A Child's Introduction to Culture Around the World
By Carole P. Roman
Illustrated by Kelsea Wierenga
Your name might be Noah, Yonaton, or Yosef if you are a boy. Your parents might have chosen Talia, Maya, or Shira if you are a girl...
When you call for Mommy, you would say Ima. Your daddy would respond to Abba...
When you have visitors they take a trip to the Dead Sea. It is the lowest spot in earth that can be reached by a car or bus. It is 1371 feet below sea level. It is also called the Salt Sea. People call it the Dead Sea because you won't find a fish or another living thing in it. The water is too salty, and nothing can survive. It is a well known spa, and many people travel there to soak in the water to make them feel better.
Children enjoy watching and playing what they call football (what we call soccer), track and field...Many will work hard to get into the Maccabiah Games which is an international contest that is held every four years in Israel to find the best athletes...
They also enjoy practicing Krav Maga, having taken lessons to learn these special self-defense martial arts--often the younger sisters will watch their brother, buba, and imitate the moves...
I would be excited to be able to visit the celebration of Purim which arrives during the spring. It is a day to remember the ancient Queen Esther who saved her people from an evil king. Children dress up in costumes to celebrate this holiday. The Book of Esther (The Megillat) is read. Then a dinner is available. Charity for the poor and special baskets of candy and treats are given to friends and relatives. There is a parade as well. A special noisemaker is available for everyone...and when the evil king's name is mentioned, everybody makes noise so the name can't be heard!
I learned something I'd wondered about for years...that is, why do those from Israel read and write from the right side of the paper. I learned that in ancient times people used stone tablets instead of paper to write things down. They had to carve the surface of the stone using a hammer and chisel. The writer had to hold the hammer in his stronger hand, which was usually his right one so that he could make an impression on the rock. It was easier to go from the right to the left... I wasn't surprised when the first word that came to my mind when I read this... it was based on Tradition... and instantly one of my favorite songs from Fiddler on the Roof came to mind...
Well, these trips are all too short, but there is still more available in the book...for instance, readers will learn some of the language and some of the foods available. While the books are all in the same format, I thought the artwork in this one was especially beautiful...Kudos to Kelsea Wierenga...
A Continually Outstanding Series...Start at the beginning...or with this one! Highly recommended...
GABixlerReviews
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