By
– November 14, 2011
The center of Jewish life is the Jewish home. It is the place where education begins and where family and friends come to gather. It is a venue of endless possibilities and endless opportunities, especially when it comes to doing mitzvot. In this book, R.G. Cohen takes us from room to room in a traditional Jewish home and shows us the many mitzvot that are connected to each space. The book begins at the front door, showing a young Jewish boy kissing a mezuzah, and proceeds to show us how learning the Torah is connected to the study, our common living spaces are for celebrating simchot and having guests, kashrut happens in the kitchen and Shabbat happens in the dining room. There are several other scenes introduced, and all of them illustrate other important mitzvot in Judaism. The illustrations are skillfully done, and the reader definitely gets a feel of how important the home is, especially in Judaism. However, the book is not without its faults. Because the author chose to write the book in rhyme, the word choices are often awkward. More specifically, though, instead of writing a concise and thoughtfully organized book, the flow seems a little random. The book is clearly aimed at the observant community, as evidenced by the style of the illustrations. Ages 3 – 6.
Kendra Fuchs is a Jewish educator. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and her two young children.