Let's Go to Shul
reSchool-Grade 1-In this story that introduces preschoolers to concepts relating to the synagogue, Shul is but one of a number of non-English words that stud the rhyming narrative. A brother and sister wake up, dress in their "good" clothes, and walk happily to Shul with their parents. As they enter, they kiss the Mezuza on the door frame, and sit down quietly. They introduce rituals (davening and reading the Parsha from the Bimah), objects (the Siddur, Ner Tamid, and Aron Kodesh), and customs (having wine and sweets after the service). Although the siblings take turns in telling the story, the girl observes from the women's section while the boy's role is more active, reflecting the physical and ritual gender separation in Orthodox synagogues. The transliteration of a few Hebrew words is colloquial, using an Ashkenazi pronunciation instead of the standard Sephardi. Thus, Shabbat (Sabbath) is Shabbos and tallit (prayer shawl) is tallis. The realistic illustrations are bland and the human figures have an impersonal quality that is reinforced by the author's failure to give her characters names. Young children are unlikely to be engaged by the story but they will gain some knowledge of concepts related to the synagogue and implicitly, but not exclusively, to Orthodox Jewish practice.Linda R. Silver, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland, OHCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.