Judaism For Children

Israel Meir Lau, one of the youngest survivors of Buchenwald, was just eight years old when the camp was liberated in 1945. Descended from a 1,000-year unbroken chain of rabbis, he grew up to become Chief Rabbi of Israel--and like many of the great rabbis, Lau is a master storyteller. Out of the Depths is his harrowing, miraculous, and inspiring account of life in one of the Nazis' deadliest concentration camps, and how he managed to survive against all possible odds.

Poland, 1940. Moshe and his family flee their hometown of Warsaw in a desperate bid for survival as Nazi forces advance on the city. Hiding under false identities, they hope to wait out the end of the war, which must surely be near. But nowhere is truly safe for Poland’s Jews, and soon Moshe and his brother find themselves en route to Auschwitz, from where no one returns. Separated from the rest of their family, they hold on to each other with everything they have.

When the Nazis came to power in Europe, the lives of homosexuals came to be ruled by fear as raids, arrests, prison sentences, and expulsions became the daily reality. When the concentration camps were built, homosexuals were imprisoned along with Jews. The pink triangle, sewn onto prison uniforms, became the symbol of their persecution. Branded by the Pink Triangle combines historical research with first-person accounts and individual stories to bring this history to life for listeners.

A woman shares her childhood memories of living in Nazi Germany. In this true story, the author relates how the life of her family changed when Hitler came into power and they were forced to live in refugee, transit, and prison camps.

Eva and her identical twin sister, Miriam, had a mostly happy childhood. Theirs was the only Jewish family in their small village in the Transylvanian mountains, but they didn't think much of it until anti-Semitism reared its ugly head in their school. Then, in 1944, ten-year-old Eva and her family were deported to Auschwitz. At its gates, Eva and Miriam were separated from their parents and other siblings, selected as subjects for Dr. Mengele's infamous medical experiments.

In 1967, a 25-year-old refugee named Bashir Khairi travelled from the Palestinian hill town of Ramallah to Ramla, Israel, with a goal: to see the beloved stone house with the lemon tree in its backyard that he and his family had been forced to leave 19 years earlier. When he arrived, he was greeted by one of its new residents: Dalia Eshkenazi Landau, a 19-year-old Israeli college student whose family had fled Europe following the Holocaust. She had lived in that house since she was 11 months old.

Jewish folklore is full of vivid stories that both entertain and teach. We have selected for you a collection of tales and stories from the Talmud and Midrash, and rewritten them to suit the needs of children of Jewish culture and any other. Along with a large helping of gentle humor, these tales entertain while being infused with the perennial Jewish struggle for survival and dignity.

This collection of biographies of brave and brilliant Jewish female role models - selected in collaboration with Ruth Bader Ginsburg and including an introduction written by the iconic Supreme Court justice herself - provides young people with a roster of inspirational role models, all of whom are Jewish women, who will appeal not only to young people but to people of all ages, and all faiths.

Celebrate Passover by hearing about how Moses helped lead the Israelites to freedom. In addition to the story of Passover, which includes the Ten Plagues, the Burning Bush, and the Parting of the Red Sea, preschoolers will also learn about the Passover Seder and how Jewish people celebrate today. Filled with simple, yet informative text, this Big Golden Book is perfect to share with your family this Passover!

We've all heard the story of the great flood, the ark, and the animals marching two-by-two. Now, listen to this lyrical telling of the Biblical tale, narrated by the inimitable James Earl Jones.

A thoughtful and age-appropriate introduction to an unimaginable event. The Holocaust was a genocide on a scale never before seen, with as many as twelve million people killed in Nazi death camps - six million of them Jews. Gail Herman traces the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, whose rabid anti-Semitism led first to humiliating anti-Jewish laws, then to ghettos all over Eastern Europe, and ultimately to the Final Solution. She presents just enough information for an elementary-school audience in a well-researched book that covers one of the most horrible events in history.  

For thousands of years, the stories contained within the Torah - the first five books of the Hebrew Bible - have been passed down, revered, studied, and wondered at. From Adam and Eve, Noah and the Flood, and Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac, through Jacob and his twelve sons, Joseph and his coat of many colors, and finally to Moses, who led his people out of slavery in Egypt and accepted God’s Ten Commandments, these stories tell the history of the Jewish people and their relationship with God.

A collection of thoughts on the weekly Torah portions and Jewish Festivals, Pearls for the Shabbos Table will stir the minds of anyone gathered for Shabbos or Yom Tov meal. Its easy-to-listen style is designed to be accessible to children, while its powerful messages are sure to inspire deeper discussion even amongst the more seasoned scholars.

The three little pigs, Rishon, Sheni, and Shlishi, are getting ready for the Purim carnival! They can't wait to play games, eat hamantaschen, and march in the Purim parade. They all need crowns for their Purim costumes. Rishon makes his paper crown very quickly. Sheni spends a little more time on his poster board crown. Slishi works hardest and longest on his wonderful papier-mache crown. But will their fun at the carnival be spoiled by the big bad wolf? After all, wolves love hamantaschen, too!

During World War Two, in the concentration camp Terezin, a group of Jewish children and their devoted teacher planted and nurtured a smuggled-in sapling. Over time fewer and fewer children were left to care for the little tree, but those who remained kept lovingly sharing their water with it. When the war finally ended and the prisoners were freed, the sapling had grown into a strong five-foot-tall maple.

Debbie Friedman always had music inside her, and she dreamed of using her love of singing to do what no one else had done before—create Jewish music that would welcome, include, and honor the whole Jewish community.

This book on social studies discusses the history of Judaism as the first basis of monotheism. Using this book, your sixth grader will be able to analyze the significance of monotheism, as well as the moral laws that govern humanity. And where did Judaism come from? From the Hebrew Bible, of course. Do these bits and pieces of information interest your child? Then get him/her a copy to know more!

It's a sunny fall day in Maya's neighborhood, and all her neighbors are busy with outdoor activities, from releasing some young butterflies to organizing a birthday scavenger hunt. But Maya learns that today is Shemini Atzeret, when the Jewish community prays for rain. Rain will ruin her neighbors' day! Maya rushes to warn them. Luckily, as her rabbi explains to her, it turns out that she doesn't need to worry.

The three astonishing stories on this recording form the basis for three Jewish holidays: Chanukah, Purim, and Passover. In Jim Weiss's telling, heroes and villains spring to life with understandable motives. People of all faiths will love this fascinating recording...perfect family entertainment!

What do duct tape and Queen Esther have in common? Both are strong, flexible and can withstand very challenging circumstances! Create fun costumes and accessories with duct tape to celebrate the holiday of Purim. From royal bracelets for Vashti to Haman’s hat and a horse for Mordechai, these clever and creative costumes will be winners at Purim carnivals and megillah readings.