When the Jewish High Holidays arrive, children’s books about Yom Kippur help teach kids (both Jewish and non-Jewish alike!) about the meaning of this holy and sacred holiday. It is also a perfect time to read books about apologizing and asking for forgiveness. These are some of our favorites!
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year
Yom Kippur, also called The Day of Atonement, is the holiest, most important day of the Jewish year.
It is a day in which Jewish people seek to make up for wrongdoings and misdeeds made during the prior year. Rather than focusing on what happened to Jews long ago, Yom Kippur is a day of personal reflection, a day to consider our individual behavior over the prior 365 days.
Children’s books about Yom Kippur teach kids about the holiday’s significance.
Every person everywhere makes mistakes. Yom Kippur is a special day that allows us to make up for our sins and ask for forgiveness from those we may have hurt. Children’s books about Yom Kippur help explain this concept to young readers.
One way the Jewish people atone for their sins is by fasting on Yom Kippur, or refraining from eating and drinking. While kids do not technically have to fast until they reach the age of Bar or Bat Mitzvah under the Jewish laws(13 for boys and 12 for girls), all children understand the importance of saying “I’m sorry.” Thus, on Yom Kippur, Jewish kids and adults alike apologize to one another and ask for forgiveness as the new year begins. Children learn to reflect on their prior behavior and actions, and we recognize that it is up to us to make better choices in the new year.
In addition to teaching children about the holiday rituals, children’s books typically read during Yom Kippur help children understand the concept of apologizing and asking forgiveness. Thus, several books on our list don’t actually discuss the holiday but are books we love to read about saying “I’m sorry!”
Frequently asked questions
It’s simple! Yom Kippur is an important day where we apologize for the things we did wrong during the year. It is the “I’m sorry” day, a day to reflect upon our past behavior and seek forgiveness from anyone we may have harmed. We also promise to do better in the coming year.
I always love reading The Hardest Word, by Jacqueline Jules. My students adore the big, clumsy bird (or ziz!), and it’s such a fun way to teach kids both about Yom Kippur itself and the notion of forgiveness.
Children aren’t expected to fast until they become bar or bat mitzvahs. This is when kids are viewed as adults within the Jewish community. That being said, many younger children intentionally participate in the holiday by refraining from their usual snacking during the Yom Kippur fast, or by skipping a meal. Families participate as they see fit.
We love these children’s books about Yom Kippur
This is my very favorite read-aloud for Yom Kippur, and I always share it with my elementary classes during the high holiday period. In this story, the Ziz is a clumsy bird who accidentally knocks down a tree that destroys the children’s garden. In a tizzy, the Ziz flies to Mount Sinai to ask for God’s help to fix the garden. God tells the Ziz that he must bring back the hardest word if he wants help. But what on earth is the hardest word? This classic story conveys the importance of atonement and the beauty of forgiveness. It’s a classic — and read-aloud gold!
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This is a sweet Yom Kippur book for your toddlers, a part of the Sammy Spider series that helps our youngest children learn about the Jewish holidays. In this installment, Sammy Spider watches Josh and his family with fascination during the Yom Kippur holiday. Though Josh’s Mom tells Josh to put his ball outside, Josh doesn’t listen. Instead, he bounces the ball around their house and ends up breaking his family’s treasured honey jar. Sammy observes a great lesson in forgiveness, especially when Josh apologizes to Sammy and his mother for also breaking their web. My littlest students adore Sammy Spider!
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Gershon has never been a righteous man. He has never offered forgiveness to anyone he has harmed, nor has he ever atoned for his sins. Instead, he just sweeps them all into the basement. A selfish man, indeed! But will his selfish acts prevent him and his wife from their achieving their dream of having children? And if they do have kids, will they be safe from Gershon’s monster? At once insightful and suspenseful, this is a powerful tale of repentance that older children just love!
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A young boy attends synagogue with his grandfather on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. As they sit together, the boy’s grandfather tells him to get ready for magic when the cantor sings Kol Nidre three times. The story follows the boy as he grows and attends services with his own baby, and then his grandson, all of whom explore the mysteries of this haunting melody that is sung worldwide on this holy night.
Whenever grandma Bubby stays with his family, Donny gets himself into trouble. Bubby has lots of rules, and Donny always breaks them! One day Donny gets himself into a really big mess – Bubby’s precious yarn ends up tangled all around her room! Can Donny fix it? Will Bubby be mad? Luckily, Donny’s Bubby goes easy on him — and reveals some special secrets that grandparents and grandchildren always share.
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One young girl knows it’s time for the Jewish high holidays when the greeting cards begin arriving in the mail with new year wishes! When her family lights the candles and goes to the synagogue to pray, and when they hear the great shofar blow, the child partakes in the sacred high holiday traditions and rituals with her family.
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This beautiful book highlights how the Jewish holidays are celebrated worldwide, from Jerusalem, Israel to Porto, Portugal, from Morocco to India to Mexico. From unique customs to shared traditions, children will learn that Judaism is practiced and observed by people living all around the globe, with all ringing in a sweet New Year and subsequently pondering how to atone, ask for forgiveness, and remember those in need.
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Oops! As Talia’s grandma begins preparing for Yom Kippur, Talia thinks the Yom Kippur break fast is instead a “Yum” Kippur breakfast! And why on earth does the day to “fast” move so slowly? This is a fun story about an imporant holiday, reminding children that forgiveness can be just as delicious as our favorite tasty treats.
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Forgiveness books we read during Yom Kippur
Not only is this a fabulous story of forgiveness, but it is also a great kindergarten read aloud and an important book for every child’s bookshelves. Apologizing when you’ve made a mistake is not easy, and we all sometimes need a good reminder about how to say we’re sorry. With great tips, joyful humor, and sincerity to boot, this book helps readers young and old see that even though it’s not always easy to apologize, apologizing helps make situations and people feel better when someone messes up. This is a great primer for young readers and an important refresher for older ones!
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This is a classic story about poor choices and forgiveness. Lilly loves school, and she really loves her teacher, Mr. Slinger. But when Mr. Slinger takes away Lilly’s purse because Lilly was not behaving respectfully, Lilly seeks revenge and draws a mean picture of her teacher. But then she finds the note he leaves her, and Lilly is full of remorse over her actions. How can Lilly make things right again? Will she have the courage it takes to apologize for her actions? This classic story is authentic and oh-so relatable. Pure perfection!
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I am in love with all four of the books in this series! In this installment, Flamingo is very upset and Potato is very, very sorry. But how will Potato ever find the words to apologize to his friend? It’s probably easier to just run away. Or maybe wear a disguise until the end of time. The problem is, none of these choices will fix their friendship, and Potato really misses his pal. Can the girl help Potato finds his voice to make things right with Flamingo? For more great books in this series, click here!
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What is your favorite book about forgiveness? Let us know in the comments below!
Happy reading!
RELATED: We’ve got the best children’s books for you on Happily Ever Elephants, so be sure to check out these great picture books for kindergarten on up!
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