Fall has arrived, which means the Jewish holidays are approaching and it’s time to read Rosh Hashanah children’s books! These special stories teach children – both Jewish and non-Jewish alike – the importance and meaning behind Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year.
Rosh Hashanah children’s books teach children about this important holiday
The onset of the fall season means the Jewish high holidays are quickly approaching. Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are among the holiest and most important days of the Jewish year.
Rosh Hashana commemorates the anniversary of the creation of the world. The Hebrew words “Rosh Hashanah” actually translate to “Head of the Year,” and it is on this day that Jewish families worldwide celebrate the birthday of the universe and ring in a sweet new year. It is believed that our actions on Rosh Hashanah have a profound impact on the year ahead.
Rosh Hashanah rituals
Rosh Hashanah is steeped in ritual. Families eat round challah to symbolize the cycle of the year and for blessings to continue without end. Children and adults alike dip apples into honey to symbolize a sweet year.
The most awe-inspiring part of the prayer service is the blowing of the shofar, a ram’s horn. There are many reasons why Jews blow the shofar, including the fact that it is believed to be like an alarm clock, calling attention to our deeds and mishaps as we turn our attention back to g-d. It also fills worshippers with awe and humility, reminding us that G-d is everywhere, filling all space and time.
Another beloved ceremony during Rosh Hashanah is Tashlich. Tashlich comes from the Hebrew word meaning “to cast.” During the Tashlich service, many Jews walk to a river or pond and toss bread crumbs into the water. This is a gesture symbolic of casting away sins.
Ten days after Rosh Hashanah, the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, begins. After that? We have Sukkot, or the harvest holiday, followed by Simchat Torah. It is an important time of year in the Jewish calendar!
Shanah Tovah!
RELATED: We’ve got more than 100 children’s book lists on Happily Ever Elephants. Be sure to check out this link!
Frequently asked questions
Since Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, it is technically more “proper” to wish someone a happy new year, or “Shanah Tovah,” which means “good year” in Hebrew. That being said, when anyone extends a greeting to a Jewish person wishing them well on a sacred Jewish holiday, it is extremely meaningful, even if the words aren’t perfect! So don’t worry if you don’t get the words exactly right – just know that your heart-felt wishes mean a lot to those celebrating.
The Sammy Spider books are so much fun for kids! Reading these aloud to children is always a treat, especially because kids love to see how Sammy doesn’t listen to his mom and gets himself into trouble. They are so relatable for children!
The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar cycle (similar to the Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year) and, interestingly, the date changes every year on our calendar! Rosh Hashanah begins on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishri, which is a fixed date on the Jewish lunar calendar. However, this calendar varies in relation to the solar calendar used in the west, meaning the Jewish holidays will move around in relation to western dates. The Hebrew lunar year is approximately 11 days shorter than the solar year!
Happily Ever Elephants participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
Children’s books about Rosh Hashanah for our youngest readers
This is a sweet board book for your youngest readers that showcases two children getting ready for the Rosh Hashanah holiday. Bright illustrations and sing-song text make this a great read-aloud to introduce the Rosh Hashanah traditions to toddlers.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
As summer ends and fall begins, it’s time to get ready for Rosh Hashanah! Join one family as they pick apples, make cards, light candles, eat brisket and even hear the shofar blow. This is a darling Rosh Hashanah children’s book for your youngest readers.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish new year, but how do you actually measure a year? This delightful story offers children much to ponder as they reflect upon their growth, happy times, and mistakes they made as they look backward at the year coming to a close. What were you proud of? How can we be better people? It is a perfect story to spark meaningful conversation about how we can improve in the new year!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Lift-the-flap books are fantastic for teaching preschoolers about holidays, and this one is darling. You can never go wrong with an interactive kids’ book to teach new concepts! From hearing the shofar to dipping apples in honey to eating a round challah, this book offers great talking points to families and educators.
Nothing gets kids in a Jewish preschool as excited as Sammy Spider! Sammy Spider has a book for nearly every Jewish holiday, and in this delightful version for Rosh Hashanah, Sammy wants nothing more than to taste the sweet honey the Shapiro family has set out as they celebrate the new year. But do spiders eat honey? No! Spiders spin webs! Kids love and identify with Sammy’s longings and the way he somehow always fails to listen to his mommy! Charming and so much fun.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
This beautiful book highlights how the Jewish holidays are celebrated world wide, 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.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
This darling book is based on the first train ride from Jaffa to Jerusalem in 1897. Engineer Ari is excited to have been the one chosen to drive the train. But will Ari ever stop bragging about his good luck? As Ari chugs through orange groves and olive trees and picks up so much fruit for his Rosh Hashanah bounty, he is eager to celebrate but realizes that his boastfulness has turned off his friends. Alas, the new year is a time for apologies! Ari awaits the opportunity to apologize for his poor behavior and to bring his friends some tasty treats, too.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
There’s nothing Katy loves more than going apple-picking with her family to get ready for Rosh Hashana. But this year, the birth of her new sibling causes her family to cancel their beloved tradition. Katy is devastated, and she tells all who will listen about her disappointment. Soon, however, everyone in town is bringing Katy apples – even the crossing guard and the rabbi! Turns out, Katy ends up having everything she needs for a sweet new year- including an abundance of apples for applesauce!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
During Tashlich, everyone admits their mistakes, tosses bread crumbs into the water, and begins the new year fresh. But as Izzy finds himself thinking about those things he must apologize for, one of them — telling a friend’s precious secret — is hard to admit. We love the way this children’s book about Rosh Hashanah resonates with kids who must apologize for their own misdeeds throughout the year. Authentic and relatable, this one always gets children to stop, think, and place themselves in the story to consider the ways in which they can say “I’m sorry” to those they love.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Every Rosh Hashana, Jewish people worldwide participate in traditions they believe will chase away bad luck and attract the good. Kapores, the act of holding a clucking chicken over one’s head and saying a prayer (which transfers all bad deeds to the chicken), is one of those traditions. But what happens if the chickens go on strike? This imaginative story places readers squarely in the chickens’ perspective and is a fun twist on the Rosh Hashana story!
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
Moses and Mohammed both live on Flatbrush Street in New York. One day the two boys meet in the grocery store, and they are mistaken for brothers! When they happen to meet in the store again, Moses’ family is prepping for Rosh Hashanah and Mohammed’s for Ramadan – two important holidays that only overlap approximately every thirty years. Their mothers bring them to the park where they enjoy treats for both holidays – rugelach and date cookies. We love the way this multicultural story showcases the similarities in both boys’ lives, despite their different religions and cultural celebrations.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
One young girl knows it’s time for the Jewish high holidays when they start getting greeting cards in the mail to wish them a happy new year! 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 Rosh Hashanah traditions and rituals with her family.
BUY THIS BOOK FROM:
What is your favorite book about Rosh Hashanah? 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!
Leave a Reply