Kar-Ben Read-Aloud eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and text highlighting to bring eBooks to life! The ninth in the popular Jewish holiday board book series by Newman and Garofoli, a family and their puppy celebrate Havdalah, the weekly ritual celebrating the end of Shabbat and welcoming the new week. "A family is ending Shabbat (Sabbath) and is looking forward to Havdalah coming, which symbolizes that Shabbat is coming to an end. Havdalah means 'separation'. It shows how some of the markings of the end of Shabbat seem to create some excitement for the family that Havdalah is coming. It also shows that even though Shabbat is ending something great comes when it ends. I remember hearing the word 'Havdalah' when I attended some congregations but I never picked up on what it was until reading this book. Since I've been celebrating Saturday Shabbat, I mostly remember being more excited to observe Shabbat than to be excited for a new week, so even though I think this observance (or the name of it at least) is something that was made up (but I am open to finding Scriptures about it), I think it will help me to be more excited for the week ahead after resting on Shabbat. I might be able to find something in the Bible about people being excited about a new week after Shabbat, which is what Havdalah sounds like to me. Since this book is teaching about Havdalah, I like that it keeps explaining that Havdalah is coming throughout the book so that children will understand better what is being taught about in this book. I like that the family wants to include friends in the Havdalah celebration when it starts. I think it will show a lot of children that both Shabbat and Havdalah are important observances for some families and that the day of Shabbat is helpful to look forward to a new week. I think it's great that a new series of 'A Holiday Is Coming' was created by the author of this book." - Jill Harris "This is the ninth in the series, and it provides a good introduction to Havdalah, the end-of -Shabbat ritual that is often overlooked by non-observant families. Different aspects of the ritual are shown: 'Braided candle we'll light to brighten the night. Havdalah is coming.' All males are wearing kippot. Everyone looks like they are having a great time. - Lisa Silverman, Library Director, Burton Sperber Jewish Community Library, Los Angeles, CA "Family and neighbors celebrate the end of the sabbath day, which is called Havdalah. The full-color art features round-faced people doing customary practices such as putting out the candle. This has a nice, repetitive text that will engage toddlers and offers information about Jewish customs." - BayViews "A family celebrates Havdalah, or the end of Shabbat, at sundown. In a suburban neighborhood, a kippah-wearing youngster helps get ready by filling the kiddush cup. Parents, sister, and spotted dog join the scene to light a braided candle and smell the spice box. The mom recites a prayer as the candle burns, and then the candle is extinguished in the cup by the dad. A group of "family and friends" arrive and join the festivities, a black-presenting man in a kippah adding diversity to the otherwise all-white cast. The gathering ends with everyone joining hands to sing and celebrate the beginning of the week, but sharp-eyed readers will note that the havdalah candle seems to have been lit again after it had been extinguished. Many of the players appear to be returning from other titles in the A Holiday Is Coming! series. Punctuated with the refrain 'Havdalah is coming,' the rhyming text provides gentle narration, but it won't explain the ritual to the uninitiated. Garofoli's collage-style art in highly saturated colors is amiable and bright. This simple, family-centered account of weekly observance should be welcome in many Jewish homes." - Kirkus Reviews

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