neighborhood shabbat story ( )

In the book “Chik Chak Shabbat” Goldie Simcha enjoys making cholent every Saturday for her and her neighbors to share. The neighbors try to all agree on what makes Goldie’s cholent so great. Goldie tells them that they are all wrong. Goldie tells them about how she would make cholent with her grandmother and help prepare for Shabbat. When Shabbat arrived her family put their busy lives on paused and spent time with each other. The neighbors eat and enjoy each other company. But one Saturday no smells of cholent fills the apartments of the neighbors. Finally, someone goes to Goldie apartment and finds that she has been too sick to prepare the cholent. When the neighbors hear the new they all take action. One neighbor brings potato curry, one brings Korean barley tea, someone brings tomato pizza, and another neighbor brings bean and rice. At this point, it becomes clear that each neighbor is a different ethnicity. They bring their dishes to Goldie’s apartment to ensure that Goldie has Shabbat.
This is a great multicultural book that explores topics that may be unfamiliar to young children. I believe that all children should have a basic understanding of a variety of cultures. Teaching children young about different cultures may prevent must of the social problems we have throughout the world. The book gives a great story that expresses the theme that even though we are different as people we can still come together and enjoy time with each other. ( )

Those looking for diversity in children’s books will welcome this story of a culturally eclectic apartment building in which the residents are invited by Goldie Simcha every Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, for her fragrant and delicious cholent, a traditional stew prepared by observant Jews the night before. According to the Old Testament, one should refrain from doing any work on the Sabbath, and amazingly enough, older societies acknowledged that preparation of meals by women qualified as “work.” So the tradition of cholent began. The recipe for this long-cooking stew varies, but is similar to the if-you-have-it-throw-it-in-the-crockpot idea. Eastern Europeans liked to feature beans, barley, and some sort of meat. Hungarians added paprika, Lithuanians pepper, and Poles onions and garlic. In other words, you’ve got it? you like it? Throw it in!

In this story, Goldie “doesn’t celebrate Shabbat exactly as my grandma did,” but she likes to honor her memory by making cholent every week and inviting the neighbors to share it with her, because being together is part of what it was all about.

However, one Saturday, something wasn’t right. No one could catch even the faintest whiff of the stew. Finally, a little girl knocked on Goldie’s door to see what happened. Goldie explained she was sick, and hadn’t been able to get the cholent on the stove the night before. Now it was too late. The neighbors rush to the rescue, each bringing one of their own ethnic dies to share. Soon there is Indian potato curry, Korean barley tea, Italian tomato pizza, and Spanish beans and rice.

Goldie looks around the table, her face shining, and declares “I think it tastes exactly like Shabbat.”

A recipe for vegetarian cholent is included at the end of the book.

Illustrator Kyrsten Brooker uses a colorful palate of oils and collages in a folk-art style which is exactly right for this story.

Evaluation: This story is a welcome tribute to multicultural amity. Kids will learn about different food traditions among different cultures, but also see that when someone is in need, people of all backgrounds can come together in sharing and celebration. ( )

A warm, affectionate celebration of a family religious tradition in an urban setting. ( )