Jewish Identity and American Acceptance: Welcoming a Firstborn Son in Two Classic Children's Books

Authors

  • Emily Schneider Critic and Reviewer

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14263/22/2022/567

Keywords:

Jewish identity, children's literature, gender, family relationships, family ritual, assimilation, illustrated books, brit milah, pidyon ha-ben

Abstract

Jewish-American-themed children’s fiction often includes descriptions of ritual observance. Yet, although ritual circumcision (brit milah, or bris) is a requirement in halacha (Jewish religious law) for all newborn males, this event is virtually absent from Jewish children’s books; the incorporation of a surgical procedure would create obvious narrative difficulties. Sydney Taylor and Sadie Rose Weilerstein, two of the most important twentieth century Jewish-American children’s authors, each wrote a series of books including a newborn son.  Instead of a bris, they both included the less common, nonsurgical ritual of pidyon ha-ben. Thus, they eluded a problematic description, while informing readers about a lesser-known Jewish practice.

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Published

2022-12-31

How to Cite

Schneider, Emily. 2022. “Jewish Identity and American Acceptance: Welcoming a Firstborn Son in Two Classic Children’s Books”. Judaica Librarianship 22 (December):151–158. https://doi.org/10.14263/22/2022/567.

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Section

Essays and Research

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