This colorful and reverent celebration of the Jewish Sabbath begins in Jerusalem where a brother and sister are shopping for food with their grandmother before they gather to honor the day of rest. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a family prepares for the coming of an invisible guest, the Sabbath Bride. In Melbourne, Australia, a whole neighborhood prepares for Shabbat. In Istanbul, Turkey, a family falls silent as they gaze at a flickering candle. In St. Petersburg, Russia, a Jewish clan is overcome with joy at being together on Shabbat. In southern France people revel in delight over the special friends and special treats that come with a day of peace.
Other families and groups in Ethiopia, Thailand, Germany, Morocco, and India share in the festivities. Durga Yael Bernhard has written this children's book for kids 3 - 6 years old. She deftly conveys the bounties of Shabbat with its mixture of joy, silence, celebration, and peace. It's a good thing for children to know about the global sweep of this day of rest which revives and renews both young and old.
