Happy New Year, Beni

This 26-page story helps prepare very young children to celebrate Rosh Hashonah, the Jewish New Year. As the story opens, Beni and Sara came home from school to find a letter from their grandparents announcing that they look forward to seeing the children for the holidays, when their cousins Max, Rosie, Goldie Molly and Sam would also visit.Later during the week, the children colored Rosh Hashonah cards for their cousins and their friends Leo and Blossom. The morning before Rosh Hashonah, their Papa packed the car while Mama wrapped special cakes and cookies that Beni and Sara had helped to prepare. They couldn't wait to eat all that Rugelach, Mandelbrot and Strudel. They arrived at their grandparents with hugs and kisses, as always, but as Grandma lit the Holiday candles and said the blessings, Cousin Max tapped Sara on the shoulder and then shot a rubber band at her.Grandpa said the blessings over the wine (Kiddush) and raisin challah (Motzie) and everyone said "L'Shanah Tovah!" (A good, sweet New Year)The children fought with their cousins over this and that, including the wet plastic spiders that Max put on everyone's pillows. But the next morning after services, when the children beamed as their Papa blew the Shofar announcing the New Year, they thought about the things they had done in the previous year. In the afternoon, they took a walk to say Tashlich. They threw bits of bread into the brook, to get rid of their mistakes and start fresh. "This is for teasing Sara, and Beni," Max said as he tossed his bread away. And he said sorry to his cousins. In the next and last five pages, the children learned the true meaning of Rosh Hashonah. The book includes a two-page recipe for raisin challah and a glossary of transliterated Jewish and High Holiday terms.A very cute story, but you're better off with Beni's Family Treasury: Stories for the Jewish Holidays, which includes stories for Sukkot, Chanukah, Purim and Passover as well. Alyssa A. Lappen