"When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street"

This book gives a reader insight into a Jewish family in the 1930’s during the week of Passover. A little girl named Zessie, is not excited about going to her grandparent’s house for Passover because her grandfather is very strict about the holiday’s rituals. But one day he asks Zessie to join him to go at Shul for Simchas Torah, and her experience and relationship with her grandfather is changed forever. Her grandfather shares with her some of the most precious customs connected to their religion, such as the bimah which holds the Torah and the Hebrew letters holding “ancient sacred secrets.” Zessie’s interest in her religion over joys her grandfather and enriches their relationship.

The title of this book alone allows the reader to know it is going to be based on Judaism. Eldridge street is the home of the most well known synagogues in the US, and is rich in Jewish heritage. This story is full of great descriptions and pictures that allow its readers to have insight into Passover Sedar, Simchas Torah, and the event at Shul. This book is a great quality when evaluating based on its cultural depiction and authenticity of Judaism and a Jewish family in the 1930’s. However, this book does have unauthentic pictures. The most important incorrect visual depiction is the Torah in this book; there are multiple pictures that show the Jewish people carrying around the Torah. The Torah is not carried around outside of the synagogue (and sometimes not even inside), but within the pictures Zessie’s grandfather is shown dancing with it, carrying it in the streets and on top of a building with it. Overall I would say that this text is a great book to have for young Jewish children to read as a window.
Citation:
Rael, Elsa O. When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1997.