Book Review: A Turkish Rosh Hashanah

September 30, 2024 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

Rosh Hashanah celebrations are different in different parts of the world, and if you want a glimpse into how Sephardic Jews get ready for the holiday, check out A Turkish Rosh Hashanah by Etan Basseri with illustrations by Zeynep Özatalay.

This short picture book follows Rafael and his cousins shopping at a market in Istanbul with their grandmother. Spanish words are sprinkled in the text because Sephardic Jews are a diaspora community that settled in the Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal), which also influenced communities in the Middle East and North Africa, where some of the Iberian Sephardic Jews settled after being expelled from Spain. The vernacular languages are Sephardic Jews are generally derived from Spanish, Portuguese or Catalan. (I learned this from Wikipedia so if anyone knows better or different information please let me know and I’ll update!)

The children go shopping for special treats for the holiday meal and meet some cats along the way. While one child thinks the cats are creepy, Rafael is nice to them, and the cats repay that kindness when the kids encounter a bully.

When the family gathers for the feast, their grandmother explains the meaning of each of the foods: apples for sweetness, beets for freedom, dates for peace, pumpkin for forgiveness, leeks for friends who protect us and pomegranates “so that our good deeds will be as many as the seeds inside.” They also have a fish head at the table so that they will be leaders at the top in the coming year.

There’s a little more history of the Jewish community in Turkey at the back of the book, as well as information on what Rosh Hoshanah is and how it is celebrated in different communities. The Sephardic Jews, as well as Mizrachi and Hasidic Jews, have a seder meal, known as yehi ratzones in the Judeo-Spanish language known as Ladino, where special food are shared that symbolize hope for the family and the Jewish people in general for the new year.

Even if you don’t know all the history (though it’s a good idea to read the information at the back of the book before you read the story to kids if you don’t know about these traditions) this is a fun book that gives kids of all faiths a glimpse into traditions that might be different from their own but in which you can see similarities to other holidays involving food.

About the book: 32 pages, hardcover, published 2024 by Kalaniot Books. Suggested retail price $19.99.

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Books to Read for Dia de Los Muertos

Explaining Dia de Los Muertos to kids can be difficult because most of us don’t generally talk about death or what happens when we die a lot with our kids. But Dia de los Muertos is actually a happy, not scary occasion that allows us to remember loved ones, share stories and come together as a community.

While it is mostly celebrated by people of Mexican heritage, the day has become more well known thanks to movies and other media representations. And there are some great children’s books to help explain and allow you to celebrate the holiday if you want.

Dia de Muertos by Jaque Jours, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz (48 pages, hardcover, published 2025 by words & pictures, suggested retail price $14.99) tells the story of a family getting their ofrenda (altar for the dead) ready and how they remember people who have died through decorations, food and sharing stories.

It covers the classic decorations and rituals of Dia de los Muertos including using cempasúchil (in English we call them marigolds) and papel picado (cut paper banners), pan de muerto and la catrina, the elaborately dressed, skull faced women that are a common site at Dia de los Muertos gatherings.

The back of the book explores how the day is celebrated throughout Mexico as well as the meanings of different symbols. There’s a recipe for pan de muerto, a tutorial for making papel picado and tips for doing makeup to look like like la catrina/el catrin.

Want to try more traditional foods? The Dia de Los Muertos Cookbook is a companion to The Dia de Los Muertos Story, both of which are by Andrea Jáuregui de la Torre and illustrated by Laura González (52 pages, hardcover paper over boards, published 2026 by becker & meyer kids!, suggested retail price $19.99).

The book opens with some discussion of the meaning of Dia de los Muertos and why food is an important part of the day. The recipes included are easy enough for kids to make with minimal help, and all based on food memories from her childhood.

There are recipes for hibiscus iced tea, Mexican corn and salsa, tortillas, molletes (open faced sandwiches with beans and cheese), jicama fries and sugar skulls to name a few.

Other activities in the book include papel picado, coffee filter marigolds, making your own playlist and making an ofrenda.

Together these books give young readers insight into this holiday that might be new or confusing to them, while also giving you a chance to get in the kitchen together and make your own Dia de los Muertos memories.

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