In this tender story of love and loss, a young girl looks forward to when she will be old enough to be counted among a minyan, a ritual her father observes every day. One morning the father surprises his daughter by inviting her to accompany him to the synagogue for minyan. According to her Hebrew birthday, he tells her, she is now considered an adult. As her father helps her put on her grandfather’s tallis and tefillin for the first time, she feels his love. Such a touching story would have been even more effective if written in simple prose rather than in often forced rhymes. The author, who regularly attends minyan at her own synagogue, has included a glossary for the Yiddish and Hebrew words.
Simon’s illustrations depict a lively and loving family and a supportive and diverse congregation that exudes warmth and caring.
Susan Kantor was a senior writer/editor for Girl Scouts of the USA, a children’s book editor, and a past judge for the National Jewish Book Awards in the illustrated children’s book category. She is a writer and a docent at the Rubin Museum in New York City, where she leads public and private tours.
