On a snowy day, Monty Nudelman shovels the driveways of everyone in the neighborhood. However, come Shabbat, Mr. Nudelman doesn’t show up at synagogue because he hurt his back from all the shoveling. The children of the congregation bring him lots of cholent to make him feel better, and together they enjoy Shabbat lunch. The charming story illustrates community cooperation and individuals helping one another, rendered in a way children can relate to easily with fun and a touch of humor.
The pictures in The Cholent Brigade are expressive and engaging, and show a diverse community of Jews of various colors and levels of observance all working together to perform a deed of loving-kindness for Mr. Nudelman.
The end of the book includes a description of, and recipe for, cholent. The cholent looks delicious and this can be a great introduction to this traditional food for the young readers of this book.
Recommended for children ages 3 to 7.
Paula Chaiken has worked and volunteered in a variety of capacities in the Jewish world — teaching in religious school, curating at the Spertus Museum, and serving on the boards of her JCC and Temple — for more than twenty-five years. The author of I Know Grandpa (Timber Grove Press, 2015), she also runs a boutique public relations consulting firm.
