Lights along the Path Jewish Folklore Through The Grades

Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable fairy tale anthology
Review: Annotated, selected, and rewritten for contemporary readers by Rebecca Schacht, Lights Along The Path is a 2000 Independent Publisher award winner and collects under one cover a wealth of Judaic folklore stories especially suitable for students in fourth through sixth grade. A warm narrative tone and eye-opening black-and-white illustrations by Jacqui Morgan set apart this most enjoyable fairy tale anthology that would grace any family, school, or community library Fairytale/Folklore collection.

Rating:
Summary: The Waldorf Education Angle
Review: If you are interested in Waldorf/Steiner Education then the price of this book is made up in the inroductory chapters alone. As well as providing an overview of Jewish Folklore, there is another overview - the value and nature of folklore use from Kindergarten through the 6th Grade as applied by Waldorf Teachers. The explanations are applicable to choosing age- appropriate folklore (based on inner development) for your children from any genre or regional origin.

The stories themselves are divided by age. They include both tales used to explore sacred belief as well as those from the Torah (part of the Old Testament to those of you more familiar with Christian literature). My son enjoyed all the tales through his age level. They are told in simple, straight forward language. While the stories are perhaps not the greatest literary retellings, the simplicity makes it easy for a parent or teacher to retain them and give their own oral retellings. This is the method used in the Waldorf Schools and which they suggest to parents. It allows the stories to be used at impromtu times, and for children to participate in creating their own images, taking part in a lost facet of human culture which is now too often replaced with television - and even books.

The book also contains sidebar commentaries to explain aspects of Jewish culture - from the alphabet to common Jewish foods. Such information can draw one closer to the story, as well as inspiring activities you might engage your children in while telling the tales or exploring Jewish festivals. There is a small note for each as to the source (both time and place).

For Jewish families who send their children to Waldorf Schools or who create a form of Waldorf homeschooling for themselves, the book is a useful inspiration on how to explore their faith with their own children within the context of Waldorf pedagogy. It is a source of encouragement for Waldorf Teachers who have Jewish children in their classrooms. For families of any faith, it is a gentle introduction to the beauty of another path, kindling appreciation for Jewish culture and perhaps helping to ward off some of the world's remaining anti-semitism - for where do humans share more in common than in their enjoyment of a good story that holds up human truths that we all recognize?

Rating:
Summary: The Waldorf Education Angle
Review: This fine resource is divided into three sections by grade levels: kindergarten, first to third grades, and fourth to sixth grades. Thirty pages of prefatory material discuss folk literature and its age appropriateness at different stages of development. The source of each tale is provided in the margin along with other tidbits of information. The 38 stories are drawn from ancient Talmudic and Midrash tales and have been altered as little as possible. Among the titles and values shared are "Alef is Chosen" (humility), "The Rosebush and the Apple Tree" (generosity), "The Bear's Bellyache" (cleverness), "The First Tear" ( compassion), and "The Old Crone and the Little Girl" ( obedience). Watercolor illustrations appear on the first few pages; the rest of the images are rendered in ink. Fanciful borders adorn each section. - Marcia W. Posner, Holocaust Memorial and Educational Center of Nassau County, Glen Cove, NY

Rating:
Summary: First in a series --- let's have some more!
Review: This is a fine collection of Jewish children's stories, intended to bring a greater level of multiculturalism into the Waldorf educational system. In recent years, the Waldorf schools have been accused of racism, primarily because some of their older curriculum is rather Eurocentric. (The system originated in Central Europe.) This book, the first in an upcoming series, helps correct that problem, by drawing upon the rich treasury of Jewish folktales. Future volumes will include collections from African, Chinese, and Native American folklore, providing Waldorf teachers (and others) with materials that are inclusive of the vast diversity of cultures on our planet. For this noble effort, I say "Yashar koach!" (the Jewish equivalent of "Bravo!")

The book also includes a nice overview of Waldorf theory on how different types of stories appeal to different age groups, and how fantasy in general helps a child to internalize moral, ethical, and spiritual values. Athough I'm not a Waldorf teacher, I found this section to be very helpful. The stories themselves are arranged according to this system, making it very easy to choose age-appropriate material for different groups. I was especially pleased to see some animal stories included, because these are often overlooked in other Jewish anthologies.

My only complaint is that some of the illustrations are not Jewishly authentic, drawing more on the conventions of Christian Sunday school art. The bare-headed Moses is a case in point. Charlton Heston may have played him that way, but Jewish illustrators do not show our prophets with bare heads, because covering the head is a sign of respect and humility before God. Ditto for the bare-headed men in "The Witches of Ashkelon." (Tell me, dear reader -- would Hasidim volunteer to accompany their saintly rabbi on a dangerous mission to confront evil with heads uncovered?) Plus, the Jewish image of Heaven is not angels on clouds, as portrayed on page 174. It's the Great Banquet under the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, where the saints feast, sing, and learn Torah together in round-table discussions, not by reading books alone! (BTW, the very word "Paradise" is derived from Hebrew "Pardes" which means "garden.") Last but not least, none of the Jewish males in this book are wearing ritual fringes, and the robes are not belted (both required by Jewish law.)

Most Jews will probably forgive these oversights, although I, for one, would prefer that children (and their teachers) who read these stories should be exposed to more authentic images of us, because such imagery, acquired in childhood, is often carried for life. So, for the bloopers, I'm docking it a star. Still, the illustrations are beautiful artwork, and they do evoke a sense of fairytale fantasy. However, if the series is to succeed as a mulicultural tool, then the illustrator(s) need to research the various cultures more carefully, because members of those cultures will check the accuracy of details. (Native Americans, for example, have specific costumes, styles of housing, beadwork patterns, clothes, hair, types of feathers worn, etc. for each different tribe. Generic teepees and headresses simply will not do!) Still, this book is a definite step in the right direction. Hopefully, it will help bring a greater appreciation of Jewish culture into many types of educational environments.

Rating:
Summary: First in a series --- let's have some more!
Review: This is a fine collection of Jewish children's stories, intended to bring a greater level of multiculturalism into the Waldorf educational system. In recent years, the Waldorf schools have been accused of racism, primarily because some of their older curriculum is rather Eurocentric. (The system originated in Central Europe.) This book, the first in an upcoming series, helps correct that problem, by drawing upon the rich treasury of Jewish folktales. Future volumes will include collections from African, Chinese, and Native American folklore, providing Waldorf teachers (and others) with materials that are inclusive of the vast diversity of cultures on our planet. For this noble effort, I say "Yashar koach!" (the Jewish equivalent of "Bravo!")

The book also includes a nice overview of Waldorf theory on how different types of stories appeal to different age groups, and how fantasy in general helps a child to internalize moral, ethical, and spiritual values. Athough I'm not a Waldorf teacher, I found this section to be very helpful. The stories themselves are arranged according to this system, making it very easy to choose age-appropriate material for different groups. I was especially pleased to see some animal stories included, because these are often overlooked in other Jewish anthologies.

My only complaint is that some of the illustrations are not Jewishly authentic, drawing more on the conventions of Christian Sunday school art. The bare-headed Moses is a case in point. Charlton Heston may have played him that way, but Jewish illustrators do not show our prophets with bare heads, because covering the head is a sign of respect and humility before God. Ditto for the bare-headed men in "The Witches of Ashkelon." (Tell me, dear reader -- would Hasidim volunteer to accompany their saintly rabbi on a dangerous mission to confront evil with heads uncovered?) Plus, the Jewish image of Heaven is not angels on clouds, as portrayed on page 174. It's the Great Banquet under the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, where the saints feast, sing, and learn Torah together in round-table discussions, not by reading books alone! (BTW, the very word "Paradise" is derived from Hebrew "Pardes" which means "garden.") Last but not least, none of the Jewish males in this book are wearing ritual fringes, and the robes are not belted (both required by Jewish law.)

Most Jews will probably forgive these oversights, although I, for one, would prefer that children (and their teachers) who read these stories should be exposed to more authentic images of us, because such imagery, acquired in childhood, is often carried for life. So, for the bloopers, I'm docking it a star. Still, the illustrations are beautiful artwork, and they do evoke a sense of fairytale fantasy. However, if the series is to succeed as a mulicultural tool, then the illustrator(s) need to research the various cultures more carefully, because members of those cultures will check the accuracy of details. (Native Americans, for example, have specific costumes, styles of housing, beadwork patterns, clothes, hair, types of feathers worn, etc. for each different tribe. Generic teepees and headresses simply will not do!) Still, this book is a definite step in the right direction. Hopefully, it will help bring a greater appreciation of Jewish culture into many types of educational environments.