Rabbi Benjamin's Buttons

Rabbi Benjamin's congregants present him with a Jewish holiday–themed vest on Rosh Hashanah, but feasting through Sukkot, Hanukkah, and Passover causes the rabbi to literally burst his buttons. There's much joy in this cheery holiday book, from kid-pleasing sound effects (pop! splat! plop!) to the depiction of a range of Jewish families. Information about and recipes for each holiday are appended. Glos.

"A happy congregation is the sunshine of my heart," proclaims Rabbi Benjamin. The love-fest goes both ways, and his congregants at the Walnut Street synagogue present him with a Jewish holiday-themed vest on Rosh Hashanah. After blowing the shofar, it's time to eat: homemade apple torte, honey cake, and more, "until his holiday vest stretched tightly across his belly." A couple of weeks pass; now it's Sukkot, and as Rabbi Benjamin feasts at each family's sukkah, all of that stuffed cabbage, sweet-potato pie, and fruit strudel cause him to quite literally burst one of his buttons -- "pop!" With first Hanukkah, then Passover still to come, the rest of those buttons don't stand a chance. "Oy-yoy-yoy…I've ruined my special holiday vest!" laments the rabbi as the last buttons fly off during the Goldwassers' Seder (one button lands in the horseradish, the other in the prophet Elijah's cup). A little physical activity throughout the summer and fall brings back his waistline…but what about his special present? Nisht gedeyget [don't worry]! When Rosh Hashanah rolls around again, the congregants have a little something up their sleeve. There's much joy in this cheery holiday book, from the spry text's kid-pleasing sound effects (pop! splat! plop! splish-splash!), to casually presented but informative details about each holiday, to the matter-of-fact depiction of a range of Jewish families in the detail-filled watercolor and ink illustrations, to that bright-yellow, menorah-festooned vest -- which is ugly in the way that all good holiday garments are. Back matter includes information about and recipes for each holiday and a glossary. elissa gershowitz