Yitzi and the Giant Menorah

Just before the beginning of Hanukkah, the town of Chelm is gifted with a beautiful giant menorah, and the residents want to thank the Mayor of Lublin, who gave it to them, in a fitting way. Should they send food? A dreidel? Young Yitzi has a wonderful idea, but he must convince the rest of the town before it’s too late.

Yitzi and the Giant Menorah is a lovely little picture book celebrating the winter holiday of Hanukkah, and the spirit and love it embodies can be enjoyed by all readers, regardless of religious affiliation. Yitzi’s idea is to express the town’s gratitude through the purity of joyful song, but it takes a little while for the rest of the villagers to come around to his idea. Youngsters will empathize with the way Yitzi’s idea is dismissed for so long, and they will laugh at the antics of some of the villagers as they strive to find other ways to thank the Mayor of Lublin. The festive, colorful illustrations that accompany the story help bring it to life. This is a fun book for the holidays.