Books for Jewish Parents

It's not easy to be a good Jewish parent, and we can all use some help. Here are some resources which will help you over the rough spots in life, and also help you and your family enhance your observance of Jewish traditions.If I can be of further assistance, please e-mail me.

DEALING WITH TOUGH QUESTIONS

• Explaining Death to Children edited by Earl Grollman (Beacon Press) is an excellent resource for parents providing guidance from the realms of psychology, sociology and religion.
• The Hadassah Magazine Jewish Parenting Book edited by Roselyn Bell (1989, Collier Macmillan Publishers) covers a wide variety of topics including birth and life-cycle rituals and educational options.
• Raising a Thoughtful Teenager by Rabbi Ben Kamin (Dutton) addresses all the pointed questions teenagers ask and don't ask, including violence, alcoholism, drugs, racism, suicide, science and religion, child abuse, our celebrity culture, dating, and much, much more.
• Raising Jewish Children In A Contemporary World by Rabbi Steven Carr Reuben (Prima Publishing) takes on the difficult questions of raising ethical children, sharing Judaism in a mixed marraige, making organized religion a part of your family's life, and more.
• Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between Parent and Child by Earl Grollman (Beacon Press) suggests how to actually discuss senstive issues with children, respecting their sensitivities and sensibilities.
• Talking to Your Child About God by David Heller (Bantam Books) encourages parents to open up channels of communication on the tough subjects, including death, God, theodicy, etc., how to ask questions, and how to listen to the answers.
• Torah with Love by David Epstein and Suzanne Singer Stutman (1986, Prentice Hall Press) provides a guide to how to study Torah with you children. Gentle, reassuring, the authors encourage you to begin with what you know and provide counsel when the discussion gets hot.
• When Your Jewish Child Asks Why: Answers for Tough Questions by Kerry Olitzky, Steven Rosman, and David Kasakove (Ktav). What I like best about it is that they give several answers to each of the many "hot" topics, which are derived from interviews with Jewish leaders around the country.

LEARNING MORE AND DOING MORE AS A FAMILY

• The Art of Jewish Living series by Dr. Ron Wolfson (The Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs and The University of Judaism). The books in this series will help you prepare for Shabbat("The Shabbat Seder"), Passover ("The Passover Seder"), and Chanukah ("Hanukkah") in order to enjoy your holiday more fully. "A Time to Mourn, A Time to Comfort" provides guidance and wisdom on the traditions and process of mourning. There is a Russian edition of "The Passover Seder."
• The How To Handbook for Jewish Living by Kerry M. Olitzky and Ronald H. Isaacs (Ktav). Written in the style of today's engaging how-to books, this one covers everything from basic berachot (blessings) and how to pray, bless the Torah, lay tefillin, don a tallit, to baking matzah and leading a seder, light a yahrzeit candle, and dance the horah.
• It's a Mitzvah! by Bradley Shavit Artson (Behrman House and the Rabbinical Assembly). A wonderful, positive, loving approach to living a fuller life through performance of mitzvot, including Torah study, to caring for the earth, visiting the sick, kashrut, seeking peace, renewal through Shabbat, tefilling and mezuzah, repentance, compassion to animals and more. The deeply spiritual overtone of this book is wonderful.
• The Jewish Catalogue, The Second Jewish Catalogue, The Third Jewish Catalogue by Richard Siegel (First Catalogue( and Sharon and Michael Strassfield (all three) (Jewish Publication Society). These are the first, the classics, of modern how-to books in the Jewish realm. They're still rich sources of information and ideas for living a fuller Jewish life.
• The Jewish Family Book : A Creative Apporach to Raising Kids by Sharon Strassfeld and Kathy Green (Bantam Books). Childrearing from a modern, Jewish perspective, with sections on how to talk about tough issues (written by noted experts) and how to enhance the Jewish aspects of family life.
• Jewish Family & Life by Yosef I. Abramowitz and Rabbi Susan Silverman (Golden Books) provides information, advice, and stories for families who are striving to live and grow Jewishly. The scope of this books covers traditions, holidays, and values.
• The Jewish Holidays : A Guide and Commentary by Michael Strassfield (Harper & Row). An unbeatable source of hsitorical information, midrashim, rituals, and magnificent interpretations of the Jewish holiday cycle. Every Jewish family should have this book on their shelves!
• The Kid's Catalog of Jewish Holidays by David Adler (Jewish Publication Society). This compendium of fiction, poetry, music, crafts, and recipes is sure to help you enhance all your celebrations, year-round. It's accessibility to kids is a big plus.
• A Kid's Catalog of Israel by Chaya M. Burstein (Jewish Publication Society). In a style not dissimilar from the other catalogues, Burstein teaches children and their parents about the history and life of the State of Israel, complete with crafts projects and recipes.
• Putting God on the Guest List by Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin (Jewish Lights Publishing). This is THE book which will help you make sure that the "Mitzvah" has priority over the "Bar." A must read for anyone with a child approaching thirteen.
• Seasons for Celebration by Rabbi Karen L. Fox and Phyllis Zimbler Miller (Perigee Books). A gentle introduction to the holiday cycle which is ideal for people whose backgrounds are weak and who wish to explore their heritage. It blends information on holy days with ideas for home discussions, blessings recited on each occasion, ideas for art projects, recipes, and more.