Rating: Very Good
Harcourt, 2009, $16.00
ISBN: 978-0-15-2066789
Age/Grade Level: Grades 1-3
The old-new synagogue in Prague is the oldest standing synagogue in Europe. Author Podwal has spun together some of the legends that have sprung up about this historic building: that angels built it from stones originally from the destroyed temple in Jerusalem, that a golem is locked in the attic. The brightly painted illustrations in the manner of Chagall evoke the dreamlike mood. Some of the elements (like the golem) are glossed over so quickly that a reader not already familiar with Jewish folklkore might be confused. But overall, this is an evocative, poetic tribute to a special place.
Reviewer: Mary Smith, OCPL/El Toro
