All I Want for Hanukah

Jewish Holiday Literature

by E. Broderick

It’s that time of year again. Festive decorations in red and gold festoon store windows and “holiday romance” tables full of Christmas novels pop up like the animals in a game of whac-a-mole. Nestled in among this plethora of Yuletide offerings is usually a blue and silver nod towards diversity, including a Jew-ified replica of whatever the Christian accessory du jour is. This year that appears to be gnomes. 

Now don’t get me wrong. When Hanukah decor is well done, I am typically one of its biggest purchasers. I love the infectious joy that permeates the air this time of year, and I appreciate the attempts at inclusion by retailers. But what this girl would really like for Hanukah is an acknowledgement that a plethora of other Jewish holidays exist. Hanukah is a relative newcomer to the Jewish calendar and its rise to mass market super stardom has more to do with it being Christmas adjacent than anything Jewish people have requested. Given that the holiday commemorates the refusal of Jews to assimilate into the prevailing (Greek) culture of the day, the irony in this situation is palpable. 

Want to make my holiday wish come true? When crafting your holiday gifting list, please consider including one of these books that features a less renowned, but equally meaningful, Jewish holiday. 

Rosh Hashana

The Jewish New Year is best known for the custom of dipping apples into a sweet substance – either honey or sugar – as a good omen for a sweet new year. It also involves the blowing of the shofar, a ceremonial horn, and meals spent wishing friends and family a happy, healthy new year.

One of the most poignant Rosh Hashana scenes I have ever read was in the Middle Grade novel How to Find What You’re not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani. The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kapit is another great Middle Grade pick that includes this holiday. If Romance is more your thing, Higher by Roz Alexander is a butch for butch Rosh Hashana romance and the steamy sci fi Embracing Irina by Michelle Mars is another great choice. Plus, in an embarrassment of riches, the upcoming romcom As Seen on TV by Meredith Schorr also includes Rosh Hashana rep.

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the Jewish day of atonement, when we ask forgiveness from God, but also from each other. Many Jews will fast and spend the day in Synagogue. As it comes so close to Rosh Hashana many refer to this period as “The Jewish High Holidays.” Three Middle Grade novels that feature both holidays are Chris Baron’s novel in verse, The Magical Imperfect, as well as the soon to be released Repairing the World by Linda Epstein which deals with grief and loss and Where You’ve Got to Be by Caroline Gertler. On a lighter note, The Renegade Reporters by Elisa Brent Weissman is a Middle Grade mystery that mentions Yom Kippur.

In the Young Adult space, Laura Silverman’s contemporary novel You Asked for Perfect as well as Leah Scheier’s heartbreaking The Last Words We Said both include Yom Kippur scenes.

Sukkot

Rounding out the month of Jewish Holidays that messes up everyone’s work calendar is Sukkot, the festival in which Jewish people build temporary outdoor huts in which we eat, socialize and shake our lulav and etrog. As a bonus we also have Simchat Torah, the annual celebration of the reading of the Torah, at the end of Sukkot.

The Middle Grade graphic novel Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzzane Walker includes mention of Sukkot. And while the Young Adult Kissing Ezra Holts (and Other Things I Did for Science) by Brianna Shrum features several holidays, I hope you will agree the scene in the Sukkah is exceptionally delightful. 

Hanukah

You thought I was going to leave this out right? Wrong! The festival of lights, on which Jews light the hanukiah (menorah) and eat latkes and donuts has inspired some terrific books and I am not willing to skip them.

Takedown by Laura Shovan is a Middle Grade novel that weaves together girls in sports and character diversity, including one character that celebrates Hanukah. Another Laura Shovan book, this one co-authored with Saadia Faruqi, is A Place at The Table which includes many diverse holidays, Hanukkah amongst them. The YA romcom Recommended for You by Laura Silverman also includes Hanukah as does What I like About You by Marissa Kanter.

This is Just a Test a Middle Grade novel by Wendy Wan-Long Shang and Madelyn Rosenberg has a Latke making competition  you will not want to miss!

The Friendship and Festivals series by Stacey Agdern is a set of three linked adult romance novels, two of which surround Hanukah. They can be read alone, in any order, or binge read in one sitting depending on your reading preference. I’ll be Home for Hanukkah by K.K. Hendin is a Hanukkah romcom novella for those who need something shorter to read.

And yes there are a million ways to spell Hanukah. Just go with it.

Purim

Purim is a fan favorite among Jewish children who dress in costume and distribute packages of treats known as Mishloach Manot to friends, family and neighbours. It is also the day we read Megillat Esther and an auspicious time to give charity.

The recent Middle Grade hareidi (a descriptor for strict orthodox observance) release On the Move, the fifth in the Achdus Club series from author Faygie Holt, has a Purim scene that explores the true meaning of friendship. The upcoming The Book of Elsie by Joanne Levy is another Purim Middle Grade book.

The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid includes a second world fantasy version of Judaism as well as a Purim celebration. Another fantasy containing Purim references, this time a historical fantasy, is Creatures of Charm and Hunger by Molly Tanzer. 

The Purim Fling is the first in the Yom Tov series of holiday romance novellettes by Sara Marks. A worthy selection for adults looking for some Purim joy.

Passover

Known to most people as “the one from the Ten Commandments movie” Passover celebrates the Jewish exodus from Egypt. Many Jews refrain from eating leavened bread in any form and host a traditional Seder in which we retell the story of Passover. It is also very well represented amongst the genres.

The Trouble With Good Ideas by Amanda Panitch is a humorous Middle Grade featuring Passover and a golem. The Girl with the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke is a historical thriller that references Passover.

Passover romance is exemplified in Matzah Ball Surprise by Laura Brown and Their Troublesome Crush by  Xan West, of blessed memory. Unleavened Dead by Ilene Schneider is a Passover mystery. The seder serves as the perfect setting for family drama in Brenda Janowitz’s The Dinner Party. Passover, as well as deep buried secrets, also plays a critical role in The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman. 

Shavuot

On Shavuot we celebrate the receipt of the Torah by the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. It is a time for Jewish learning as well as the consumption of dairy products. My favorite is cheesecake.

Anya and The Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack is a Middle Grade novel that not only features the shavuot treat blinis but also has a very clever dragon. I Kissed a Girl by Jennet Alexander is an LGBTQ+ new adult romance set in the world of horror movies. The featured couple celebrate Shavuot together.

Tisha B’av

While many would question the inclusion of Tisha B’av in a list of holidays, it is an important Jewish day. On this day our temple was destroyed, twice. It is a day for mourning and fasting. It is also a day to understand Jewish pain and what it means to be a persecuted people living in a diaspora. In that vein, I am only going to recommend one book in this category, because it truly personifies the Jewish experience during the destruction of the Temple. Rebel Daughter by Lori Banov Kaufmann is a meticulously researched historical fiction Young Adult novel. It does not describe the holiday of Tisha B’av as we currently observe it but rather the events leading up to and surrounding that fateful day. 

Bonus Points

There were several books that came up that were too broad in scope to be placed into a single holiday category. Many holidays are mentioned in Light of the Midnight Stars a Jewish Young adult fairy tale retelling by Rena Rossner. Abby Tried and True by Donna Gephart is a poignant Middle Grade novel that features most holidays. Shira Glassman has an entire series of romance novels that include many Jewish holidays. The All of a Kind Family Chapter Book series by Sydney Taylor were the first jewish books many people let into their homes and their hearts. The Sydney Taylor Book Awards are named after the author.

If you’ve made it this far I’d like to thank you for taking the time to get to know our holidays a little bit better. I’ve left off a few of the smaller holidays for lack of space and books, but rest assured they exist. I am also certain I’ll have left off a book or two that I simply haven’t read yet. Please support those Jewish books anyway!

I hope your loved one adores their bookish gift. I’ll leave you with one last holiday pro-tip: if you want to win at gift giving then go ahead and buy two copies so that you can read along with them. There is no present that can compare.