New Month, New Moon

by Allison Maile Ofanansky Narrated by Book Buddy Digital Media

Overview

It's Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of a new month in the Jewish calendar! In celebration of this monthly event, a family goes out to the Negev Desert to camp out and observe the moon. A photo essay about the changing phases of the moon and their relationship to the Jewish calendar, this beautifully photographed book explains the basics of the Jewish calendar, which is based on the moon rather than the sun. Instructions for building a papier mache moon are included. This book is the fifth in Kar-Ben's “Nature in Israel” holiday series by this author/photographer team.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"This book is well done and filled with facts that will integrate the holiday of Rosh Chodesh with the teaching of astronomy. In addition, children will develop an appreciation of the earth's environment. This can be a perfect addition to a classroom unit on Israel or Rosh Chodesh." — Jewish Book World

School Library Journal

11/01/2014
Gr 1–3—In this brief photo essay, Ofanansky aims to explain the phases of the moon and the ancient Jewish celebration of the new moon, Rosh Chodesh. The story is narrated by a boy whose family is on an overnight camping trip in Israel with a guide who has a telescope. The brief text is poorly organized and ultimately fails to shed light on either topic. The level of explanation devoted to the phases of the moon is more suitable to older children, and the information on Rosh Chodesh is too scattered throughout. The ancient importance of the holiday is not fully discussed, even in the back matter, which offers instructions for making a papier mâché moon and an illustration of the phases of the moon. The attractive, full-color photos largely serve to document the text. Though there are few titles on Rosh Chodesh for this audience, this one doesn't make the grade. Meanwhile, there are many relatively recent books on the phases of the moon that do a better job.—Nancy Silverrod, San Francisco Public Library

Kirkus Reviews

2014-06-30
The beginning of a new month, known in the Jewish calendar as Rosh Chodesh, is explained via a family's camping trip in the Negev Desert.A young Jewish boy named Ira narrates his family's purposeful outing to learn about the phases of the moon through a guide's instruction and demonstrations of the Jewish lunar calendar. Clear, distinct color photography modulates from sunny, sandy desert scenes to dark, campfire-illuminated ones to highlight the essential elements of the experience. Family members hold a globe-patterned inflatable beach ball, a papier-mâché moon and a lantern as they move around one another to illustrate each phase of the moon and how each new month begins with the first sliver of the crescent moon. Of course, the clear night sky and a look through a telescope to see the stars, constellations and planets are also quite intriguing. As a final sweet culmination to the lesson, baking round pita bread over an open flame and then creating "pita-moons" with chocolate spread allows Ira a chance to synthesize what he has learned before he enjoys a big bite. The story concludes with a papier-mâché-moon craft activity. A nice blend of planetary science and religious observance. (author's note) (Picture book/religion. 5-8)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171796976
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2017
Series:	Kar-Ben Favorites
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	Up to 4 Years

Read an Excerpt

New Month, New Moon

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By Allison Ofanansky, Eliyahu Alpern

Kar-Ben Publishing

Copyright © 2014 Allison Ofanansky
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4677-1945-2

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CHAPTER 1

My family drives along the steep desert road that leads to the Machtesh Ramon canyon. We are going on a camping trip to celebrate Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of a new month in the Jewish calendar.

When we arrive, we meet our guide Ira, who will be leading us on a special hike to learn about the moon.

It is very windy at the rim of the canyon. "Be careful and don't get too near the edge," Ima warns us.

I look through Abba's binoculars. "This evening we'll look through a telescope," Ira promises.

As we hike along a desert trail, I see an animal with big curved horns. "That's an ibex," Ira tells us. "He must be the abba," I say," He even has a beard!"

We also see some baby ibexes with small horns.

"The rocks are such pretty colors," Tali says. Aravah puts some of the powdery yellow dirt in her hand and mixes it with water from her canteen to make paint.

She draws crescent moons on Tali's cheeks.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from New Month, New Moon by Allison Ofanansky, Eliyahu Alpern. Copyright © 2014 Allison Ofanansky. Excerpted by permission of Kar-Ben Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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