Even Higher!: A Rosh Hashanah Story

by Eric A. Kimmel

Other authorsJill Weber (Illustrator), I.L. Peretz (Author)

Paperback, 2010

Status

Available

Call number

H HH E 398.2 KIM

Genres

Children's Books

Collection

Easy Non-Fiction (picture books)

Publication

Holiday House (2010), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 32 pages

Description

A skeptical visitor to the village of Nemirov finds out where its rabbi really goes just before the Jewish New Year, when the villagers claim he goes to heaven to speak to God.

Barcode

3191

Awards

Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Book Award (2009)

Language

English

User reviews

LibraryThing member emgalford

Peretz, I.L. (2009). Even Higher! A Rosh Hashanah Story. New York: Holiday House.

Every day on the day before Rosh Hashanah, the rabbi of the village Nemirov disappears. Every year he disappears, and every year he reappears at nightfall. Nobody in the village can explain where the rabbi goes. It

is rumored that the rabbi ascends into heaven where he begs for the forgiveness of his people’s sins. Young Reuven and his friends want to find out for sure where the rabbi is going every year. Reuven’s friends decide that he should figure it out since he is the fastest and the smallest of the group, but Reuven has no idea how he will ever solve the mystery. Reuven gets the idea to follow the rabbi as he leaves the synagogue early the next morning. He watches as the rabbi leaves disguised as a woodcutter. Reuven follows the rabbi into the great forest where he watches in amazement as the rabbi cuts wood. He then takes the wood to the widow Shayna’s cottage. Through the window, Reuven witnesses the rabbi tell the widow that he will continue to bring her fire wood, and when she has enough money then she can repay him for his help. Reuven runs home to share what he has seen with his friends. Reuven tells his friends that the rabbi is not ascending into heaven every year he is going “even higher.”

Winner of the Louis Posner Memorial Award, this book is a retelling of a classic Jewish folktale. Because this is a folktale, people of all different times and places can appreciate this story. It has been passed down for years to teach the importance of sharing with others and helping those who are less fortunate. It is a timeless lesson that everyone can appreciate. In a library, this book could be used during a unit on multicultural folk tales. It could also be used when teaching about the importance of helping those who are less fortunate.

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LibraryThing member nicholspdx

Before Rosh Hashanah the village Rabbi leaves and the villagers believe that he is going to heaven to speak to god about saving their souls. A character known as the Latvik argues that the bible is clear that only Elijah and Enoch ever went to heaven during their lifetimes and surely the villagers

weren’t equating their Rabbi with Elijah and Enoch. The rest of the story goes on to not correct the villagers’ beliefs but explain that in the Latvik’s mind it’s ok if they have this belief if it makes them feel better.

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LibraryThing member Lanzoni

I like this story it introduces Jewish holiday and religious beliefs.

LibraryThing member kimity

Every year during Rosh Hashanah the rabbi of Nemirov diasapeared. It was thought that the rabbi went to Heaven during this time. The Litvak, a doubter or skeptic would always try to prove that the miracles could not happen. He insisted that the rabbi did not go to Heaven. In order to prove his

point he followed the rabbi. He watched as the rabbi got dressed and went into the forest to chop wood. He followed the rabbi who was carrying the load of wood into an area that was poor and in shambles. HE brought the wood to an old lady who was cold and sick. As he lit the fire for her he sang a song to lift her spirits. As she warmed the lady begain to feel better and started to dance with the rabbi. The Litvak was amazed at what he saw and became dedicated to the rabbi. He did not doubt miracles. This is a great book to teach children about Jewish customs and folktales. It is also a great book to teach others to trust.

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LibraryThing member ebruno

The rabbi of Nemirov disappears every year before Rosh Hashanah leaving the the villagers to wonder if he goes to Heaven during this time. The Litvak assures the villagers miracles do not happen and follows the rabbi one day to a run down village where he brings an old woman wood for a fire. The

Litvak has a change of heart and prclaims such miracles are possible.

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LibraryThing member Bethany1221

This book is about a Rabbi who disappears at a certain time every year. No one knows where he goes but they all want to believe its to heaven. One man, a Litvak, does not believe this at all and decided to follow the rabbi for a whole day. After doing so for a whole day the Litvak never questions

what anyone says about the Rabbi again.

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LibraryThing member Madisonrr

This book was about the days before rah hannah, when the rabbi dissapers and a man follows him to see what he is doing, he becomes a believer himself. it can help children learn the concept of believing.

LibraryThing member ronicadibartolo

My daughter fell asleep during this book, and I was trying not fall asleep myself. Kind of a boring book, but I liked the author's note on the last page. I found the author's note more entertaining than the book.

LibraryThing member Talwold

A Rabbi disappears around the same time each year just before the Jewish New Year. People assume that he is visiting God and getting advice. However, he is spending his time with an old lady and helping her around the house.

LibraryThing member memaldonado

There was a rabbi in Nemirov, and each Rosh Hashanah holiday he disappeared. Rosh Hashanah is a holiday, when God opens the book of life and decides everyone’s faith. The people from the town believed that the rabbi went to heaven to beg God for the people of the town. A Litvak that lived in the

town did not believe that the rabbi went to heaven, so he decided to follow the rabbi on Rosh Hashanah holiday. When the holiday came the Litvak slept under the rabbi’s bed and waited to follow the rabbi. The next day the rabbi went to cut wood, and brought the wood to an old lady that was sick. The rabbi put the wood in the lady’s chimney, and the lady and the rabbi began to dance. The Litvak saw all of this, and from that point he believed that the rabbi went higher than heaven. The book reflects the beliefs and faith of the Jewish community. The book provides good detail when explaining the Rosh Hashanah holiday. The book reflects the clothes, and features of Jewish people.

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LibraryThing member JPEmmrich5

Cute book about the value of good deeds. The story is based on a Jewish parable it is a colorful and a delightful story. The story was sweet, humorous and brought tears to my eyes.

LibraryThing member raizel

A retelling of Peretz's "Oyb Nit Nokh Hekher," with changes that are explained in the Author's Note at the end. Kimmel says here, "The miracle is that there are no miracles. We don't need them, Ordinary kindness and compassion are enough to save the world." So the Litvak becomes a follower of the

rabbi of Nemirov not because the rabbi is a miracle worker, but because of his great holiness, which he shows by going so far away from what we usually think of as heavenly---withdrawing from worldly activities to pray---and doing lowly, worldly, physical work and confronting poverty, illness, and old age. But by descending to these depths he is in fact ascending as high as possible. Still, what if he had told his followers what he did?

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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26

Prolific storyteller and children's author Eric A. Kimmel adapts a famous Rosh Hashanah folktale from Yiddish-language author I.L. Peretz in this engaging picture-book. When a skeptical Litvak (Lithuanian) stranger settles in the city of Nemirov, he doubts the people's stories about their holy

rabbi, said to ascend to heaven every year, in the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah, in order to plead for his people. Deciding to debunk this belief, the Litvak follows the rabbi during this period, and discovers that he is indeed holy, if not perhaps in the way his people think...

This story has been adapted for children at least three times, that I am aware of. First by Barbara Cohen, in her 1987 picture-book, Even Higher; then in 2007 by Richard Ungar, in his own Even Higher; and finally here, in 2009, by Eric A. Kimmel. I have read the Cohen, which I enjoyed, and am glad to have run across this second telling (I have not yet managed to track down the Ungar). Kimmel's adaptation is engaging and humorous, and Jill Weber's accompanying illustrations are colorful and cute. Recommended to anyone looking for a children's adaptation of the Peretz, or for children's stories set at Rosh Hashanah.

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LibraryThing member Daumari

One of two picture books I picked up at the Friends of the Library Sale to send to a Jewish friend collecting picture books (so of course, have to read them before mailing them off). As a gentile, I am not familiar with Rosh Hashanah, but this was a heartwarming little tale on how sometimes

miracles really are just kindness towards those in need.

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