Review: Challah From Heaven
Challah from Heaven
written and illustrated by Richard Ungar
PJ Publishing, 2025
Category: Picture Books
Reviewer: Ellie Grossman Cohen
This new twist on a Shabbat tale leaves crumbs, or clues, for the reader to follow as we chase the flyaway challah and discover a mystery gues. The anticipation of Shabbat is palatable as Mama and her daughter Hannin make a scrumptious golden brown challah for a special visitor, the Gaon (pronounced “guy-own”) of Minsk. He is described as a wise old man with wiggly eyebrows who travels the villages and shares his timeless stories. Meanwhile, the challah disappears from the windowsill to cool and begins to fly through the sky, almost touching the clouds. The reader tags along with the young girl as she hurries through the bustling shtetl, which is illustrated with splashes of color, slanted rooflines, and whimsical details. She asks Yaakov the painter, Tzipporah the bird whisperer, and finally the bearded old man sitting alone on a bench, if any of them have seen the flying challah. Dressed in brown dungarees and a purple vest, the undistinguished old man admires her determination and shares with her a secret to capture the challah— talk to the wind—and the braided loaf falls into her arms. In gratitude, Hannin invites the stranger to Shabbat dinner at her family’s cozy cottage, and then the reader discovers two things—where the title "Challah From Heaven" comes from, and the identity of the one and only Gaon of Minsk, the old man with wiggly eyebrows.
This fantasy of a flyaway challah is enriched with authentic Jewish imagery and storytelling that centers around life in a shtetl, with everyone living and working together like a big family, and where having a special guest for Shabbat is the highlight of the week. When Hannin invites the stranger to dinner, she fulfills the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, welcoming guests. The reader also sees that it indeed takes a village, a community, to thrive. Also, sometimes the best lessons come from the person you would least expect, like an old man with a purple hat sitting alone on a park bench.
The description of the Shabbat rituals add warmth to the story. Mama lights the Shabbat candles, covers her eyes, and says the blessing.They sing “Shalom Aleichem” and Papa recites the Kiddush and Hamotzi, the blessing over challah. He tears pieces of bread and dips the bread in salt. The reader feels like guests at the table as they finally eat the soft, heavenly tasting challah that almost flew away.
This fantasy of a flyaway challah is enriched with authentic Jewish imagery and storytelling that centers around life in a shtetl, with everyone living and working together like a big family, and where having a special guest for Shabbat is the highlight of the week. When Hannin invites the stranger to dinner, she fulfills the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, welcoming guests. The reader also sees that it indeed takes a village, a community, to thrive. Also, sometimes the best lessons come from the person you would least expect, like an old man with a purple hat sitting alone on a park bench.
The description of the Shabbat rituals add warmth to the story. Mama lights the Shabbat candles, covers her eyes, and says the blessing.They sing “Shalom Aleichem” and Papa recites the Kiddush and Hamotzi, the blessing over challah. He tears pieces of bread and dips the bread in salt. The reader feels like guests at the table as they finally eat the soft, heavenly tasting challah that almost flew away.
The watercolor artwork, digitally created by the author, enhances the
aliveness of the close-knit Jewish community, and includes farm animals
and a beloved orange tabby cat full of expressions that appears again
and again with a flip of the page.
This book appeals to Jewish and non-Jewish readers because the story centers around a relatable family and beautifully captures the traditions of Shabbat. The book also includes discussion ideas and activities.
This book appeals to Jewish and non-Jewish readers because the story centers around a relatable family and beautifully captures the traditions of Shabbat. The book also includes discussion ideas and activities.
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Reviewer Ellie Grossman Cohen, originally from St. Louis, launched her journalism career in the late 80s as a newspaper/magazine feature writer. She is also the author of “Mishegas of Motherhood…Raising Children to Leave the Nest, As Long As They Come Home for Dinner,” a collection of parenting humor essays that combines domestic satire and Jewish wisdom of the sages. As an empty nester who now spends most of her time in Sarasota, she is excited to break into the Jewish Kid Lit world. She is currently working on her first children’s picture book inspired by her family vacations at the beach.
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