They were all Orthodox

For years I couldn’t make gefilte fish without thinking of K’tonton sitting on the chopping blade—a story [by Sadie Rose Weilerstein] I had read myself as a child and later shared with my children. All-of-a-Kind Family sparking dreams of being in a large, loving family that celebrated all the holidays with joy. Rereading both books today brings a shock: their Jewishness is Orthodox in all details. Thank goodness for writers like Barbara Diamond Goldin and Nina Jaffe who compress Jewish values and modern feminist sensibilities into beautifully crafted works for the next generation.

Deborah Brodie, executive editor of Viking Children’s Books, works on books for Preschool through Young Adult, including many with Jewish content.