Rivka's First Thanksgiving

By Elsa Okon Rael, Maryann Kovalski (Illustrator)

A young immigrant seeks a Rabbi's blessing to celebrate Thanksgiving.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 108 ratings

32 pages· 1,512 words· Est. 12 min read-aloud

$16.00Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon.

Bookroo's summary

In 1910s New York, Rivka, a young Jewish immigrant, yearns to celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday her family doesn't understand. Her grandmother takes her to Rabbi Yoshe Preminger, hoping for his blessing. Rivka must convince the Rabbi that Thanksgiving is for all Americans, regardless of their background. Can she bridge the gap between old traditions and new beginnings, teaching even the wisest adults a lesson in gratitude and freedom?

From the publisher

More than anything, Rivka wants to celebrate Thanksgiving. She has learned all about the holiday in school and knows her family has a lot to be thankful for in America. But Rivka’s parents are Jewish immigrants from Poland, and they wonder what Pilgrims and Indians have to do with them. Is Thanksgiving really a holiday for Jews?

Rivka’s grandmother, Bubbeh, decides to take over: She will bring Rivka to see the Rabbi Yoshe Preminger – and whatever the Rabbi concludes, Rivka will have to live with. Rivka knows that Thanksgiving is a holiday for all Americans, from all backgrounds and religions. But how can she convince the esteemed Rabbi Preminger?

Elsa Okon Rael and Maryann Kovalski bring the bustling Lower East Side to life in this heartwarming story. Set in the 1910s, “Rivka’s First Thanksgiving” is about respecting old traditions while embracing new ones, about giving thanks and celebrating freedom in America. Perhaps most important, Rivka’s story teaches us that even the wisest adults have something to learn from children.