I Discover Rosh Hashanah

Lila Rosenfield's "I Discover Rosh Hashanah" follows eight-year-old Lena as she explores the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah. Lena’s small notebook becomes a tool for observation and inquiry, from sketching a round challah at the bakery to illustrating the sound of a shofar in music class, and recording family names for symbolic foods. Each observation sparks a question, guiding young readers aged 6–9 through a narrative approach to learning without resorting to an encyclopedic format. The story covers preparations, a family meal, a child-friendly synagogue visit, and a walk associated with Tashlich, while acknowledging the variety of family and community customs.

The book addresses Lena's initial belief that every object possesses a single secret meaning. Through interactions with a teacher and grandparents, she learns to differentiate between a ritual, a custom, an interpretation, and a family invention. Throughout the book, full-page prompts encourage children to find circles, sounds, calendar clues, and acts of welcome within the illustrations. A brief glossary aids independent reading, and an adult note provides pronunciation guidance while cautioning against viewing the depicted household as universally representative. The final spread revisits Lena’s notebook, where she records three personal observations rather than a definition.