Passover in Chelm

By KATHY BLOOMFIELD

RACHEL'S GIFT
Written and illustrated by Richard Ungar.
32 pages. Tundra Books. $16.95.
Ages 7 – 10.

When my children were small, we would be sure to have a selection of entertaining, colorful and age-appropriate books available to them during our Passover Seders (the ritual meal celebrating the escape of the Jews from Egypt.) There were always the traditional standbys–A Carp in the Bathtub by Barbara Cohen, The Mouse in the Matzah Factory by Francine Medoff and The Matzah that Papa Brought Home by Fran Manushkin–along with the new "hot" book of the season. Their favorites, and mine, were the magical tales told about the Prophet Elijah and his visits to worthy homes during Passover.

My children are no longer small, but if they were, Rachel's Gift by Richard Ungar would definitely be among the new titles at our Seder this year. Inspired by "The Magician," a story by I.L. Peretz, this charming and colorfully illustrated book deserves a proud place in the pantheon of Elijah tales.

Rachel's Gift opens in Chelm, the fabled, fool-filled town of legend, during springtime, as the town's residents busily get ready for Passover. Selma the Cook is determined that "Elijah would pay a visit to the tiny house that she shared with her husband, Simon, and daughter, Rachel." When she receives the Secret Recipe for Bubbie's (Grandma's) Own Matzo Ball Soup, she can hardly contain her joy. Surely this special concoction will attract Elijah to their house! But as Rachel reads the recipe aloud, Selma is sure she has left something out. What kind of recipe calls for "Just enough onions," "The right amount of carrots," and "Matzo balls–made the usual way"?

"A recipe that is not a recipe," grumbles Selma, even as she busily begins to prepare the soup. Friends and neighbors drop by to add advice and a few extra ingredients to the pot. When Rafael the Musician learns that the soup is for Elijah, he urges Rachel to open the west window (because "Elijah always comes from the west") and they begin to blow the steam outside.

At that moment, Samuel the Herring Vendor knocks on the door to ask if he can take a brief nap on his way home. As he pulls off his boots and closes his eyes, Rachel observes that his boots are soaked and have holes in their soles. She gathers two handfuls of straw from her mattress and plugs the holes as best she can. When Samuel awakens and puts his shoes back on, he tells Rachel, "Your kindness will be remembered," as he vanishes out the door.

With no Elijah in sight, Selma impatiently wonders how the prophet could resist her soup, which of course is now a much improved version of Bubbie's recipe. Her husband, Simon, noticing that some of the wine from Elijah's Cup (a ceremonial cup filled with wine referred to during the Seder) has been drunk, reminds his family that "Elijah is a master of disguise." Selma begins frantically searching the house for the treasure Elijah must have left for them, and discovers that their reward is a single rose in full bloom–a small miracle because it is still too cold in the village for flowers to bloom. Selma is disappointed until Rachel reminds her that "sometimes the right little something can make a world of difference."

With watercolors and colored pencil on paper, Ungar creates Chagall-like illustrations that virtually vibrate with color. He uses them to great effect, drawing us into a magical place at a magical time, and then weaving his magical tale. Rachel's Gift is appropriate for children ages 7-10, although with its eccentric and animated cast of characters, it will be a fun read-aloud for younger children with longer attention spans. This is a wonderful book to bring to your Seder table this year for your younger guests, to give as a gift to a family hosting you for the holiday, or just to keep on your own bookshelf for the delight of a well-told tale.