Jesse's Star

Elizabeth Levin is a professor of psychology at Laurentian University.

Jesse’s school project is due tomorrow and, once again, Jesse hasn’t
even started. He doesn’t want to tell his parents that he’s left
things until the last moment—just as he did for the last project--but
what else can he do? What’s worse, no one in his family is even
available to help him.

After Jesse tells his mother, she suggests that he explore the attic
for information about how his family arrived in Canada. Reluctantly,
Jesse heads for the attic, and when he finally finds an old photograph
and a tarnished Star of David, the story mysteriously unfolds for him.
The story of Jesse’s ancestors is similar to that of many Jewish
families who escaped from Russia in the late 19th century. Children with
an interest in history—Jewish or not—will enjoy the story of how
great-great grandfather Yossi ended up in Canada. The well-written text
draws on the history of Russian Jews to teach the reader about what life
was like in the late 1800s. Non-Jewish readers may need help with some
of the vocabulary and perhaps an explanation of Judaism. Recommended.