RAQUELA'S SEDER

Raquela’s family, Jews in the Spain of Ferdinand and Isabella, must practice their religion in secret or face dire consequences.

On Friday nights, the family goes to the cellar to light candles for Shabbat. Raquela has heard of Passover and dreams of having a seder. Papa is a successful fisherman and describes his work to Raquela. When telling her that to catch a fish, one must be smarter than one and that to be smarter than a fish, one must think like one, he realizes he has the ability to give his family a seder in the open air. Mama bakes matzah, and the family gathers such things as nuts, spices, a wine goblet, and a tablecloth. Raquela and Mama quietly go to the shore, where Papa is waiting in his boat. They sail out to Papa’s secret fishing spot and have their seder as Papa explains the symbolic foods and tells the Passover story of how the Jews attained their freedom. Stein combines the stories of the two historic eras with simple, descriptive language, infusing the tale with hope and conveying an underlying sadness and fear as Raquela and her family yearn to live openly as Jews. Ugolotti’s beautifully rendered illustrations perfectly capture the time and place and tenderly portray the characters’ deepest feelings. The characters have brown skin and eyes and dark hair.

A lovely, moving tale of stolen freedom and hopes for a new beginning.