The narrator of this poignant and powerful Yom Kippur picture-book relates the story of three Yom Kippur services he attended throughout his life - once when he was a young boy attending service with his grandfather, once when he was a father of a newborn daughter, and once when he was a grandfather himself, attending with his own grandson. Each time he engages in a discussion of the meaning of the Kol Nidre, the declaration sung by the cantor before the beginning of the Yom Kippur service. Sung three times, once softly, once at a normal volume, once loudly, this declaration has taken on the feeling of a prayer in Jewish tradition, although it is technically a legal statement. Eventually the narrator concludes that the declaration is sung three times and at three different volumes to honor the ancestors, to speak to the living, and to leave a resounding record for future generations. This then, is the magic of the Kol Nidre, speaking to all the generations of the Jewish people...

Until picking up Bruce H. Siegel's The Magic of Kol Nidre: A Yom Kippur Story, I was unaware of this ritual declaration, and its importance to Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. It's interesting to note that it is written in Aramaic, rather than Hebrew, and that some scholars believe it originated in a time of extreme persecution, when Jews were being forced to (ostensibly) convert to other religions. The declaration annuls any vow made to God, in the coming year, that cannot be kept, perhaps pointing to its use as a means of nullifying forced conversions. It appears to have a very complex history, both of use and of interpretation, within Jewish law. At the time of the publication of this book, in 1998, Siegel was the cantor at his synagogue in Georgia, and this story seems to represent his own understanding of the structure of the declaration, the meaning behind the fact that it is sung three times. He mentions other explanations given for that fact by various famous Jewish scholars (the Maharal, the Machzor Vitri) in his brief foreword.

I found the narrative here powerful - emotionally resonant, and thought-provoking - and I thought that the accompanying watercolor illustrations from Shelly O. Haas were lovely. A beautiful book about one aspect of Yom Kippur, and its changing meaning throughout one man's life. Recommended to those looking for Yom Kippur picture-books, although I do think a basic familiarity with the holiday is a prerequisite, so this wouldn't be the best introduction for non-Jewish children. ( )

The magic of the Kol Nidre prayer, central to the Yom Kippur service, is explored from the viewpoint of three generations. ( )