Reviews for Miriam's Cup: A Passover Story

The average rating for Miriam's Cup: A Passover Story based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-04-15 00:00:00 Christopher Labb A contemporary young girl named Miriam learns the story of the biblical prophet for whom she is named in this lovely holiday picture-book, one which focuses on the female experience of the Passover and Exodus stories. Gifted with a vision at the age of six, Miriam convinces her father Amran to remarry his wife Jocheved - all the Hebrew slaves in Egypt having divorced their wives, in response to the Pharaoh's declaration that he intends to kill their sons - prophesying that the babe her mother will soon bear will eventually set their people free. When her baby brother Moses is set adrift in the bull-rushes and found by Pharaoh's daughter, Miriam is there to suggest Jocheved (his true mother) as a nursemaid. While the Hebrew people slave away, making bricks for the Pharaoh, Miriam's songs bring them comfort and hope. And when they finally leave Egypt and slavery behind, her dancing and celebration lead them closer to God, just as the miraculous well which follows her through the desert sustains them. Drawing upon a variety of sources, from biblical passages to midrashim (rabbinic commentary on the Bible) and aggadot (rabbinic literature that often incorporates folklore), Fran Manushkin spins an engrossing tale of an important figure in the Passover story. As someone who grew up reading Bible stories, I was already very familiar with the tale of Moses in the bull-rushes, and with the parting of the Red Sea for the fleeing Israelites. I was not as familiar, however, with the role of Miriam in the story, and was consequently glad to have that part of the tale emphasized here. Apparently Jewish feminists have embraced Miriam, and have begun a new Passover tradition, in which Miriam's cup - meant to symbolize her miraculous, life-giving well - is placed on the Seder table beside the prophet Elijah's cup. It's a lovely idea, and this is a lovely book. The engaging story is paired with beautiful watercolor artwork from Bob Dacey, and a song celebrating Miriam is reproduced on the back cover. Recommended to young readers looking for Passover fare, and to anyone interested in the story of Miriam.

Review # 2 was written on 2018-03-30 00:00:00 Daniel Herman An ideal picturebook for sharing the Passover story with children who are familiar with it and those who aren't!