Editorial Review

“Hannah has just relocated from Minneapolis to rural Minnesota because her father lost his job during the Depression. She is new at school and trying to fit in. The teacher announces that the fall picnic is Saturday, and she is trying to make carpool arrangements. Suddenly, Hannah begins to feel overwhelmed. Home in Minneapolis, Hannah’s old friends would have understood, but here she is scared that she will be an outcast because she is the only Jewish person in the entire school. Her family is observant and does not drive on Shabbat. She begs her family to make an exception and allow her to go with schoolmates in the car, but her parents’ answer is a firm no! After much contemplation, it suddenly dawns on Hannah that she can go if she walks to the park. She explains her predicament to the teacher, who asks if anyone in the class is willing to walk with Hannah. She stares in disbelief as everyone’s hand in the class goes up. This is a touching and true tale of friendship and community. This moving story is based on the author’s visit in 1996 to an exhibit at the Minnesota History Center entitled ‘Unpacking on the Prairie: Jewish Women in the Upper Midwest.’” —The Jewish Journal