Rembrandt’s Blessing

Gr 1-4–When thousands of Jewish people fled Spain and Portugal, many settled in Amsterdam, home of the famed painter Rembrandt. Drawn to his Jewish neighbors, Rembrandt sought advice from one of the city’s leading rabbis in order to ensure the accuracy of his biblical paintings. This book is historical fiction, incorporating children as main characters and including imagined dialogue. These features help to pique the interest of young readers in a story that includes the children’s dress-up play with costumes that Rembrandt used for his models and their key role in initiating a reciprocal relationship. Invited to Sabbath dinner, Rembrandt observed the blessing bestowed upon children each week, inspiring his work entitled Jacob Blessing the Sons of Josef. Realistic illustrations evoke the time period. Jewish traditions are depicted in the story with further clarification provided in the back matter.