The Stories We Tell Our Young Children: Using Picture Books to Explore Race and Black–Jewish Relations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Early childhood Jewish education provides an opportune moment to teach about race and Black–Jewish relations as young children grapple with concepts like justice. This article argues that picture books containing interactions between Black and Jewish characters or a Black Jewish character are a powerful pedagogical tool for this purpose. We created the first inventory of picture books that contain these characters, finding 188 of them which we believe can be invaluable in introducing the vital topic of race and racism to young children in early childhood Jewish classrooms through the historically important lenses of Black–Jewish relations and Black Jewish individuals.