I loved seeing a part of another culture's history come to life, especially for children. It was interesting to see how the story has different tellings depending on who and where they are told. In the story of Golem that I heard while in Prague, Golem became a dangerous creature that killed people after the Rabbi lost control of it. On my second reading I found more of the story that unfolded layer by layer within the artwork. The artwork is very fitting for the story, although I was at first not sure if I liked it or not. Wisniewski uses paper artwork to bring the beautiful, historic city and unique, dark story to life. This illustrated children's book does a good job of bringing the story to life. The story is very much a part of Prague's history some believing in it while others find it as only a folktale. While there, I learned the history of Golem while touring the synagogues and old community in the Jewish ghetto. Impressions: This last summer I had the chance to visit Prague. But he also fell in love with living, and wanted to continue doing so even when the Rabbi turned him back into clay.ĪPA Citation: Wisniewski, D. Golem helped the Jewish people by keeping them safe. Seeing that his people needed help, Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel, created Golem, a "giant of living clay, animated by Cabala." (Wisniewski, 1996). Book Summary: Set in Prague, 1580, Golem tells the tale of how the Jewish citizens of Prague were forced to live in ghettos and were treated cruelly by the other citizens.
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