Czech literature has been desperately lacking for a long time a book like Cha Cha Cha, Mordechai laughed: a joyful journey through Jewish history. To be sure, there are many titles devoted to Judaism in this country, but with rare exceptions, they tend to be aimed at adult readers or focus on the tragic history of the last century. Yet Judaism is an inseparable part not only of our culture, but also of our history and, not least, of our everyday lives. As it says in the blurb, this book is for curious and hesitant readers from ten to one hundred and twenty years old. Anyone who is eager to learn about Judaism and doesn't know where to start should certainly not miss it in their library.
Klára and Tobias Smolík's book draws the reader into the adventurous story of Mordechai, the watchmaker's son, who accidentally breaks a precious clock and embarks on a journey through time. He jumps through the centuries, completing tasks while learning about the history of the Jewish people in Bohemia and Moravia. In a playful way, the book teaches readers about Jewish traditions, holidays and important figures in Jewish history. The authors have placed the important information in small windows, where they briefly explain what they are about and what they are for. For example, we learn what the Talmud is, the role of the rabbi in Judaism, and what and when the holiday of Pesach is celebrated. All this is complemented by Vojtěch Šeda's cheerful illustrations, which often in the form of a comic strip add momentum to the story and present individual artefacts or characters to the reader. Thus, Judaism does not just remain a mysterious enigma for the reader, but takes on a tangible form and reveals its charm and wonderful culture.
Magdalena Maňáková
SMOLÍKOVÁ, Klára a Tobiáš SMOLÍK. Cha cha chá, zasmál se Mordechaj: veselé putování židovskou historií. Praha: Argo, 2020.
The review was created at the Department of Journalism of FSV UK under the supervision of PhDr. Jana Čeňková, Ph.D.
