Colorful picture book tells story of Persian Passover

A Persian Passover

Written by Etan Basseri and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh

Kalaniot Books, 2022

“A Persian Passover” tells the story of big brother Ezra and little sister Rosa helping prepare for Passover in 1950s Iran.

Ezra likes to run as fast as he can during their errands. At the beginning of the story, he accidentally runs into their neighbor Mrs. Pirnazar. She tells him it is okay. It is good to be fast, but it’s also important to be careful.

The two children take flour to the synagogue. There they hand it to a team of bakers who use the flour to make a stack of matzahs for them.  Matzah is unleavened bread that is eaten for Passover.

As he races home, Ezra trips and falls. The bag of matzah drops into a puddle. It is ruined. The children go to the market, and ask merchant friends if they can borrow any matzahs.

Mrs. Davidian says she has no extra matzahs, but she gives the children some scallions for Passover. Mrs. Roshan also tells them she has no matzahs to share, but she gives them candied almonds.

Then the children run into their neighbor Mrs. Pirnazar. They tell her what happened. She says she has plenty of matzah to share. She also says she will be alone at Passover.

The children invite Mrs. Pirnazar to the Passover seder at their home. They tell her they have learned anyone who needs a place for the seder is welcome. A seder is a Jewish ritual service and dinner celebrated on Passover.

The story ends as the family sits together to enjoy the seder. Mama tells Mrs. Pirnazar that Ezra told them about his accident. She thanks her for helping them, and says they are happy to celebrate Passover with her.

Ezra promises not to rush through the seder. Then he repeats a lesson he learned from Mrs. Pirnazar when he accidentally ran into her.   

“It’s good to be fast,” Ezra says, “but it’s also important to be careful.”

The book is beautifully illustrated with colorful artwork by Rashin Kheirizyeh. Author Etan Basseri says the story is based on listening to his father talk about growing up Jewish in Iran.

At the end of the book, there is information about Passover. It says Jews celebrate Passover every spring. During the Passover seder, they tell the story of how the Jews were slaves in Egypt. God freed them and gave them the Torah.

Matzah is a symbol of freedom. When the Jews were escaping from Egypt, they had to leave quickly. They could not wait for their dough to rise. They baked flat bread.

There are many symbols of Passover on the seder plate. A diagram shows some of the foods and what they symbolize.  

Under the heading “Jews in Persia,” the author gives some history. Jews have lived in the Middle East since the sixth century BCE. In the beginning, Iran was called Persia. Today the culture and main language of the region is still called Persian. Today many Iranian Jews have immigrated to Israel and the United States. However, some remain in Iran.

The book also includes a glossary and a recipe for hallaq, which is Persian-style charoset. Charoset is a sweet, dark paste made from fruits, nuts, and spices. It is eaten during the Passover seder.

Illustrator Rashin Kheiriyeh helps tell the story with colorful illustrations that show expressive characters and details of the Persian village where they live.

The publisher Kalaniot is an imprint of Endless Mountain Publishing Company, Moosic, Pa. Kalaniot publishes children’s books about Jewish culture and history.  

About the Author

Etan Basseri was born and raised in Berkeley, California with a mix of Persian and Ashkenazi Jewish customs. He now lives in Seattle with his wife and children, where he is always responsible for making the Passover charoset. This is his first book.

About the Illustrator

Rashin Kheiriyeh is an internationally recognized award-winning illustrator, author, and animator who has published over eighty children’s books and received fifty national and international awards, including the 2021 Sheila Barry Best Canadian Picturebook of the Year, a Sendak Fellowship, and the Bologna Book Fair New Horizons Award. She has a master’s in graphic design and a doctorate in illustration, and is a lecturer in the art department at the University of Maryland. She lives in Washington, D.C.