Sisters Esther and Hester (both light skinned) live next door to each other; Esther has a fat black cat named Lester; Hester has a stubby brown dog named Chester. When someone moves into the house across the street, both sisters decide to bake a babka for Shabbat to welcome the newcomer, each claiming, “After all, I bake the best babka in the world.” That’s how the “Great Babka Bake-Off” begins. The harmonious relationship between the two briefly frays under the strain of the undeclared competition. Luckily, their new neighbor, Sylvester, turns out to be a Master of Diplomacy (or a hungry opportunist) and equilibrium is restored, at least until the next Shabbat. (“Which of you makes the best KUGEL in the world?”) A breezy, bouncy text and whimsical illustrations delight in this buoyant picture book centered around Jewish cultural and religious traditions. (Ages 4-7)

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The great babka bake-off is on! Esther and Hester’s new neighbor, Sylvester, will gladly be their babka tester, and decide which sister’s Babka is the best. With cat Lester and dog Chester, the new friends enjoy a delicious Shabbat.