Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor: Foreward by Blima Marcus

"A special shield provides courage on the battlefield and in the doctor’s office."—Kirkus Reviews

A young boy who initially refuses to get a shot finds inspiration in the Hanukkah story of the Maccabees to summon the courage to get vaccinated in order to help protect his infant sister who is too young to be vaccinated herself. Revised edition includes an introduction by Blima Marcus, a nurse practitioner who has worked with many families and communities to help them understand the importance and the benefits of vaccinations. as well as the research behind the recommendations.

More than anything, Judah wants to be a good big brother to his baby sister, Hannah. He even uses his new Maccabee shield to protect her from danger!

On the last day of Hanukkah, during a visit to the doctor, Judah refuses to have his shot. Surely, his shield can protect him from germs, too! But, as his doctor explains, the shot will protect Hannah by making sure Judah is healthy. To be the best big brother, Judah will have to be brave and make a decision. Being the best and the bravest wasn't only an outside, shiny-shield thing. It was an on-the-inside thing too. And that's what Judah had to show his little sister, Hannah.

"Hanukkah heroism helps a little boy face his fears about getting an inoculation. 

Judah faces many challenges in his desire “to be the BEST big brother ever.” He tries to play with his baby sister, Hannah, and to help her eat her breakfast, but she isn’t satisfied. (She is a baby, after all.) Then as Hanukkah approaches, his bubbe tells him the story of Judah Maccabee, who had four brothers and who “protected them and kept the Jewish people safe, too.” The numerous, white members of Judah’s family gather to celebrate the holiday as the first of eight candles burns brightly in the window, and Judah receives a present: a shield decorated with the Maccabee name. On the last day of the holiday, it’s time for the titular visit to the doctor, a black woman. Hannah and Judah get a thorough checkup, and both are pronounced healthy. Then Judah learns that he will need a shot to help protect both him and his little sister from illness. With his shield in hand and a few tears, Judah gets his inoculation. Koffsky tackles two seemingly disparate subjects for a very young audience and their caregivers, combining Hanukkah themes of bravery with the importance of inoculations that can also protect those too young to receive shots. Colorful art with expressive faces fills the pages.

A special shield provides courage on the battlefield and in the doctor’s office. (author’s note) (Picture book/religion. 3-6)" -Kirkus Reviews

"Ann Kofksy, author of a children’s book on vaccination, sent me a copy of her book, Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor, and I was pleasantly surprised by how perfectly it addressed the topic of childhood vaccination. I had initially expected a simplistic, “Bernstein Bear” kind of storybook.

It was nothing I had anticipated. It was wise, creative, empathetic. Instead of simply focusing on the importance of vaccines in preventing illness, it points to the important but often-forgotten point in protecting OTHERS who cannot get their immunizations. Judah is afraid of a shot but when his dad points out that his baby sister Hannah is too young for her vaccines and needs Judah to be immunized to prevent passing on diseases to her, Judah agrees. And he cries, but briefly. Tying this sweet children’s story to the Chanukah story where Judah is proud to learn that his namesake, Judah Maccabee, was also a brave and strong warrior on behalf of his family and other Jews, is just another layer to this fabulous children’s book. 

My children love how the sibling relationship is depicted. They delight when Hannah tips the tower Judah built for her. They love the honesty where Judah is scared of the doctor, and how he does cry briefly after his shot. I love the siblings' portrayal as well, and I love the emphasis on vaccination to protect those vulnerable around us. The easy explanation goes a long way in explaining immunology."

– Interview with Blima Marcus for AJL News

“An original take on the Hanukkah story—linking the Maccabees with protecting a younger sibling at the doctor’s office is both unexpected and appealing.” –Barbara Diamond Goldin, author of Cakes and Miracles and The Passover Cowboy 

“A terrific story! It reminds us of the importance of vaccines—not only for the health of the individual child but for the wider community, too.” –Dr. Lorry G. Rubin, Director of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York