Lena Schiff
Rochelle Weinfeld was bubbling with excitement. Her mother was in the hospital having just given birth to a baby boy, and the Weinfeld household was a buzz with activity in preparation for the new arrival. But when her father came home, it became apparent that something was seriously amiss. After the shalom zachar, he called the children together and gently broke the news. There was something wrong with the baby. It seemed that he had Down's Syndrome; he was different - a "special" child
In its historical context, I appreciate what it was trying to do, and I really appreciate that the author was trying to destigmatize Down Syndrome in the frum community in the 80's or whenever this was written. That having been said, society, including the frum community, thankfully, has already accomplished whatever a book like this is able, to the point that the book itself sounds dehumanizing towards people with Down Syndrome. I think the next stage, which is hitting the world at large but not this specific population, is to give people with DS a platform for their own voices rather than having other people talking ABOUT them.
The writing wasn't bad, but this book has already run its course.
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