This picture book imagines a friendship between two historical figures: Rabbi Judah Aryeh and the Renaissance painter known as Tintoretto. They lived near each other in the Venice of the late 1500s. Although it was rare for Jews and Christians to interact, Weiss imagines their first meeting on a bridge as the rabbi, when a child, helps the busy painter gather some fallen supplies. He is working on a Last Supper. The young boy recognizes a Passover ceremony, and their consultations begin. The boy becomes a rabbi and a translator—a bridge between cultures and the two monotheistic religions. The painter continues his furiously paced work until recognition of his Last Supper is achieved. Illustrations capture the vibrant, multicultural city of Venice while the developing friendship’s close-ups are endearing. We only get tantalizing glimpses of Tintoretto’s masterpiece (understandably a painting difficult to display in the simpler style of illustrator Kirkham). Still, Tintoretto’s proto-impressionist genius might have been illuminated more fully in word and deed beyond that he “didn’t have patience for the rules other painters followed.”

– Eileen Charbonneau, The Historical Novel

This unusual and appealing story imagines a meeting between two well-known historical figures, Rabbi Judah Aryeh, also known as Rabbi Leon of Modena, and the famous painter Jacopo Robustin, more often referred to as Tintoretto. Both lived in Venice during the late 1500s. Christians and Jews rarely socialized in Renaissance Italy, and Jews faced severe discrimination, having limited professional opportunities. They were forced to identify publicly as Jews by wear-ing yellow circles on their clothing in public. According to the “Historical Notes” section appended to the story, Rabbi Judah Aryeh was something of an exception to the norm. He wrote books explaining some facets of Judaism for non-Jewish read-ers and was the chief Hebrew translator for the Venetian government. Tintoretto was also unconventional in personality and in his approach to life, and his artistic style was unusual for its time. Legend tells us that the two became friends and that Rabbi Judah Aryeh assisted Tintoretto by teaching him biblical details that the artist used to make his paintings?—?including his famous painting, The Last Supper—more authentic. This charming picture book adapts and expands upon this legend, illustrated in soft, pleasing earth tones. The characters are whimsical-ly portrayed, their faces are expressive, and the illustrator gives us an evocative picture of sixteenth-century Venice that is also suggestive of the Venice of today. Young readers will learn about one of the original ghettos in which the Jews were forced to reside, about artistic perspective and techniques, and, most notably, that productive cooperation between Jews and non-Jews has been possible throughout history, even when such cooperation did not generally match the tenor of the times.

– Michal Hoschander Malen, Jewish Book Council

This work of historical fiction imagines a friendship between Rabbi Judah Aryeh and the famous painter known as Tintoretto, who both lived in Venice during the mid-late 16th century. While it is true that Rabbi Judah had an unusual amount of interaction with non-Jews for the time, there is no evidence that he and Tintoretto ever met. The book focuses on a single painting of Tintoretto, depicting The Last Supper, commissioned by a Venetian church. Weiss proposes that Rabbi Judah advised Tintoretto on the composition of the painting, which seems, perhaps, a bit far-fetched. The ending of the book, in which the painting is accepted by the church, is somewhat abrupt. The illustrations portray the expressions and personalities of the rabbi and the painter vividly. The reader can see how they might engaged in passionate discussions of the topics that interested them both. Although the muted tones are pleasant, I wish the illustrator had chosen a brighter palette to match the intensity of the characters. This book meets the criteria for the Sydney Taylor Book Award in its authentic portrayal of the Jewish experience. The setting makes it, as far as I am aware, unique for a picture book. Review Form for The Rabbi and the Painter

– Rachel Fremmer, The Association of Jewish Libraries / Syndey Taylor Shmooze