Kids get "street" smarts about Jewish life

A blending of cultures has taken to the street as Shalom Sesame, a new series from the creators of Sesame Street aims to teach children about Jewish culture and traditions. Each of the DVDs feature American and Israeli celebrities as well as some new Sesame characters.
Initial titles in the series include "Welcome to Israel" where Grover and his new friend Anneliese explore Israel. Christina Applegate makes a special guest appearance. Also new is "Chanukah: The Missing Menorah" which features Grover and Anneliese celebrating the holiday in Israel. The problem is that just as Grover is on his way to bring latkes to the celebration, Anneliese loses her special menorah after playing a game of tag with a chicken. The friends embark on a search for the menorah hoping to find it before the holiday begins. Debi Mazer makes a guest appearance in the episode.
Future titles will be released beginning January 2011 and will further educate viewers about Jewish traditions, cultures and holidays. Aspects of Jewish life such as celebrating Shabbat, exploring Jewish values and mitzvot, and the Hebrew alphabet will be introduced, along with holidays such as Purim, Passover, Rosh Hashanan and Yom Kippur.