Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit (Chicken Soup for the Soul) [Paperback]

Jack Canfield (Author), Mark Victor Hansen (Author), Dov Peretz Elkins (Author)

Book Description

Series: Chicken Soup for the Soul | Publication Date: September 13, 2001

In deference to its cure-all effects, chicken soup is warmly referred to as "Jewish penicillin." It is not merely the delicious golden elixir itself, but, perhaps even more so, the love that is stirred into every potful that produces these miraculous results.

Storytelling is a major component of Jewish tradition and this book honors that heritage with stories that celebrate the joys, sorrows and challenges of being Jewish. Some stories are timely and others are timeless, yet all are filled with heart-and, of course, love.

Discover the invincible power of love in the pages of this book-love of family, love of tradition, love of God. For Jews and non-Jews alike, this collection is sure to capture hearts.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Health Communications' Inc.'s Chicken Soup series has hatched another chick, though this one is so superior to the usual round of "chicken soup for the [insert your occupation or identity here]'s soul" that it deserves special mention. Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit, edited by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, enhances the series' basic recipe with a few delicious matzo balls. Contributors include Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, Kirk Douglas, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Golda Meir, Anne Frank, George Burns, Ed Koch and a host of unknowns. Portions of the proceeds go to Hadassah and the National Yiddish Book Center.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Dov Peretz Elkins point out in their introduction to this latest volume in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series that the metaphor of chicken soup as a source of healing and nourishment has been a Jewish linguistic and dietary staple from time immemorial. They add that storytelling as an instrument of healing goes back to the book of Genesis. The 86 stories in this delightful book deal with the themes of life, being a Jew, love and kindness, humanity, family, the Holocaust, insights and lessons, and wisdom. Authors include such notable writers as Bel Kaufman, Golda Meir, Harold Kushner, Lawrence Kushner, and Yaffa Eliach. The other tales were submitted by readers of previous Chicken Soup for the Soul books who responded to requests for stories. Appended is a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms (oh, come on, we all know l'chaim) and a number of cartoons related to the stories, adding to the book's charm and humor. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: HCI (September 13, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558748989
• ISBN-13: 978-1558748989
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,886 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Prayerbooks

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very touching book, March 22, 2002

By 

David Shapiro (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit (Chicken Soup for the Soul) (Paperback)

I got this book about a month ago when I 1st moved to Hollywood. As a kid I remember sitting around during the holidays and listening to all of the women in my family tell stories of the past. To me this book is like the stories that my mother and grandmother used to tell. The stories in this book are great stories that make you think, make you happy and make you proud to be a Jewish person living in this world.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul - jaxon49, January 24, 2002

By 

Jaxon50 "jaxon" (Lititz, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit (Chicken Soup for the Soul) (Paperback)

This is an inspirational and very touching book. The stories offered in this latest of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series captures the true essence of the Jewish identity. In reading these stories, I was reminded of stories told to me years ago by older relatives. It is truly a source of strength and inspiration for everyone, whether the person is Jewish or not. I've given copies as gifts to share with loved ones the treasure that this book offers.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At last -- the Jewish volume in this great series, November 1, 2002

By 

Rabbi Yonassan Gershom (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit (Chicken Soup for the Soul) (Paperback)

So nu, it's about time we finally got "Chicken Soup for the JEWISH Soul" -- after all, didn't we Jews invent the chicken-soup-cure-all metaphor in the first place? And storytelling is such a big part of our culture, that there was no shortage of material. In fact, according to the intro to this book, one of the reason it took so long to edit is because there was SO MUCH material. Enough, I hope, to do a sequel or two.

I was delighted to find so many of my favorite contemporary stories included: Larry Trapp, the ex-KKK member who had a real change of heart; a prison inmate touched by a hug from the late Shlomo Carlebach; How Kirk Douglas re-connected with his Jewishness at the Western Wall; how Eddie Kantor started the March of Dimes; the heroism of Raoul Wallenberg; the good-hearted people of Billings, Montana, who took a stand against antisemitism, etc. Plus there are many, many new stories to touch the heart and soul. Ten stars!