Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

I found this anthology to be full of compelling stories - many having to do with extraordinary coincidence, others simple stories of Jewish life. I was surprised at the high caliber of writing in this book, since some of the other "Chicken Soup" books are more about inspiration and less about the craft of writing. There is a lovely story by Rabbi Gerald Wolpe about the great kindness of a fellow congregant, and a remarkable account from Norman Jaffe and Leslie Riskin about "The Day Hitler Touched Me." All in all, it is a wonderful compilation, well worth the cost. I highly recommend the book.

My boyfriend gave me a copy of this book for Hanukkah. I loved reading the short essays and stories about various aspects about Jewish life. It was enjoyable to read stories containing all the Yiddish words that I grew up listening to and understanding. This is a book that you should read one or two stories at a time and then think about what you read to get the full feelings of the stories. They will truly touch you.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I can't wait to pass it on to my Mom and other friends and family.

I found Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul to be both heart-warming and inspiring at the same time. While this collection of stories contains articles by a number of famous, well-respected individuals (such as Golda Meir, Ed Koch, and Anne Frank), I found Ms. Arielle Greenbaum's essay to be the most touching. Ms. Greenbaum has the uncanny ability of being able to convey such a deep and meaningful message while writing at a level that even high school students can understand. For this reason, it is clear that Ms. Greenbaum, a young college student, has a very bright future ahead of herself.
While I consider Ms. Greenbaum's article to be head and shoulders above the other entries, the editors of this book have done an excellent job of collecting expressive papers written by a number of "unknowns." Therefore, I highly recommend this book. Maybe you can find your own new favorite author hidden in this book; but don't be surprised if you come to the same conclusion as I did - that Ms. Greenbaum will be the author of the next generation.

Wonderful stories, not only feel good stories, but some actual miracles! I cried, I smiled. I read this book one or two at a time at bedtime. The short stories would be nice to read at the table on Shabbat. I agree with another reviewer, you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy this book!

I laughed, I cried, I remembered. This is a great book, even if you are not Jewish. It contains a wonderful story about the present Pope. There is something for everyone.
Now, I am waiting for Chicken Soup For the Jewish Soul #2 and hopefully, #3.

"Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul" is almost redundant; Jewish chicken soup was the original cure-all in the first place! This collection of 101 stories is divided into several thematic units that demonstrate the power and beauty of Judaism in the synagogue and in our daily lives. Sections include To Life, Being A Jew, On Love and Kindness, Our Common Humanity, Family, The Holocaust, Insights and Lessons, Eclectic Wisdom, and a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms.

Several well-known names are represented (Anne Frank, Kirk Douglas, Golda Meir, Mayor Ed Koch), but every story is a gem, a remembrance of a feisty bubbe, of families reunited after the war, of Nazi persecution and surviving the death camps, of Soviet repression and the dangers and joys of living in Israel. The common thread is the strength of faith and prayer in the face of adversity, and nowhere is the beauty of davening more clearly illustrated than in "My Five-Year-Old Spiritual Teacher" by Rabbi Devora Bartnoff. Her son Lior has Down's Syndrome, but lives for Shabbos and joining in prayer at the synagogue. "I am in awe of such a moment of Kedusha, of pure holiness. What Lior is experiencing at that moment is a true connection with the Divine." Rabbi Bartnoff, though weary from chemotherapy, is buoyed by Lior's absolute faith (she passed away in 1997 at the age of forty-four).

Besides the handy Hebrew/Yiddish glossary, there are also several pages devoted to supporting Jewish causes (Hadassah, National Yiddish Book Center) and descriptions of the individual authors and their works. An uplifting collection of grace, mystery, and humor that captures the joy and mingled sadness of all things Jewish.

Heart warming stories. Stories you can read to another adult or child and talk about. Perhaps won't make you tear as some other Chicken Soup books, but you go days thinking about the stories in the book and want to talk about them.