Customer Reviews

The Kingfisher Treasury of Jewish Stories (The Kingfisher Treasury of Stories)

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First, I must comment on what a previous reviewer has stated, that a story entitled "Tu B'shvat in Puddlewick," was changed by the editors to the incorrect title; "Tisha B'av in Puddlewick." Maybe I have a later edition but, in my copy of the book, the title is correct. By the way, the story is an engaging one about young children, who flee London during WWII and observe Tu B'shvat out in the country with the non Jewish family that is caring for them.

This book is for children but, as an adult, I enjoyed the stories also. There is a good mix. Some have religious themes, others nonreligious. Some come from the old country whereas others are American. Additionally, Israel is the setting for a charming story called Batata about a young girl on a kibbutz who is pudgy and wants to lose weight. What does she do on her birthday when there are all sorts of goodies prepared for her birthday? A couple of stories are by the Nobel pize winning author, Isaac Bashevi Singer. One interesting story is a South African story in which a nanny takes the child she cares for to a mosque, every Fiday. This tale is a rather wistful story.

All in all, this is a book that children and adults will enjoy equally.

For students wanting to learn more about Judaism, their own or that of their friends, this book is a great place to start. "Jewish Stories" offers a collection of short stories that represent a sizeable cross-section of Jewish life, heritage, history, and religion. Most important, the vast majority of these charming stories are originals, not adaptations. Topics covered include life in the stetl, living responsibly and ethically, the major holidays, wealth in money versus spirit, and living a happy life. Authors range from such great figures as Isaac Bashevis Singer and Lynne Reid Banks to lesser-known writers; nevertheless, each story is told with grace, charm, and wit - exactly what you would expect in a happy Jewish home. Most notable is Singer's "The Power of Light," which tells of escaping the hell of the Warsaw Ghetto - with seriousness but never abandoning humor and hope, the two qualities that helped the Jewish people survive more than two millenia of persecution. It's a warm book, one that children can read and relate to.

I skimmed the book this weekend and was somewhat disappointed in the collection. I don't find anything that truly connects the stories. But my biggest complaint about the book is with one story by R. Craft. The original story, as mentioned in the acknowledgements, is entitled "Tu B'shvat in Puddlewick," but the editors of this volume changed the title to "Tisha B'av in Puddlewick." This story is clearly connected to Tu B'shvat. The only thing the two holidays have in common is the first letter of the holiday. I do hope the editors pull this edition and make corrections.