Customer Reviews

A Treasury of Jewish Stories (A Treasury of Stories)

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Here's a nice collection of 15 Jewish folk tales for children aged four to eight. They make terrific read-aloud tales for bed time, or for children in first or second grade, good stories to read oneself.

Whereas most Jewish stories relate to holidays or mitzvot (good deeds), however, these stories vary somewhat. In the first, for example, two guardian angels mistakenly appear before the wrong person, each of them delivering a message about a hidden treasure. The first recipient, Rabbi Jacobs, learns he must travel to Prague, where under a bridge he will find a hidden treasure. He needs such a treasure to help his students, who are constantly harassed by the local village bullies. In Prague, meanwhile, Captain Jiri receives a guardian angel who tells him to travel to the house of Rabbi Jacobs where he will find a hidden treasure --- which he needs to prevent his soldiers from engaging in drunken brawls. In each others' environs, the Rabbi and Captain find the solutions to their travails, and are able to help their flocks.

There are several more tales which also mix societies and cultures, some modern, and some older.

The best, though, are the classic Jewish tales by Issac Bashevis Singer (about a cat who thought he was a dog, and a dog who thought vice versa), and a Chanukah story by Barbara Diamond Goldin about making do with what you have.

This collection will keep you and your kids busy for several nights, with good lessons, to boot.