An exciting new treasury of Jewish stories and storytellers, from ancient tales and classics re-imagined to contemporary family stories, parables, and humor
"Why were human beings created?" goes a traditional Jewish saying. "Because God loves stories." Storytelling has been part of Jewish religion and custom from earliest times and it remains a defining aspect of Jewish life. In Because God Loves Stories, folklorist Steve Zeitlin assembles the work of thirty-six Jewish storytellers, each of whom spins tales that express his or her own distinctive visions of Jewish culture. Contemporary storytellers re-interpret stories from the Talmud for modern sensibilities, the Grand Rabbi of Bluzhov tells tales of the Holocaust, beloved comedian Sam Levenson regales readers with hilarious vignettes of Jewish life in America, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
disappointingly light:
I was not impressed in the least by this collection, for several reasons. First, a great deal of introductory material is offered--discussing the context of the contributor's life and works--generally at the expense of the material per se. Second, the material is weighted toward anecdotes and away from folktales, myths, legends, and other traditional literary forms. Third, with so much coverage devoted to the modern period--where Judaism has all but unraveled into bits here and nits there--any sense of... more info
Stories from all walks of American- Jewish life:
The idea of the anthology is a good one, though I wished it had included more stories about 'Eretz Yisrael' which is after all the center of Jewish yearning for generations. The work focuses on American- Jewish stories and storytellers, although of course many touch upon Old World experiences. The storytellers themselves come from a variety of walks of life, some being professional storytellers, some well- known Jewish cultural figures and some being ' everyman' . The stories often have a folk quality about... more info
These are stories to love!:
It`s an amazing book. After I bought it I couldn`t stop reading until I was through! Amazingly funny, poetic, inspiring and touching stories, from the first one to the last one. Good source - let`s say, a sampler - of Jewish wisdom. The book resides on my bedside table now - in case I need some inspiration for good dreams...
Because we love stories...:
What a joy to read this anthology! In a world where the media is constantly on our nerves with the ever-going show of human misery, to read this set of stories is a therapy. It makes you laugh, it makes you wonder, it brings you closer to God and His creation, it revives a deep-rooted "jewishness" that we seldom are aware off or have simple forgotten. It makes you feel like a child savoring his favorite ice cream: when it is finished, he cries out for more!
