Jewish Tales from Heaven and Earth
Inspiring Tales to Nourish the Heart and Soul
-
- $18.99
-
- $18.99
Publisher Description
This inspiring collection of stories, compiled by the well-known author, editor and anthologist, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, encourages readers to reflect on the wonder, meaning and purpose of life by tapping into the core values, ethics, beliefs, history and emotions of life from a Jewish perspective. Chapters tell about: Simple Goodness . Hope and Endurance . Continuity and Tradition . Lessons Learned . Light Out of the Holocaust . Great Escapes . Words of the Wise . Providence . Israel
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This potpourri of Jewish short stories and essays was diligently amassed for many years by Rabbi Elkins, author and anthologist. He begins his presentation with the mistaken claim that Jews "are the original storytelling people," ignoring that in all societies, a significant way of transmitting culture from one generation to the next is through stories. The 69 stories presented represent Elkins's "passion for uplifting stories." They come from a variety of sources, including books, newspaper articles and journals. The authors are, for the most part, rabbis, doctors, writers and teachers. Their work is sorted by Elkins into nine topical sections, each containing from five to nine stories as well as an introduction by him. Two sections deal with the Holocaust, while the others explore timeless virtues like goodness, hope, endurance, tradition and providence. A final section addresses Israel as a land of miracles. Although they are uneven in quality, the simply written stories testify eloquently to the Jewish capacity for survival despite the long litany of suffering that has dogged the tearful history of Jews through the ages.
