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Solomon and the Ant: And Other Jewish Folktales
A treasure trove of forty-three religious, wisdom, riddle, and trickster Jewish folktales that have been told near the hearth, at the table, and in the synagogue for centuries. Sheldon Oberman, a master storyteller, retells the tales with simplicity and grace, making them perfect for performing and reading aloud. Peninnah Schram, herself an acclaimed storyteller and folklorist, provides lively notes and commentary that examine the meaning of each tale and its place in history.
168 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 9, 2020
A fantastic collection of folktales that leaves you wanting more. There is everything here, from Biblical prophets and kings down to the poorest of the poor, from wise rabbis to simple shepherds, from clever tricksters to the foolish people of Chelm.
The introductions and explanatory notes by Penninah Schram were helpful, but could have been put in larger print. However perhaps the idea was to imitate the traditional layout used in the Talmud, where the main text is given in a large font, while the commentary and annotation surrounds it in characters of increasingly smaller size.
At the time of reading, I belonged to a storytellers' group, and decided to tell a story from this collection. I chose the story in which the Prophet Elijah appears during Passover to reward the generosity of a poor man and his wife, while punishing the lack of these qualities in the man's rich and worldly brother and his wife. The telling went well. Hopefully I did not mangle the Hebrew words and phrases too badly!
The introductions and explanatory notes by Penninah Schram were helpful, but could have been put in larger print. However perhaps the idea was to imitate the traditional layout used in the Talmud, where the main text is given in a large font, while the commentary and annotation surrounds it in characters of increasingly smaller size.
At the time of reading, I belonged to a storytellers' group, and decided to tell a story from this collection. I chose the story in which the Prophet Elijah appears during Passover to reward the generosity of a poor man and his wife, while punishing the lack of these qualities in the man's rich and worldly brother and his wife. The telling went well. Hopefully I did not mangle the Hebrew words and phrases too badly!
November 5, 2020
Learning from the Spiritual Warriors described in these stories. My age/life experience has taught me many if these lessons, but not all. I will be returning to this book.
Story Notes.
These stories are from different times and locations. This collection contains a variety of stories
� stories from what we call Spain in the time of the convivencia in which Islamic, Jewish, and Christians are referenced.
� a story from a time when Jewish scholars were honored and paid for their academoc knowledge, probably pre-1492 in the Mediterrean.
� a story about jewelers of Amsterdam probably from Modern Period in Amsterdam.
People who are denied the right to own and farm land, people who live in towns conducting business as owners, operators, and employees develop a different wisdom from land-based wisdom, developing instead a spiritual warrior wisdom. It is a gift of the disenfranchised.
Textual Notes.
This is an academic collection complete with
Summary
Commentary
Sources and Variants
Motif List
Good way to get a general overall idea of spiritual warriors in general and Jewish spiritual warriors in particular.
Story Notes.
These stories are from different times and locations. This collection contains a variety of stories
� stories from what we call Spain in the time of the convivencia in which Islamic, Jewish, and Christians are referenced.
� a story from a time when Jewish scholars were honored and paid for their academoc knowledge, probably pre-1492 in the Mediterrean.
� a story about jewelers of Amsterdam probably from Modern Period in Amsterdam.
People who are denied the right to own and farm land, people who live in towns conducting business as owners, operators, and employees develop a different wisdom from land-based wisdom, developing instead a spiritual warrior wisdom. It is a gift of the disenfranchised.
Textual Notes.
This is an academic collection complete with
Summary
Commentary
Sources and Variants
Motif List
Good way to get a general overall idea of spiritual warriors in general and Jewish spiritual warriors in particular.
January 19, 2010
A wonderfully written and marvelously well organized collection of Jewish tales from throughout the Diaspora. Besides the excellent presentation and retelling of the tales themselves, the book's meticulous research and commentary make this a scholar's delight. A great source for sources, enabling further research, which is a real boon if you want to delve deeper into certain stories. The time periods and geographical areas covered/included are wide-ranging. All around great find, highly recommended!
October 9, 2017
Someday when I'm not experiencing the stories for the first time, I want to read all the extra notes! Read a few; fascinating stuff.
August 25, 2008
Suitable for gr. 4-up. Brief folktales from the Jewish tradition are retold. Each one is accompanied by a note and commentary giving the history of the tale as well as variations and other sources. Although these notes are in smaller print (like footnotes), they could be distracting or intimidating to readers, especially since some of them are somewhat scholarly. The folktales themselves are very easy to read and understand. A glossary of Hebrew terms is included, as well as a very extensive bibliography. There are no pictures.
July 28, 2010
SYDNEY TAYLOR HONOR BOOK (2007)
Format: Collection of folktales
Age level: Any, depending on the story
Protagonist: Varied
Brief Summary: This book is a collection of forty-three folktales that have a variety of themes and lessons. In addition, extra information is provided for each folktale. A few sentences or a brief paragraph precedes the stories. Notes, commentaries, and the sources or variants of the tales are recorded after the folktales.
Format: Collection of folktales
Age level: Any, depending on the story
Protagonist: Varied
Brief Summary: This book is a collection of forty-three folktales that have a variety of themes and lessons. In addition, extra information is provided for each folktale. A few sentences or a brief paragraph precedes the stories. Notes, commentaries, and the sources or variants of the tales are recorded after the folktales.
October 26, 2013
The title caught my attention because I wondered if it was the same story that appears in the Qur'an. No, as it turns out, but not to worry; all the stories in this book are delightful. Although it is billed as a children's book, adults will enjoy not only the stories but the commentary provided after each story. My only objection is that this commentary was written in very small print, making it hard for me to read.
May 24, 2010
I really liked these folktales, but the format will be hard for kids to get into. The source and background notes are interesting for adults, but will feel like too much for kids. No illustrations. Good for reading aloud.
November 13, 2010
Lydia and I couldn't get enough of these witty folktales, only 2-4 pages each. They educate the soul in addition to giving you a taste of Jewish history and culture. She read all of them again after I read them out loud to the girls.
September 7, 2013
Put it on my wishlist. great stories with good notes and sources etc.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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