SELECTED AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF CURRENT JEWISH STORY COLLECTIONS 2002 Compiled by Peninnah SchramStoryteller, Author, Teacher, and Recording ArtistAssociate Professor at Stern College of Yeshiva UniversityFounding Director of The Jewish Storytelling Center, 92nd Street YM-YWHA, NYCEach of these books is an excellent source for Jewish folktales, fairytales, legends, midrashim, and parables. Many of them include valuable and extensive introductions and/or endnotes which add to the reader's knowledge and put the stories into a context. The direction now is to acknowledge story sources, even in children's books, so as to honor those sources. It also helps people to understand that these tales Jews have been telling and retelling come from before us, even when they have been adapted and/or given a different setting or time frame. Ausubel, Nathan, ed. A Treasury of Jewish Folklore: The Stories, Traditions, Legends, Humor, and Wisdom of the Jewish People. NY: Crown Publishers, 1990A comprehensive treasury containing 750 stories organized according to themes and characters with introductions which synthesize wide‑ranging knowledge and scholarship of Jewish folklore and traditions. The book also includes humor, sayings, and 75 songs. This "classic" popular anthology was originally published in 1948. Bin Gorion, Micha Joseph. Mimekor Yisrael: Classical Jewish Folktales. Bloomington: Indiana Univ. Press, 1 volume in abridged and annotated edition, 1990This 512 page anthology "from the source of Israel" offers National, Religious Folktales, and Oriental stories culled by Dan Ben‑Amos from the original monumental 3 volumes and with extensive headnotes to each tale and other annotations. There is also a 1‑volume edition containing 113 of the most popular tales but without commentary. Carlebach, Rabbi Shlomo and Susan Yael Mesinai. Shlomo's Stories: Selected Tales. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 1994.Stories from Reb Shlomo's vast repertoire of inspiring tales told in his inimitable style and rhythm. Hasidic wisdom and humor are intertwined with the voice of this minstrel‑rabbi/storyteller. There are no given sources for the stories. Citron, Sterna. Why the Baal Shem Tov Laughed: Fifty‑two Stories about Our Great Chasidic Rabbis. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 199452 retold tales based on the legends of the great Chasidic masters. Arranged in chronological order from the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Chasidism, up to modern times with stories of the Lubavitcher rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Cone, Molly. Who Knows Ten? Childrenís Tales of the Ten Commandments. Illustrated by Robin Brickman. NY: UAHC Press, 1998These 10 stories are gems. Based on folktales and talmudic stories, and with added originality, each tale deals with the theme of one of the Ten Commandments. Frankel, Ellen. The Classic Tales: 4000 Years of Jewish Lore. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 1989A representative collection containing 300 Jewish tales which span 4,000 years of Jewish literature, from biblical to modern times. In addition to the introduction there are appendixes of sources, bibliography, glossary, and indexes. Gaster, Moses. Ma'aseh Book: Book of Jewish Tales and Legends. (Translated from the Judeo‑German) Philadelphia: JPS, 1981A classic volume collection of 254 post‑biblical popular tales, from an original Yiddish manuscript. The tales come from a variety of sources, including rabbinic literature and medieval books. Gellman, Marc. Does God Have a Big Toe? Stories About Stories in the Bible. Illustrated by Oscar de Mejo. NY: Harper & Row, 198920 original midrashim, based on Bible stories, created with humor and a modern perspective. Gellman, Marc. God's Mailbox: More Stories about Stories in the Bible. Illustrated by Debbie Tilley. NY: Morrow Junior, 1996Gold, Sharlya and Mishael Maswari Caspi. The Answered Prayer and Other Yemenite Folktales. Illustrated by Marjory Wunsch. Philadelphia: JPS, 1990.Retold traditional tales brought by Jews arriving in Israel from Yemen via Operation Magic Carpet. Adapted for children, some of the tales are variants of Eastern European tales, while others deal specifically with Yemenite life. There is a glossary and a pronunciation guide. Goldin, Barbara Diamond. A Child's Book of Midrash: 52 Jewish Stories from the Sages. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 1990.52 brief stories collected from the Talmud and other sources of midrashim, especially for children, that illuminate Jewish ethical and moral values. Included are an introduction to midrash, a glossary, and story sources. Goldin, Barbara Diamond. While the Candles Burn: Eight Stories for Hanukkah. Illustrated by Elaine Greenstein. NY: Viking, 19968 stories which include original and traditional tellings on Hanukkah themes. Tales range over many countries and centuries. An introduction to each story presents the source, themes, and customs of the holiday. Goldin, Barbara Diamond. Journeys with Elijah: Eight Tales of the Prophet. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. NY: Gulliver/Harcourt, Brace, 19998 tales featuring Elijah in his many disguises, bringing hope and performing miracles as he travels to many countries. Bibliography. Goldin, Barbara Diamond. Ten Holiday Jewish Children's Stories. Illustrated by Jeffrey Allon. NY: Pitspopany Press, 2000Each of the ten stories highlights various meanings of the holidays. Goldreich, Gloria. Ten Traditional Jewish Children's Stories. Illustrated by Jeffrey Allon. Jerusalem and NY: Pitspopany Press, 1996.10 well‑known stories from 19th and 20th century Europe, including 2 Chelm stories, a trickster tale, and a Golem tale. There are "thought questions" at the end of each story. Jaffe, Nina. The Uninvited Guest and Other Jewish Holiday Tales. Illustrated by Elivia Savadier. NY: Scholastic, Inc., 1993Traditional folktales, a literary tale, and midrashim adapted for 7 major Jewish holidays, and Shabbat, some in new settings, for younger readers. In addition, there is an introduction about the Jewish calendar, a glossary, and a bibliography. Jaffe, Nina. The Mysterious Visitor: Stories of the Prophet Elijah. Illustrated by Elivia Savadier. NY: Scholastic Press, 1997.8 wonder tales of Elijah the Prophet who appears in many disguises as he travels to different places, but always bringing with him a message of peace. Includes glossary, endnotes and a bibliography. Jaffe, Nina. Tales for the Seventh Day: A Collection of Sabbath Stories. Illustrated by Kelly Stribling Sutherland. NY: Scholastic Press, 2000.7 stories focusing on Shabbat theme. The tales include legends, folktales, Talmudic stories, and from Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions. Includes source notes, glossary, and bibliography. Jaffe, Nina and Steven Zeitlin. While Standing on One Foot: Puzzle Stories and Wisdom Tales from the Jewish Tradition. Illustrated by John Segal. NY: Henry Holt, 199317 stories that challenge the young reader to solve a puzzle or dilemma or to answer a riddle. The traditional folklore endings are also given. Sources of each tale and a bibliography are included. Jaffe, Nina and Steven Zeitlin. The Cow of No Color: Riddle Stories and Justice Tales from Around the World. Illustrated by Whitney Sherman. NY: Henry Holt, 19988 Jewish dilemma stories focusing on questions of justice. Each story includes a question the reader must try to solve. Sources/bibliography. Kimmel, Eric A. Days of Awe: Stories for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Illustrated by Erika Weihs. NY: Viking, 19933 stories adapted from traditional sources with the High Holiday themes of repentance, prayer, and charity. Sources are described. Kimmel, Eric A. The Spotted Pony: A Collection of Hanukkah Stories. Illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher. NY: Holiday House, 19928 adapted tales for families featuring fools of Chelm, rabbis, King Solomon, and that clever trickster, Herschel of Ostropol. Sources are given. Kimmel, Eric A., ed. A Hanukkah Treasury. Illustrated by Emily Lisker. NY: Henry Holt, 199813 original and traditional folktales plus poems/songs for Hanukkah, with stories by Howard Schwartz, Peninnah Schram, and others. Lipkin, Lisa. Bringing the Story Home: The Complete Guide to Storytelling for Parents. NY: W.W. Norton, 2000Contains about 20 stories, some from other storytellers, to illustrate the theme of the chapters, such as family folklore and bringing Bible stories to life. Includes many creative approaches to integrating storytelling into the family. Nagarajan, Nadia Grosser. Jewish Tales from Eastern Europe. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 199960 legends and folktales specifically from Czech, Slovak, Polish, and Hungarian written and oral sources from several centuries. Included are many Golem stories, some humorous. Extensive annotations and sources. Patai, Raphael, ed. Gates to the Old City. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 1988This reissued anthology is divided into 7 major genres: Bible, Apocrypha, Talmud, Midrash, Kabbala, Folktales, and Hasidic tales. There are introductions to each section and an excellent annotated bibliography and index. Rush, Barbara. The Book of Jewish Women's Tales. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, Inc., 199474 women's tales spanning the life cycle, nature cycle, and aspects of strong Jewish women. A foreword by folklorist Dov Noy, introductory commentary to each story, and a bibliography and sources index add other dimensions to. the stories. Rush, Barbara. The Jewish Year: Celebrating the Holidays. NY: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2001This book offers more than 35 literary excerpts, ranging from folktales to modern writing, for 17 Jewish holidays, plus folk customs, religious laws, and color art reproductions. Many storytellers are represented in this collection. Rush, Barbara and Cherie Karo Schwartz. The Kids' Catalog of Passover: A Worldwide Celebration. Philadelphia: JPS, 2000This book is a treasure‑trove of Passover: a companion to observing and celebrating the entire holiday. In the four sections, there are abundant stories, history, crafts, songs, seder ideas and questions, and family/community projects to enhance Passover. The book includes Passover traditions from Sephardic, Ashkenazic and Eastern communities. Sadeh, Pinhas. Jewish Folktales. (Translated from Hebrew by Hillel Halkin) NY: Doubleday, 1989This comprehensive anthology of over 250 diverse stories draws heavily on the Israel Folktale Archives and Eastern European literary sources. The foreword and afterword essays are enlightening along with the source credits. In some cases, there needs to be more specific attributions. Sanfield, Steve. The Feather Merchants & Other Tales of the Fools of Chelm. Illustrated by Mikhail Margaril. NY: Orchard Books, 199113 brief and humorous stories collected on the author's travels to Poland. There is an afterword, a glossary, and a bibliography. Schram, Peninnah. Jewish Stories One Generation Tells Another. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 198764 wide‑ranging stories and folktales culled from various Jewish oral and written traditions with source‑filled introductions to each story and an index. The tales capture the oral style of this storyteller. Several stories incorporate music, such as a nigun or a lullaby. The foreword is by Elie Wiesel. Schram, Peninnah and Steven M. Rosman. Eight Tales for Eight Nights: Stories for Chanukah. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 19908 stories, in addition to the ancient legend, which reflect the holiday themes and traditions of Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews. There are appendixes of Chanukah music, notes on the story, and a chapter on retrieving family stories. Two family stories told by the authors are also included. Schram, Peninnah. Tales of Elijah the Prophet. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 199136 stories of Elijah the Prophet, the master of miracles, gathered from various sources and centuries ‑ with a major introduction and endnotes and written in an oral style. The foreword is by folklorist Dov Noy. Schram, Peninnah, ed. Chosen Tales: Stories Told by Jewish Storytellers. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 1995A great variety of 68 favorite and meaningful stories chosen by Jewish storytellers and presented as if the book was a "literary storytelling festival". The tales are written to be heard and retold. Introductions accompany each story plus photographs and bios of the teller. Lists of books and recordings by contributors. Schram, Peninnah. Ten Classic Jewish Children's Stories. Illustrated by Jeffrey Allon. NY: Pitspopany Press, 1998Ten stories, all but one from Talmudic sources, including the debate of the sun and the moon, how Miriam's wisdom saved the Jewish people, and a love story of Akiva and Rachel. Schram, Peninnah. Stories Within Stories: From the Jewish Oral Tradition. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, 2000The fifty stories in this book, drawn from Talmudic and midrashic sources, medieval sources, and especially the Israel Folktale Archives, are frame narratives. Stories are embedded within stories. The intriguing stories range from witty tall tales to Hasidic tales. The foreword is by Howard Schwartz. Schram, Peninnah. The Chanukah Blessing. Illustrated by Jeffrey Allon. NY: UAHC Press, 2000This Elijah the Prophet story includes many folktale motifs with an original plot. Elijah visits a certain poor family because of their special menorah and brings the family blessings. Bibliography. Schwartz, Cherie Karo. Circle Spinning: Jewish Turning and Returning Tales. Illustrated by Lisa Rauchwerger. Denver, CO: Hamsa Publications, 2002Divided into four sections, each section of the book represents the Four Worlds of Kabbalistic intent: spirit; intellect; emotion; and action. The creative midrashim, poems, and visual midrashim reflect these elements. Commentary at the end of stories presents biblical, Talmudic, or folklore sources as well as original adaptations of the author. There is also a Glossary and Index. The following 4 anthologies by Howard Schwartz cover the 4 main genres of stories: fairytales, folktales, supernatural tales, and mystical tales. In each of these volumes, Schwartz has collected tales from talmudic and medieval sources, other collections of stories published throughout the centuries, as well as from the Israel Folktale Archives, and reworked these tales. The tales come from many countries. Always careful about documenting his tales, he includes extensive notes and bibliographies at the end of each volume in addition to a major introduction. Schwartz, Howard. Elijah's Violin & Other Jewish Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Linda Heller. NY: Oxford University Press, 199436 Jewish fairy tales. Schwartz, Howard. Miriam's Tambourine: Jewish Folktales from Around the World. Illustrated by Lloyd Bloom. NY: Oxford University Press, 198850 Jewish folktales from around the world. Foreword is by folklorist Dov Noy. Schwartz, Howard. Lilith's Cave: Jewish Tales of the Supernatural. Illustrated by Uri Shulevitz. NY: Oxford University Press, 199150 mostly brief but dread‑filled supernatural tales full of fantasy and folklore.Schwartz, Howard. Gabriel's Palace: Jewish Mystical Tales. NY: Oxford University Press, 1993150 spellbinding tales recounting mystical experiences from sacred and secular sources. Schwartz, Howard, ed. Gates to the New City. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 1991A reissued anthology which contains more than 180 tales in 7 divisions: Biblical themes, Aggadic themes, themes of Merkavah Mysticism, Kabbalistic themes, themes of Folklore, and Hasidic themes. The book includes a 105‑page introduction with extensive notes on the stories, authors, and an index of stories, in addition to an invaluable 25‑page selected bibliography. Schwartz, Howard. Next Year in Jerusalem: 3000 Years of Jewish Stories. Illustrated by Neil Waldman. NY: Viking, 199611 stories ranging from midrash to Sephardic tales, folk and fairy tales ‑ all about Jerusalem. Sidebars illuminate the stories with historical background of the stories, plus an introduction, glossary and source notes. Schwartz, Howard, The Day the Rabbi Disappeared: Jewish Holiday Tales of Magic. Illustrated by Monique Passicot. NY: Viking, 2000For each of the 12 holidays, there is a story featuring a magical feat by a wise rabbi for the benefit of the Jewish people. Sources given. Schwartz, Howard, A Journey to Paradise and Other Jewish Tales. Illustrated by Giora Carmi. NY: Pitspopany Press, 20008 legendary Jewish tales of magic teaching us lessons. Sources given. Schwartz, Howard and Barbara Rush. The Diamond Tree: Jewish Tales from Around the World. Illustrated by Uri Shulevitz. NY: HarperCollins, 1991A children's book of 15 folktales drawn from the Midrash, medieval Jewish folklore, and from the Israel Folktale Archives, including East European and Middle Eastern tales. Notes on the stories are included. Schwartz, Howard and Barbara Rush. The Wonder Child & Other Jewish Fairy Tales. Illustrated by Steven Fieser. NY: HarperCollins, 1996A children's book of 8 retold Jewish fairy tales from Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Sources and notes on the stories are given. Schwartz, Howard and Barbara Rush. A Coat for the Moon and Other Jewish Tales. Illustrated by Michael Iofin. Philadelphia, PA: Jewish Publication Society, 199915 classic Jewish folktales from all over the world with each tale focusing on a Jewish value. Included are sources and notes. Sperber, Daniel and Chana. Ten Best Jewish Children's Stories. Illustrated by Jeffrey Allon. Jerusalem, Israel: Pitspopany Press, 199510 classic Jewish stories from talmudic and midrashic and folk sources that highlight 10 key Jewish values, such as love of learning and Shabbat, respect for parents, performing mitzvot. Several probing questions are at the end of each story. Sources are given. Introduction by Peninnah Schram. Staiman, Mordechai. Niggun: Stories Behind the Chasidic Songs that Inspire Jews. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson Inc., 1994Each of the 38 stories describes a particular niggun, or melody, and the power it had in the lives of those who sang or heard it. Only one melody is transcribed in the book, but there is an extensive discography of Chasidic music and endnotes. Weinreich, Beatrice S. Yiddish Folktales. (Translated by Leonard Wolf) NY: Pantheon, 1988These wisdom‑filled 178 brief Yiddish tales from the archives of the YIVO Institute are divided into 7 sections: allegorical tales, children's tales, wonder tales, pious tales, humorous tales, legends and supernatural tales. Excellent endnotes are supplied. Zeitlin, Steve. Because God Loves: An Anthology of Jewish Storytelling. NY: Touchstone Books, 1997.A treasury of Jewish stories and storytellers, from ancient tales and classics re-imagined to contemporary family stories, parables, and humor. There are also framed commentaries and stories by other storytellers that connect to the specific story as a form of dialogue. |