Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit
Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit
In deference to its cure-all effects, chicken soup is warmly referred to as “Jewish penicillin.” It is not merely the delicious golden elixir itself, but, perhaps even more so, the love that is stirred into every pot-full that produces these miraculous results.
Storytelling is a major component of Jewish tradition and this book honors that heritage with stories that celebrate the joys, sorrows and challenges of being Jewish. Some stories are timely and others are timeless, yet all are filled with heart-and, of course, love.
Discover the invincible power of love in the pages of this book-love of family, love of tradition, love of God. For Jews and non-Jews alike, this collection is sure to capture hearts.
User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars Chicken Soup, No Matzo Balls
Every culture has a version of chicken soup. So what makes “Chicken Soup” so Jewish? Matzo balls. The uniquely Jewish ingredient in Jewish Chicken Soup is the matzo balls.
This book is a lot like chicken soup without the matzo balls. Is it about Jews? Yes. Does it have a Jewish soul? No. I can’t point to any specific thing in the book or about the book that made me feel it wasn’t Jewish. Just like when I eat my Mexican-American neighbor’s chicken soup I can’t point to anything that is specifically not Jewish about it, but it is not Jewish chicken soup. I mean a chicken is a chicken is a chicken, right? But it is not. Maybe it is the fried tortillas floating on top instead of the matzo balls or the presence of cilantro instead of celery, I do not know. But it definitely is not Jewish. There is something missing and that is how I felt after reading this book. There was some Jewish element missing.
Of course there were all of the correct ingredients, the book has a number of stories of Holocaust survivors finding lost family members in the most unusal ways. It has a number of stories about people finding faith, the will to go on and all of the other things you find in a _Chicken Soup for the Soul_ book. But it just wasn’t Jewish feeling.
Instead of this book, I highly recommend reading the collections of Shlomo Carelbach stories if you are looking for something Jewish and uplifting. The book I most highly recommend is: _Reb Shlomele: The Life and World of Shlomo Carlebach_ (Hardcover) by Dr. Gabriel A. Sivan (Translator), M. Brandwein (Author). After that I recommend Holy Brother: Inspiring Stories and Enchanted Tales about Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach Yitti H Mandelbaum personally knew Reb Shlomo and her books about him are fabulous.
4 Stars Quite uplifting.
I read this book at a rather appropriate time, seeing as I’m writing my thesis regarding the treatment of Jews in post World War II Los Angeles this coming semester. I found the stories sweet and uplifting, or moving and intriguing. It’s a quick read, and an enjoyable one. Some stories were a bit schmaltzy, a little too saccharine, but for the most part they were quite good.
5 Stars A heartwarming collection of tales to soothe the soul and lift the spirit.
“Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul” is almost redundant; Jewish chicken soup was the original cure-all in the first place! This collection of 101 stories is divided into several thematic units that demonstrate the power and beauty of Judaism in the synagogue and in our daily lives. Sections include To Life, Being A Jew, On Love and Kindness, Our Common Humanity, Family, The Holocaust, Insights and Lessons, Eclectic Wisdom, and a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms.
Several well-known names are represented (Anne Frank, Kirk Douglas, Golda Meir, Mayor Ed Koch), but every story is a gem, a remembrance of a feisty bubbe, of families reunited after the war, of Nazi persecution and surviving the death camps, of Soviet repression and the dangers and joys of living in Israel. The common thread is the strength of faith and prayer in the face of adversity, and nowhere is the beauty of davening more clearly illustrated than in “My Five-Year-Old Spiritual Teacher” by Rabbi Devora Bartnoff. Her son Lior has Down’s Syndrome, but lives for Shabbos and joining in prayer at the synagogue. “I am in awe of such a moment of Kedusha, of pure holiness. What Lior is experiencing at that moment is a true connection with the Divine.” Rabbi Bartnoff, though weary from chemotherapy, is buoyed by Lior’s absolute faith (she passed away in 1997 at the age of forty-four).
Besides the handy Hebrew/Yiddish glossary, there are also several pages devoted to supporting Jewish causes (Hadassah, National Yiddish Book Center) and descriptions of the individual authors and their works. An uplifting collection of grace, mystery, and humor that captures the joy and mingled sadness of all things Jewish.
5 Stars Cried the entire time!
This is a really heartwarming book. The stories here really get to you. My husband is almost done reading, it and he thinks the stories are amaizing. We recommend it to everyone.
5 Stars Moving collection of stories
These stories are terrific–if you’re not moved by them there’s something wrong with you. My favorite story was the one where the neo-Nazi leader became a Jew after being treated so nicely by the Jewish family. Definitely worth reading and buying.
Filed under: Jack Canfield Book Reviews