Peninnah Schram

Jewish Stories of Love and Marriage offers a treasury of tales that speak to the tenderness and passion, difficulties and blessings of love. Jewish tradition overflows with love stories from the Bible, Talmud, and Midrash. Folktales continue the tradition, and contemporary writers highlight the way their faith and love interweave and enrich each other. From Adam and Eve to Song of Songs, from legends of Solomon to the letters of Alfred and Lucie Dreyfus, these are stories of heartbreak, devotion, and celebration. They tell of how people fall in love and how they grow in love. The narratives are as old as the Bible and as new as the twenty-first century. They come from places as far-ranging as Yemen and New York. The relationships are heterosexual and homosexual, arranged and spontaneous, young and mature. Though the stories reflect the times and places in which they were told, they have a universal message about longing and romance, relationship, respect, and commitment. Noted storyteller Peninnah Schram and Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso collect these narratives and letters for the first time, inviting readers to delve into these stories for entertainment and inspiration, at engagements, weddings, and anniversaries, to recall what once brought people close and what continues to hold them in love.

Jewish Stories of Love and Marriage offers a treasury of tales that speak to the tenderness and passion, difficulties and blessings of love. Jewish tradition overflows with love stories from the Bible, Talmud, and Midrash. Folktales continue the tradition, and contemporary writers highlight the way their faith and love interweave and enrich each other. From Adam and Eve to Song of Songs, from legends of Solomon to the letters of Alfred and Lucie Dreyfus, these are stories of heartbreak, devotion, and celebration. They tell of how people fall in love and how they grow in love. The narratives are as old as the Bible and as new as the twenty-first century. They come from places as far-ranging as Yemen and New York. The relationships are heterosexual and homosexual, arranged and spontaneous, young and mature. Though the stories reflect the times and places in which they were told, they have a universal message about longing and romance, relationship, respect, and commitment. Noted storyteller Peninnah Schram and Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso collect these narratives and letters for the first time, inviting readers to delve into these stories for entertainment and inspiration, at engagements, weddings, and anniversaries, to recall what once brought people close and what continues to hold them in love.

The stories presented in Peninnah Schram's highly anticipated Stories within Stories: From the Jewish Oral Tradition are drawn primarily from talmudic and midrashic sources, medieval texts, and the Israel Folktale Archives. Each enchanting story-within-a-story is part of the Jewish oral tradition and continues to enlighten, educate, and entertain audiences as have all of the author's previous works. The types of stories found in this wonderful collection (described by Peninnah Schram as "frame and chain stories") have been widely popular in both Jewish and non-Jewish literary traditions. Since Jews have lived in so many places, they have been influenced by the stories told by their surrounding neighbors. For example, this genre of tales has been especially popular in the Jewish stories of the Middle East, having been influenced by the structure and contents of Arabic literature. Stories within Stories contains fifty stories, mostly made up of folktales. Various types of stories are interspersed so that a humorous story is followed by a romantic tale, which is followed by a religious tale, which is followed by a tall tale, and so on. The stories come from various ethnic communities represented in the Israel Folktale Archives including Morocco, Iraq, Kurdistan, Persia, Yemen, and Eastern Europe. Gifted and highly acclaimed storyteller Peninnah Schram contributes to the ever-growing library of Jewish folklore collections, thus actively helping to restore the rich treasures of Jewish oral tradition in our contemporary world.

Elijah the Prophet is one of the most popular and beloved figures in all of Jewish literature. Both as a biblical prophet and a folklore hero, Elijah has fascinated Jews all over the world for centuries. He has served in many different roles, offering guidance on how to live Like a mensch, bringing hope, reconciling family members, rewarding goodness while punishing wickedness, rescuing Jewish communities and worthy individuals, seeing that justice prevails, and signaling the coming of the Messiah. Tales of Elijah the Prophet is a brilliant collection of thirty-seven stories selected by the gifted storyteller, Peninnah Schram. In these intriguing tales, we see Elijah as the master of miracles. His chameleon-like disguises are marvelously clever and numerous, using such diverse poses as an old man, a traveler, a matchmaker, a magician, a slave, and even a handsome horseman. He uses these disguises to heighten suspense and fantasy, to test people's behavior, to restore faith, and to bring about a happy resolution to the problems in the story. The tales in this wonder-filled volume cover a range of themes and types of Elijah tales. All are miracle stories, but they vary greatly in mood, character, plot, locale, time, and theme. There are religious stories focusing on restoring faith in God and humorous tales that emphasize resourcefulness. Other stories involve Passover, love, and riddle themes. Peninnah Schram chose thirty-six of these stories, using the Jewish symbolic number of twice eighteen (chai), which is the Hebrew equivalent to "life." And since it is the Jewish custom to add one to a number, perhaps to ensure good luck, she included her favorite story, Elijah and the Three Wishes, in the Introduction. In addition to the stories in Tales of Elijah the Prophet, this volume includes an informative introduction to the character of Elijah the Prophet that explores his various roles in Jewish life and literature. There are also extensive notes to each story, indicating sources a

Peninnah Schram, widely regarded as one of the great Jewish storytellers of our generation, has collected and retold sixty-four delightful Jewish folktales to create Jewish Stories One Generation Tells Another. Ms. Schram, who believes that stories form "the link between the generations," helps forge that link with this book, ensuring that these stories will continue to live and breathe in the modern world. The life force animating these tales is almost tangible. The printed words seem to vibrate, as if the author possessed the voices of various tellers and lent their lilting tones and ripe inflections to the printed page. Furthermore, the laughter, sobs, and delighted cries of countless listeners also echo in these pages. Schram, who has written a thoughtful, informative introduction for each story, demonstrates on every page her belief that the stories "connect to our lives." And when the lifelike characters woven into Schram's magic tapestry suffer or enjoy the fates they most deserve, we rejoice, secure in their storybook world?a world where justice, however incomprehensible, is always done, and where we attain happiness by living in accordance with Jewish law and in harmony with the world's natural order. Jewish Stories One Generation Tells Another abounds in a gentle wisdom that presses itself upon our complex and often self-contradictory lives, infusing us with patience, tolerance, and hope. We identify with the kings and princes, fools and beggars, heroes and leaders, villains and witches of yesteryear because, though our lives are vastly different from theirs, we share their moral choices and experience their dilemmas. Schram joins Jewish storytellers throughout the ages, linking past to present and preserving an invaluable legacy for generations yet unborn.

Tales of Elijah the Prophet is a brilliant and multicolored portrait of Elijah and his role in Jewish life and tradition throughout the ages. It unlocks the world of Elijah, inviting readers to delve into the centuries-old treasure chest of Jewish wisdom.

Peninnah Schram, widely regarded as one of the great Jewish storytellers of our generation, has collected and retold sixty-four delightful Jewish folktales to create Jewish Stories One Generation Tells Another. Ms. Schram, who believes that stories form 'the link between the generations,' helps forge that link with this book, ensuring that these stories will continue to live and breathe in the modern world. The life force animating these tales is almost tangible. The printed words seem to vibrate, as if the author possessed the voices of various tellers and lent their lilting tones and ripe inflections to the printed page. Furthermore, the laughter, sobs, and delighted cries of countless listeners also echo in these pages. Schram, who has written a thoughtful, informative introduction for each story, demonstrates on every page her belief that the stories 'connect to our lives.' And when the lifelike characters woven into Schram's magic tapestry suffer or enjoy the fates they most deserve, we rejoice, secure in their storybook world?a world where justice, however incomprehensible, is always done, and where we attain happiness by living in accordance with Jewish law and in harmony with the world's natural order. Jewish Stories One Generation Tells Another abounds in a gentle wisdom that presses itself upon our complex and often self-contradictory lives, infusing us with patience, tolerance, and hope. We identify with the kings and princes, fools and beggars, heroes and leaders, villains and witches of yesteryear because, though our lives are vastly different from theirs, we share their moral choices and experience their dilemmas. Schram joins Jewish storytellers throughout the ages, linking past to present and preserving an invaluable legacy for generations yet unborn.