Classic Tales - (4,000 Years of Jewish Lore) by Ellen Frankel (Paperback)

About the Book

A retelling of 300 Jewish stories spanning 4,000 years and three continents. Drawing on biblical, talmudic, and hasidic tales, the author creates a classic_a map resource book for the brightest jewels in the vast treasure chest of Jewish lore. Six useful indexes, chronological...

Book Synopsis

A retelling of 300 Jewish stories spanning 4,000 years and three continents. Drawing on biblical, talmudic, and hasidic tales, the author creates a classic_a map resource book for the brightest jewels in the vast treasure chest of Jewish lore. Six useful indexes, chronological table of contents, glossary, and bibliography.

Review Quotes

The Classic Tales: 4,000 Years of Jewish Lore by Ellen Frankel is an extraordinary volume spanning three continents and four millennia. The three hundred Jewish tales in this extraordinary volume begin with the creation; in fact, they go back into myth for pre-creation stories and continue down through history. These stories abound in allusions to classic Jewish texts. Biblical cadences, phrases from the prayer book, and ideas from Jewish proverbs and heroic legends resonate in the air. It is, in short, a family memory.

'Superb' is the word needed to describe this retelling of 300 Jewish stories in chronological order spanning 4,000 years and three continents. Drawing from talmudic, midrashic, hasidic, and folktale sources, Frankel has put together a rich anthology of Jewish tales imbued with the spiritual values of Judaism and the age-old folk wisdom of the Jewish people. Enhancing the collection are several indexes arranged by character types, symbols, topics, and names and places that enable readers to locate specific kinds of material. Also included are a helpful glossary and bibliography containing all the sources used by the author. Sure to become a modern classic, this labor of love is highly recommended.

In The Classic Tales, Ellen Frankel has created a work that will itself become a classic. These 300 stories represent the broad panorama of Jewish lore from all parts of the world, from biblical times through the hasidic masters of the nineteenth century. The book is much more than a retelling of tales, though. Frankel has combined a scholarly approach, a woman's perspective, and the ability to write clearly to produce an indispensable tool for teachers, rabbis, parents, storytellers, and others concerned with transmitting Jewish culture.

The Classic Tales: 4,000 Years of Jewish Lore by Ellen Frankel is an extraordinary volume spanning three continents and four millennia. The three hundred Jewish tales in this extraordinary volume begin with the creation; in fact, they go back into myth for pre-creation stories and continue down through history. These stories abound in allusions to classic Jewish texts. Biblical cadences, phrases from the prayer book, and ideas from Jewish proverbs and heroic legends resonate in the air. It is, in short, a family memory.-- "National Jewish Post and Opinion"

'Superb' is the word needed to describe this retelling of 300 Jewish stories in chronological order spanning 4,000 years and three continents. Drawing from talmudic, midrashic, hasidic, and folktale sources, Frankel has put together a rich anthology of Jewish tales imbued with the spiritual values of Judaism and the age-old folk wisdom of the Jewish people. Enhancing the collection are several indexes arranged by character types, symbols, topics, and names and places that enable readers to locate specific kinds of material. Also included are a helpful glossary and bibliography containing all the sources used by the author. Sure to become a modern classic, this labor of love is highly recommended.-- "Library Journal"

In The Classic Tales, Ellen Frankel has created a work that will itself become a classic. These 300 stories represent the broad panorama of Jewish lore from all parts of the world, from biblical times through the hasidic masters of the nineteenth century. The book is much more than a retelling of tales, though. Frankel has combined a scholarly approach, a woman's perspective, and the ability to write clearly to produce an indispensable tool for teachers, rabbis, parents, storytellers, and others concerned with transmitting Jewish culture.-- "Hadassah Magazine"

About the Author

Ellen Frankel is editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society as well as a free-lance writer and professional storyteller. She received a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Princeton University in 1978 and has taught writing and literature at several colleges and universities. Dr. Frankel lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two children.