One such story is the carefully guarded 'Tale of the Bread,' which was never intended to be written down and was only to be shared with those Bratslavers who could be trusted not to reveal it. In addition to the well-known Thirteen Tales, including 'The Lost Princess' and 'The Seven Beggars,' Schwartz has included over one hundred narratives in the various genres of fairy tales, fables, parables, dreams, and folktales, many of them previously unknown or believed lost. Three-time National Jewish Book Award winner Howard Schwartz has masterfully compiled the most extensive collection of Nachman's stories available in English.

In the last four years of his life he turned to storytelling, crafting highly imaginative, allegorical tales for his Hasidim. The great-grandson of the Ba'al Shem Tov, founder of the movement, Rabbi Nachman came to be regarded as a great figure and leader in his own right, guiding his followers on a spiritual path inspired by Kabbalah. 'About this title' may belong to another edition of this title.Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav (1772-1810) is widely considered to be one of the foremost visionary storytellers of the Hasidic movement. Susan Giffard, Englewood Public Library, NJĬopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. An excellent collection for reading aloud or alone, with selections that are not readily available in other sources. Storytellers of varying degrees of experience and ability will find this a particularly valuable resource. Ten tales are accompanied by Shulevitz's bright, dramatic watercolor paintings. The generous amount of white space makes the book accessible to younger readers. In all, the language is simple and vivid, and the narrative moves along at a good pace. A particularly moving tale tells of how a little bird persuades King Solomon of the cruelty and stupidity of building a palace of birds' beaks. Other stories show similarities to those from other traditions. The story of Og, the giant who takes refuge on the ark during the great flood, illustrates the value of cooperation and repaying kindness while demonstrating the rewards of honesty. Young Chusham, for example, is loved in spite of his foolishness.

This is often a benevolent universe where gentle justice reigns. In this collection of 15 stories, Elijah and King Solomon rub shoulders with witches, goblins, and the fools of the town of Chelm. Grade 3-5- Drawing together the threads of Jewish folk literature from places as distant as Yemen and Eastern Europe, Morocco and Germany, and ranging over 15 centuries, Schwartz and Rush weave a rich tapestry that shows the diversity of Jewish culture.

The Diamond Tree by Howard Schwartz