Jewish Science Fiction and Fantasy? Yes! Wandering Stars is the landmark collection of Jewish science fiction and fantasy. The first of its kind, it is an established and enduring classic. This is the first time in a science fiction collection that the Jewish People—and the richness of their themes and particular points of view—appear without a mask. Wandering Stars is a showpiece of Jewish wit, culture, and lore, of the blend of humor and sadness, cynicism, and faith. In these pages you’ll find superlative tales of fantasy and science fiction by masters.
One of the few books concerned solely with the humor of a single state, this volume includes samples of what North Carolinians have laughed at -- and with -- from 1709 to the present. It is a rich anthology of Tar Heel anecdotes, homespun quips, hilarious stories, folklore, exaggerations, and observations. In this wide range of humor, Walser has provided a valuable recording of American folklore and the social history of North Carolina.
Journey with me, back in time, to enjoy the street-wise Bonx neighborhood characters and characteristics of a misspent youth. Passion and lust mesh harmoniously with the humanistic traits of love, concern for others in a compendium of short stories, paragraphs and essays that provoke, prod and get-your-attention.
"In the 25 years since [Stern] published his first book, younger Jewish writers have run with a similar shtick . . . But Stern was there first." —The Toronto Globe and Mail The Book of Mischief triumphantly showcases twenty-five years of outstanding work by one of our true masters of the short story. Steve Stern's stories take us from the unlikely old Jewish quarter of the Pinch in Memphis to a turn-of-thecentury immigrant community in New York; from the market towns of Eastern Europe to a down-at-the-heels Catskills resort. Along the way we meet a motley assortment of characters: Mendy Dreyfus, whose bungee jump goes uncannily awry; Elijah the prophet turned voyeur; and the misfit Zelik Rifkin, who discovers the tree of dreams. Perhaps it's no surprise that Kafka's cockroach also makes an appearance in these pages, animated as they are by instances of bewildering transformation. The earthbound take flight, the meek turn incendiary, the powerless find unwonted fame. Weaving his particular brand of mischief from the wondrous and the macabre, Stern transforms us all through the power of his brilliant imagination.
Alan King -- the beloved comic, actor, producer, author, philanthropist, and storyteller extraordinaire -- has compiled a wonderfully readable book about growing up Jewish, with totally original contributions by famous people. Combining warmhearted humor with a prideful nostalgia, these essays discuss life in the Jewish family and neighborhood, being a Jew in a non-Jewish world, Jewish holidays, and discovering the essence of being Jewish.
Whats a spirit to do! The prophet Elijah sends Serach out of the Garden of Eden to assist Hillel Kramer, the troubled rabbi of Kehillat Shalom. When she disguises herself as Sara, the new office volunteer, the rabbi eludes her, but congregants besiege her. Perhaps she should help Ruchamah, a widow afraid to fall in love again. Or Simon, a violinist whos wife left him with a young son. Possibly she could turn her attention to Ida caring for her husband, afflicted with Alzheimers. And then, theres that administrator, Marcia, who treats her like a servant. All she has to do is provide Ruchamah with someone to love, find a mother for Simons young son, remove Idas husband from the house, ignore Marcia and come up with a master plan for the rabbi, but her interventions backfire. Hillels troubles increase. Not only does she fail to help the rabbi, she inadvertently becomes attached to the congregants. An infuriated Elijah orders her back to the Garden. Torn between her desire to remain at Kehillat Shalom and her duty to return to the Garden, Serach makes a choice that will transform the rabbi, the community and herself.
One of the most important questions you’ll ever ask in this lifetime can be answered only by the person looking back at you from your mirror. The question is: “How do I find out who I am and what I want to do?” It usually doesn’t faze those who are lucky enough to have a clear picture of how they see themselves. The student heading for med. school knows what’s in store for him: the work, the respect, the honors, the money, the quickie with Nurse Florence Nightenhot under the O.R. table, the nine-iron, the sand trap and the malpractice suit. But what about the students who have been unable to latch onto specific goals? The English majors, liberal arts majors, the economics majors. What will it be for them? A career in business, a chief executive of IBM? Or will they be running a fast-food stand selling “The Whopper?” There’s no statute of limitations on deciding what you want to be. The verdict can come a year after college, or five years after or possibly longer. And even if one does make a concrete decision, the concrete can crack pretty fast because things change. With Howard Albrecht, that fellow we all know and love, it took twenty years but he finally found, “what he wanted to do in life” write comedy for the likes of Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Alan King, Bob Newhart, Dom DeLuise and many, many others. That decision has given him, for the past thirty some odd years, a great deal of pleasure, pain, excitement, stress, anger, contentment, and out and out fun. This memoir tells of those years and his adventures in the laugh trade.
The first comprehensive resource for pastoral care in the Jewish tradition—and a vital resource for counselors and caregivers of other faith traditions. The essential reference for rabbis, cantors, and laypeople who are called to spiritually accompany those encountering joy, sorrow, and change—now in paperback. This groundbreaking volume draws upon both Jewish tradition and the classical foundations of pastoral care to provide invaluable guidance. Offering insight on pastoral care technique, theory, and theological implications, the contributors to Jewish Pastoral Care are innovators in their fields, and represent all four contemporary Jewish movements. This comprehensive resource provides you with the latest theological perspectives and tools, along with basic theory and skills for assisting the ill and those who care for them, the aging and dying, those with dementia and other mental disorders, engaged couples, and others, and for responding to issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and disasters.
Pp. 9-334 contain 39 chapters, many of which were originally written as individual essays. Citron is a Holocaust survivor from Poland; the foreword (p. 1-5) relates her experiences in 1942-45, when at the age of thirteen she was deported to Auschwitz, then sent to various work camps. In April 1945 she and her mother were placed in a cattle-car transport with ca. 1,000 women, which was bombed by the Allies near Berlin; she and her mother survived, but about 500 women were killed in the bombing. Later she settled in Israel. The chapters discuss issues such as the roots of antisemitism, Christian hatred of the Jews throughout the centuries, anti-Jewish propaganda on the part of the Church, the Nazis, and now the Arabs who aim to destroy the Jewish people and the State of Israel. The indictment is against all of the forces who in the past and in the present have hated the Jews and wished to destroy them. Pp. 335-356 contain 13 appendixes relating to the Arab conflict with Israel.
