Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon: New Jewish Stories

by Zoe Klein, Sandy Eisenberg Sasso (Foreword by)

Overview

A collection of original stories by acclaimed author Rabbi Zoe Klein, Candle, Feather,

Wooden Spoon invites readers on a magical, mystical journey. With settings both

traditional and contemporary, the stories each highlight an essential aspect of living a

meaningful Jewish life. Appropriate for all ages, the many tales include "Time Palace,"

a legend of how the Jewish people created Shabbat; "Yofiel," the story of an angel

who keeps revealing the secrets of Torah; "Shalom Bayit," imagining the chuppah as

a metaphor for powerful social change; and "Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon,"

which reframes these traditional Passover objects as tools for intergenerational healing.

Whether you're a rabbi, cantor, or educator-the storytellers of our community-or just

a lover of stories, this book is sure to stir your heart and inspire your spirit.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780881233568
Publisher:	Reform Judaism Publishing
Publication date:	05/01/2023
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.51(d)

Editorial Reviews

In Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon, Rabbi Zoe Klein offers magical stories filled with wisdom to awaken our hearts, enchant our souls, and open our minds. This book is a blessing you will want to share with friends, children, students, and mentors, a work that will introduce you to new and healing visions of Judaism, self, humanity, and our world.

-Rabbi Naomi Levy, author of Einstein and the Rabbi and To Begin Again

Rarely are we gifted with a glimpse of such expansive imagination that our world opens up and everything suddenly seems possible. These stories are exhilarating and magical, playful and profound, moving and visionary. They are portals into worlds-both breathtakingly new and resonantly familiar-for us, the Jewish people, to inhabit. I will be teaching these stories, reading them to my congregation, and including them in my sermons. And so will every rabbi you know. Mark my words: they're going to change our world.

-Rabbi Rachel Timoner, author of Breath of Life: God as Spirit in Judaism

"Magical" is the only word for Rabbi Zoe Klein's gathering of wise, deep, whimsical stories. In the tradition of the greatest of our rabbinical teachers-who used imagination to engage the mind, heart, and spirit of our people-Rabbi Klein's stories open our eyes, touch our souls, and invite us into a world of enchantment and wonder. This is a book to be cherished for the generations.

-Rabbi Edward Feinstein, author of The Chutzpah Imperative and Tough Questions Jews Ask

From the Publisher

2023-04-18
Klein presents a collection of original Jewish parables for all ages, told in the tradition of rabbinic legends and folktales.

In “Yofiel,” one of the author’s contemporary rabbinic legends, archangels armed with colorful sticky notes flutter about and assign tasks among their brethren, ranging from stoking the Burning Bush to reminding geese which way to fly. Yofiel is an enthusiastic yet incompetent angel, not even to be trusted with a blade of grass, who nonetheless becomes the indispensable keeper of the Torah’s secrets. In “Jew,” a homeless man wipes away at the antisemitic graffiti with which a young boy has defaced the wall of a family-run shop; the swirls of his rag send the perpetrator and his classmate (who works there) into a world of glowing shields and laser rain, a living video game depicting crimes against Jews throughout the ages by Haman and the Nazis. In the title tale, another young boy sets off on a fantastical quest facing a giant and sea dragon— the only tools he will need to succeed are the modest hallmarks of Passover: a candle, a feather, and wooden spoon. The parables in this collection were inspired by the Torah, kabbalistic studies, and other Jewish teachings. The stories are short, yet deep and descriptive, with varied settings that span contemporary times, the forests and villages of European folklore, and the time of the Hebrew Bible. Approachable for adults yet told with children in mind, each story is full of wide-eyed curiosity and earnestness, along with comedy, light scares, and lessons on compassion, empathy, and acceptance of the marginalized or derided. Young minds may wonder, “How was Jonah’s journey for the whale?” or “What did children see during the Exodus?” These questions are enthusiastically explored, and each entry ends with simple yet insightful queries for the reader as well. Though primarily aimed at a Jewish audience, the book contains a small, helpful glossary of terms, and Klein’s approachable style and enthusiasm for storytelling will appeal to readers from all backgrounds.

Lovely and entertaining folklore and parables that can proudly stand beside others in their tradition.

Kirkus Reviews