cover image CELEBRATING THE JEWISH HOLIDAYS: Stories, Poems, Essays

CELEBRATING THE JEWISH HOLIDAYS: Stories, Poems, Essays

, . . Univ. Press of New England, $35 (448pp) ISBN 978-1-58465-184-0

This collection of brief primary sources features some of Judaism's most celebrated figures reflecting about the Sabbath and the Jewish holidays. Isaac Bashevis Singer's poignant short story "The Weekday Mother and the Sabbath Mother" stands cheek-by-jowl with poetry by Isaac Luria and Emma Lazarus, snippets of memoir by Chaim Potok, Elie Wiesel and Golda Meir and fiction excerpts from Tova Mirvis and Sholom Aleichem. It's a rich and varied collection. While the bulk of contributions come from 20th-century and contemporary writers, the books offers great ideological diversity and an international flair. It's particularly interesting to read selections from South America (e.g., Marjorie Agosín's "Rosh Hashanah") in which the "fall" holidays actually occur in the heady, fragrant days of spring. This literary reader gives new meaning to the Jewish holidays by offering imaginative, individual interpretations of ancient rites. (Apr. 4)