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| Editor | Steve Zeitlin |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Jewish Publication Society |
Publication date | 2023 |
| Pages | 320 |
JEWels: Teasing Out the Poetry in Jewish Humor and Storytelling is a 2023 poetry collection published by the Jewish Publication Society and edited by Steve Zeitlin. The book also features commentary by Peninnah Schram.[1]
Format
editJEWels is a collection of 179 Jewish stories and jokes transformed into poems, drawing from ancient times through the present day. Zeitlin presents Jews as "cultural, religious, and historical travelers," whose own experiences and stories influence encounters with others.[2] The book is broken into ten sections, each centered around a theme, these being: stories, traveling, jokes, life in Eastern Europe, Torah, The Holocaust, Jewish-American life, food, relationship to God, and the meaning of life.[3][4] Most of the poems have additional commentary, discussing elements such as historical background and literary style.[4] It concludes with a list of discussion questions.[1]
The collection draws from a variety of sources, from 18th-century Hasidic rabbis the Baal Shem Tov and Rabbi Nachman of Breslov to 20th-century comedians (Lenny Bruce and Jackie Mason), writers (Elie Wiesel and Sholem Aleichem), and musicians (Itzhak Perlman), among others.[5] The book largely focuses on Ashkenazi heritage and stories, something Zeitlin acknowledges within the text.[3]
Critical reception
editThe collection received positive reviews from the Jewish Book Council,[2] The Reporter, which appreciated the wisdom offered by the pieces,[1] and the American Folklore Society, which recommended the book "to anyone interested in Jewish culture in general, and especially to those interested in its rich folklore".[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c Esserman, Rachel (March 23, 2023). "Off the Shelf: Jokes, stories and poetry". The Reporter.
- ^ a b Elswit, Sharon (February 13, 2023). "JEWels: Teasing Out the Poetry in Jewish Humor and Storytelling". Jewish Book Council.
- ^ a b Fromm, Annette B. (2024). "JEWels: Teasing Out the Poetry in Jewish Humor and Storytelling ed. by Steve Zeitlin (review)". Journal of American Folklore. 137 (545): 390–392. ISSN 1535-1882.
- ^ a b Ozias, Joseph (2024-03-18). "Review of Steve Zeitlin, JEWels: Teasing Out the Poetry in Jewish Humor and Storytelling". Journal of Folklore Research Reviews. ISSN 2832-8132.
- ^ a b "Steve Zeitlin Publishes JEWels: Teasing Out the Poetry in Jewish Humor and Storytelling". American Folklore Society. January 26, 2023.