A Treasury of Jewish Folklore

Great and classic Jewish stories are told here. The collection is diverse and vast, and comes from a wide variety of Jewish sources through the generations. This work has been in print for many years and deserves to remain so , even though there are many collections now which overlap some of its content. Many of these stories are so great that they can be read and reread, enjoyed over and over again.

Like many of the other reviewers, I started reading a copy of this book in my parents' library when I was very young, maybe 8 or 9. I started with the jokes and, as I grew older, graduated to the more complex stories. My favorite part was always the stories of the wonder-working rabbis, especially the Spanish rabbi who tried to bring about the coming of the Messiah. I read this book over and over and over through my teenage years, and many years later, when I was in my 40s, I finally bought my own copy. Upon this later re-reading, I was able to recognize how internalized these stories had become, a part of my own intellectual landscape. I'm not particularly observant, and I definitely fall into the Heritage Jew not Religious Jew category. But these stories fulfill needs for both types. There can be few better ways to explore the heritage of my people than by dipping into the stories included here. All the humor, cleverness, courage, scholarship, and mysticism associated with Jews and Judaism through the centuries--if not the millennia--may be found herein. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for Jews, and I believe that non-Jews will find it a fascinating and accessible window into an oft-misunderstood or underestimated people.

Like one of the other reviewers, I started reading this book when I was a child, probably around 11, and continue to read it and reread it. It has some of the most wonderful Jewish jokes that exist. The most amazing thing for me personally, however, which makes me want to recommend it to others, is that I am a person who identifies a lot with being Jewish and it feels as though a huge amount of my Jewishness, and how it has affected my thinking and way of being, comes from Ausubel's Treasure of Jewish Folklore!!! I think it is one of the most enjoyable ways that a person could immerse him/herself in the essence of Jewish culture.

I started reading my father's copy at the age of 6 (I'm now 40 and I have the 1960 edition). It has been a huge part of understanding my Judaism. It's also a "better mousetrap" of a book; the selections are well-written, informative, funny and charming. I had the book out again recently to learn and perform a couple of the songs.

This book has been an absolute treasure since it first came into my hands in 1950. Every life situation is depicted in this book, most often in a very humorous fashion. A great learning tool. This is to be passed on to my children and their children and their children....... (We have the 1948 edition)