Treasures of the Heart: Holiday Stories That Reveal the Soul of Judaism

I gave a copy of Treasures of the Heart to my grandmother and she loved it. She has been a Bible School teacher in Massachusetts for over 60 years, after reading the book, she commented "I wish I had read this book in the beginning, because Diane tells the stories so well and makes them so clear."

I read this review by Ron Kaplan in the New Jersey Jewish News andwanted to share it:"That these stories are familiar in no way detracts from readers' enjoyment. Using copiously researched sources, Wolkstein makes the tales meaningful and lyrical as she traces Judaism's roots through its biblical generations.Critical to appreciation of the stories themselves are the citations Wolkstein offers. As when reading the wroks of Shakespeare, one often needs explanations insofar as language, customs, andcontext are concerned. Wolkstein's explications enhance the reading enormously. Books like TREASURES OF THE HEART are fodder for discussion, both on literary and religious levels."I hope this book will be appreciated and enjoyed by many readers.Pat Thurman

This book is extraordinary. As Peninnah Schram wrote in herPARABOLA review:"Turning and weaving are the choreographic movements that Diane Wolkstein has used in composing her extraordinary expansive book. She has turned the Torah toreveal its seventy faces interweaving, in various combinations, oral legends,Talmudic and midrashic texts, history texts, academic findings,along with her own interpretations and reflections....This is a book that will truly give the readers an understanding heart, listening eears and vision through new eyes. Highly original in concept, it opens many pathways to understanding the spiral flow of Jewish time, the binding core of Judaism. Through the sacred narratives that have been read aloud communally for centuries--and continue in synagogues today--the book highlightsthe recurring holiness of sacred time....She infuses her work with the appreciation and learning gained under the mentorship of her acknowledged translators and guides, expecially Reb Sholomo Carlecach."This is a very insightful piece that captures the essence of TREASURES OF THE HEART. I urge everyone to read it.Nancy Kahan

The God of the Old Testament performs many functions: he is a severe master, a patient teacher, the leader of his chosen people,the inspiration to all. He is also frequently puzzling. In this wonderful book, Diane Wolkstein has scraped away all the old habits, the many accretions which had taken the life out of these stories.Thanks to her, their protagonists are people we understand, people almost like us.The soul of Judaism -that base of Western civilization- is indeed one of the gifts the author makes us: but there is also much more. As we come to know one of the world's oldest religions, it is also ourselves we discover.All that is is a very great deal; but there is more. Diane Wolkstein never lets us forget that she is an inspired story teller. Who would have thought that the Bible could be filled with suspense, or indeed that we would be made to care so much about many of its figures?This is a book that anyone with interest in the human psyche, in history, in drama, in religion should read.

This book brings to life the bible stories we are all familiar with in a completely new way. For anyone looking to the bible for a connection to ancient wisdom, this book is an invaluable resource. Also anyone looking to learn more about Judaism and Jewish culture should pick up a copy of this book right away. Besides being a delightful, surprising read, the book is full of not only information but profound wisdom for anyone who is ready for it. This revolutionary book will offer you a doorway into ancient Bible stories you could not have imagined. Wolkstein's modern interpretations, feminist and humanist, never compromise the authenticity of the text itself. Highly recommended.