Jewish Tales from Eastern Europe is based on written and oral sources, blending old and traditional Jewish values with the character and flavor unique to these regions.
Many of the stories included in this book may be considered treasures that have yet to be presented to the Jewish and general public. Some versions of these tales have been published in different anthologies and languages over the years, but most are basically unknown. The author includes stories from varied oral and written sources, mainly Czech, Slovak, German, some Yiddish, as well as Polish and Hungarian. “Storytelling,” says Nagarajan, “is perhaps the only tool that creates a path leading through the many layers of the past, shedding light on it without destroying the mystery and magic.”
Certain elements in these tales point to influences that came from different sources and many relate to the emancipation of the Czech Jewry. Unlike the Jews in other parts of Central and Eastern Europe, the Czech Jews were more susceptible to the changing times. It is obvious, nevertheless, that despite the foreign elements that emerge from the narratives, faith, and deep attachment to Judaism were never lost but rather provided a source of strength–even for those who had lost their way.
The reader will encounter a variety of topics that span several centuries. Some are tales of fantasy and imagination while others lean on reality and fact rather than legend. A few are based on contemporary personal events and reminiscences. They include love stories ranging from the romantic and innocent to the obsessive and misguided. The joy, euphoria, fear, guilt, sweetness, and bitterness of these tales become obvious within the context of a tale or lies hidden between the lines. Multiple narratives describe a copious array of feelings people have for themselves and others, such as children, parents, and friends. Various tales convey the characters’ deep belief and trust in God. Some are tragic and morbid, some radiate with the pulse of life, some are mysterious and puzzling, and others bring us laughter and amusement while at the same time conveying serious life lessons. All the stories in Jewish Tales from Eastern Europe provide entertainment, but more importantly, they lift a curtain to reveal the past.
Reviews
“Nadia Grosser Nagarajan’s Jewish tales from Eastern Europe contains a diverse and intriguing collection of stories written in the style of the finest literary folktales. When I read these fascinating stories, I felt I was discovering a new way of feeling and thinking, learning historical material, understanding lessons (mussar haskel) valued throughout the generations. Each story is a gem!”
— Peninnah Schram, Associate Professor of Speech and Drama, Yeshiva University’s Stern College
“For those interested in folklore, storytelling, history, humanity – the Jews and non-Jews alike – this book is a meaningful and important contribution to the study, understanding, and appreciation of the worldwide cultures.”
— Cherie Karo Schwartz, storyteller and author living in Denver, tells and teaches throughout the United States and abroad
“These Czech, Polish, Hungarian, and Slovak Jewish narratives, so skillfully translated and artfully retold by Nagarajan, provide a poignant portrait of the plight of the Jews. From the difficulties of finding a suitable match to the unwelcome visitations of the Angel of Death, the engaging vignettes of individuals from centuries past show remarkable consistency of Jewish life.”
— Alan Dundes, Professor of Anthropology and Folklore, University of California, Berkeley
“Just as children today know by heart the most famous of the folktales collected by the Brothers Grimm, so Nadia Grosser Nagarajan has gathered the most beloved folktales of the Jews of Eastern Europe, tales such as The Golden Slippers or The Golden Street. To delve into this book is to journey into a lost Jewish world that was once alive with Jewish stories and still flourishes in these pages.”
— Howard Schwartz, Professor of English, University of Missouri, St. Louis
About the Author
Nadia Grosser Nagarajan was born in Czechoslovakia and educated in Israel and the United States where she received a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of California at Berkeley. Nadia has lectured on Jewish culture as well as 19th century European literature. She has published two other books: Pomegranate Seeds — Latin American Jewish Tales (University of New Mexico Press, 2005) and Pebbles in a Stream (Tallasa Publishing, 2020). Pomegranate Seeds was honored in 2005 as runner-up in the ‘The National Jewish Book Award for Sephardic Culture.’ Nadia lives with her husband, and they have two sons and two grandkids.