The Power of Jewish Holiday Stories

The story is an important component of Jewish literature, conveying important ideas. Of course, it is not the only such technique, but no other medium transmits Jewish values and ideas as powerfully as does a story. There are laws, there are poems, there are prayers and there are ethical treatises, but none of these modalities compare with the power of a story.

In this book, The Power of Jewish Holiday Stories: Their Meaning for Our Time, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins uses the power of the story to illustrate meaningful examples of spiritual growth from the experiences of many Jewish people. Their experiences often occurred during the Jewish holiday season, beginning with Elul, and followed by the Ten Days of Repentance. He then presents stories that exemplify the beauty and holiness of Shabbat, followed by year-round stories encapsulated in his Days of Faith section.

These stories have been compiled by Rabbi Elkins during his more than 50 years as a Rabbi. In addition to his own stories, he also includes stories from his colleagues, friends, and associates.

These inspirational stories provide new meaning for our time.

"God, if it was raining and You didn't have a hat, I'd lend You mine. And if my hat wasn't big enough to keep You dry, I'd lend You my cloak. And if that wasn't enough, I'd stand over You and let the rain fall on me. That's how much I love You."

The Shepherd's Prayer

A young man had a dream. In it, he saw an angel holding a stack of beautiful books.

"Whose books are those?" he asked the angel.

"They are yours," was the answer, "if you have the courage to write them."

Rabbi Hayim of Volozhin

Dov Peretz Elkins is one of the most spiritual people I know. His creative work in education and nourishing human beings is known throughout the world. ... His work continues to be chicken soup for my soul.

Jack Canfield, co-author, Chicken Soup For the Soul

The author, Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, is a Winner of the National Jewish Book Award and a NY Times Best-Selling Author.