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Candle Feather Wooden Spoon
New Jewish Stories
Foreword by Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso
240 Pages6.00 × 9.00 × 0.60 in
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Acknowledgments
Introduction
Candle: Stories That Shine New Light on Tradition Time Palace
Yofiel
Shades and the Rock on the Grave
Empathy: A Whale Tale
The Flying Insect Café
Fairy Footprints: Why Matzah Has Holes
Shulamit bat Aminadav
Shmooey and the Shabbat Encounter: A Lost Story from Chelm
Feather: Modern Stories That Take Flight
Shalom Bayit
JEW
The Most Important Person in the World
Allison Searches for Her Hebrew Name
Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon
Catching the Wind: A Tallit Origin Tale
A Pock-Faced Beauty: Based on a True Story
The Magic Word
Wooden Spoon: Stories That Stir Food for Thought
Lace Theory
The Radiant Window: A Zoharic Journey
The Goat Keeper
Two Rocks: A Very Long Legendary Love Story
Abraham’s Return: A True Story of T’shuvah
God Chooses a Genre
Glossary
About the Author
Rabbi Zoë Klein serves Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles, California, where she brings her unique blend of innovation, tradition, creativity, and wisdom. At Temple Isaiah since 2000, she has served as the associate rabbi, the senior rabbi, and the director of adult education and engagement. A Connecticut native, Rabbi Klein holds a degree in psychology from Brandeis University. She received a master's degree in Hebrew literature and rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion in New York and Jerusalem. She pursued the rabbinate out of a passion for ancient texts, mythology, liturgy, and poetry. Rabbi Klein is the author of the novel Drawing in the Dust (Gallery Books, 2009) of which Publishers Weekly wrote, “Insight into the world of biblical excavation in Israel raises Rabbi Klein's debut novel from a Jewish Da Vinci Code to an emotionally rich story of personal and historical discovery.” Drawing in the Dust has been published in five countries. In addition to this collection of short stories, Rabbi Klein is the author of a children’s story The Goblins of Knottingham: A History of Challah (Apples & Honey, 2017), The Scroll of Anatiya (Wipf and Stock, 2009), and the collection of short stories Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon (CCAR Press, 2023). Rabbi Klein’s writing is included in The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, Teen Texts, Holy Ground: A Gathering of Voices on Caring for Creation, The Sacred Exchange: Creating a Jewish Money Ethic, and more. Her poems and prayers are used in houses of prayer around the world.
Zöe Klein offers magical stories filled with wisdom to awaken our hearts, enchant our souls, and open our minds. This book is a blessing you will want to share with friends, children, students, and mentors, a work that will introduce you to new and healing visions of Judaism, self, humanity, and our world.
—Rabbi Naomi Levy, author of Einstein and the Rabbi and To Begin Again
Rarely are we gifted with a glimpse of such expansive imagination that our world opens up and everything suddenly seems possible. These stories are exhilarating and magical, playful and profound, moving and visionary. They are portals into worlds—both breathtakingly new and resonantly familiar—for us, the Jewish people, to inhabit. I will be teaching these stories, reading them to my congregation, and including them in my sermons. And so will every rabbi you know. Mark my words: they’re going to change our world.
—Rabbi Rachel Timoner, author of Breath of Life: God as Spirit in Judaism
“Magical” is the only word for Rabbi Zöe Klein’s gathering of wise, deep, whimsical stories. In the tradition of the greatest of our rabbinical teachers—who used imagination to engage the mind, heart, and spirit of our people—Rabbi Klein’s stories open our eyes, touch our souls, and invite us into a world of enchantment and wonder. This is a book to be cherished for the generations.
—Rabbi Edward Feinstein, author of The Chutzpah Imperative and Tough Questions Jews Ask
Klein presents a collection of original Jewish parables for all ages, told in the tradition of rabbinic legends and folktales. ... Lovely and entertaining folklore and parables that can proudly stand beside others in their tradition.
-- Kirkus Reviews
The stories in Candle, Feather, Wooden Spoon range from dreamy and delightful to literary and profound, each delivering heaping servings of insight and perspective. You will be returning to it again and again.
--Lori Gottlieb, author of NYT bestseller Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed
Rabbi Zoë Klein speaks new light into Creation as she weaves her magical tales. You will get lost in her stories and find something surprising and new about Jewish tradition and yourself. ... From the magic of a candle, a feather, and a wooden spoon to the mystical shofar that carries the pain of the world, Rabbi Klein invites us into an enchanted world that entertains and amazes.
--From the foreword by Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, author of God's Paintbrush and In God's Name
Bronze medal: Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards (Adult Fiction, Religious category)
Read an excerpt from the introduction on RavBlog
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