Barbara Diamond Goldin – författare

Award-winning storyteller Barbara Diamond Goldin has collected and retold twenty-four stories about tzedakah in this inspiring volume. Some of these stories are based on oral tales, like "The Two Beggars," which is from Afghanistan, and "The Rabbi's Blessing," which is from Tunisia. Some stories, like "A Town of Baruchs" and "The Rabbi and the Rag Dealer" are Hasidic in origin, while others, like "Ox and Herbs" and "The Two Keys," are from much older sources. Some of the stories are based on midrashic tales. The Hebrew word tzedakah is often translated as "charity," but it actually means "justice" or "righteousness." According to the Jewish Sages, tzedakah means we have an obligation to give to those in need, not only when we are feeling generous, but on a regular basis. Barbara Diamond Goldin has brought these stories of tzedakah together in the hope that they will inspire the young and the old, the rich and the poor, to give to those in need and to adopt a righteous sensibility and sensitivity akin to the commandment of performing acts of loving-kindness. By performing these mitzvoth, we all engage in tikkun olam, repair of the world, and, according to the Sages, each good deed we perform in the physical world creates an angel in the metaphysical world. This book should encourage readers to create their own angels and to recapture the significance of the mitzvah of tzedakah to the Jewish community, even to the world, today.

This collection gives the reader a taste of the thousands of stories one can find in the treasure house of rabbinic literature. Some of these stories are humorous, some mysteriuos, some tense with drama or adventure, some filled with the joy of a miracle and the beauty of faith. All of these stories come from either the Talmud or the Midrash. This collection shows that these rabbinical stories are not old and outdated, but alive and timeless, for future generations to continue to enjoy.

Join a big-hearted family as they prepare for Shavuot, the Jewish holiday celebrating the day Moses received the Torah, and discover—as the family does in a roundabout way that’s sure to spark giggles—the true meaning of cooperation.

“A Seder and cowboy clothes are beautifully woven together.” – Kirkus Reviews Last year, Jacob and his family had been in Russia, but this year they were in the new land of Argentina. Jacob hoped his new friend Benito would join them for the seder. Would he? Could a Passover meal here, with cowboys, chickens, and horses, feel like home, too? Spectacular and painterly artwork brings the landscape of Argentina to life in this historically based, fictional story about a Russian Jewish family integrating into the community of Argentina. A family note at the end describes the compelling and true circumstance that led to this remarkable chapter of Jewish history.

"A child’s fear is sweetly tempered by the support of an older sister's comforting, natural solution." --Kirkus ReviewsA retelling of a much-loved story, complete with new illustrations.His big sister Naomi is excited to sleep outside in the sukkah, but Daniel himself is a little nervous.What about the dark nighttime shadows? What about the scary nighttime sounds? Naomi tells him to be brave, like their ancestors were when they slept in huts in the desert . . . but that's hard!

​​"A charming, modern Purim story that rekindles the wondrous legacy of Persian Jewry."—Rabbi David Wolpe, Sinai Temple, Los Angeles"Family traditions and intergenerational love are strong and endearing in this fresh look at Purim."​—Kirkus ReviewsRaya can't be in the Purim play this year--Purim will be no fun at all! But her grandmother, Maman joon, shares with Raya her sparkly scarves and Persian traditions. Together they discover how to make their American Purim uniquely Persian, delicious, and fun.