A SAMPLER OF AMERICAN JEWISH FOLKLORE ...

A SAMPLER OF AMERICAN JEWISH FOLKLORE by Josepha Sherman (August House: $11.95, illustrated). The brief tales in this lively collection involve magicians, wonder-working rabbis, golems (monsters of earth brought to life by the mystic power of the Name of God), dybbuks (evil spirits) and gilgls (roaming souls), as well as the mundane problems of life in the shtetls of Eastern Europe. Of particular interest are the Jewish versions of several classic tales, including the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Cinderella and King Midas and his ass’ ears. Although Sherman carefully cites the source of each tale, she fails to explain what distinguishes the American Jewish versions from the European originals. Many of these stories would be fun to read aloud as an alternative to standard fairy tales, but it’s not clear how they relate to life in modern America.