Dictionary of Jewish Lore and Legend

Judaism is often portrayed as a drear, legalistic religion constrained by strict moral imperatives and policed by black‐hatted killjoys. A caricature of course, and as author Alan Unterman points out in his introduction, a picture unrecognizable by the majority of Jews as a description of their colourful beliefs and lifestyle. They have a rich corpus of legends, folklore and superstitions far removed from the dark ghetto mentality of popular myth. This legendary tradition contributes much to the vitality of contemporary Jewish life and is given full coverage in this book.

Drawn mostly from written sources, the coverage of this book...