While Standing on One Foot: Puzzle Stories and Wisdom Tales from the Jewish Tradition by Jaffe, Nina;Zeitlin, Steven J.;Zeitlin, Steve - 1996

New York, New York, U.S.A.: Henry Holt & Co, 1996. Soft cover. Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾ in. - 9¾ in.Tall. Ex-Library. this book come from many eras and places in Jewish history and geography. Among them are "The Grand Inquistor," set in medieval Spain, in which a vicious inquisitor schemes to trick an innocent rabbi into admitting his (and by extension, all the Jews') guilt for a terrible crime. Others tell how a fox outwitted Leviathan, the powerful sea monster; how the boy who would later become King Solomon outsmarted a surly innkeeper; how a jester avoided dying by choosing the right form of death; and how a barren wife kept her husband through cleverness. Those who have read classical versions know that the originals meander, lack drama, and are dull. They have been adapted here so as to be short enough for memorizing and telling; all have a hero, a villain, a challenge, and a punch-line. Introductions supply background information. Just before revealing the outcome of each tale, the teller pauses, sums up the dilemma, and then asks readers what they would do in the same situation. Excellent for group discussions. Marcia Posner, Federation of New York and the Jewish Book Council, New York City