Jewish stories for children of all ages

The door faced east

When the Alter Rebbe sends his messenger Rabbi Zalman Zesmer to raise money for needy people, he issues a strict warning not to spend the night in a house whose door faces east. When Rabbi Zesmer forgets to abide by this warning, his journey takes an interesting turn.

Be careful what you wish for

A poor woodchopper is granted two wishes, and he's grateful to have a second chance when his first wish doesn't turn out as well as he had hoped.

Eliyahu’s blessing fulfilled

A mysterious stranger offers to help a poor man in an extraordinary way, and when the poor man accepts the offer he receives a blessing for himself and his descendants.

Shimshon changes his ways

When the Rabbi rebukes Shimshon for his marketplace thievery, the Rabbi's attendant overhears Shimshon utter a threat against the Rabbi, but the Rabbi knows how to deal with Shimshon properly and everyone learns an important lesson in self-control and Ahavas Yisroel.

The two merchants

Two merchants travel throughout Russia, earning a lot of money but straying farther away from yiddishkeit until one day they stop at a kretchme and the owner and his sons help them learn that money isn't everything.

The Kaddish

A yeshiva bochur gives his last coin to have a share in the mitzvah of redeeming captives, and then accepts a coin to say kaddish for someone, but little does he know he's really helping himself and the other bochurim.

Rabbi Yosef of Beshenkovitz, the wagon driver

When the Alter Rebbe tells Reb Yosef to become a baalagolah, a wagon driver, he had little idea of the wondrous Divine Providence that was soon to occur.

The Baal Shem Tov’s Cure

Reb Shlomo's wife is suddenly struck with emotional distress and becomes uncommunicative for six years, until the Baal Shem Tov visits their hometown of Slutzk and decides to take on the case.

Rabbi Nachman and the French Emperor

Rabbi Nachman comes to the aid of his landlord when French troops attempt a robbery, and soon finds himself consulting with the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

The merchant and the wagon driver

Nesanel is a successful merchant, and Peisha is the expert wagon driver that takes Nesanel to various fairs and markets to do business. One erev Shabbos, they find out what it's like to trade jobs with each other and the results have a long-lasting effect.