Jewish stories for children of all ages

Rabbi Nochum’ke and the lawyer

Rabbi Nochum'ke collects money from everybody for the poor, except for a wealthy lawyer who never gives kopek. When the lawyer falls afoul of the law and is imprisoned for two years, Rabbi Nochum'ke makes sure his wife and children are cared for.

Purim Beirut

The cruel Pasha of Beirut finds out that he is a direct descendent of the wicked Haman, and demands ten thousand silver kikars be repaid to him by the Jews of Beirut. The tzadik Rabbi Yitzchak, sitting in Tzefas, hears their prayers and joins in with them, and the cruel Pasha soon changes his attitude.

Wine goes in, secrets come out

At Boruch Mordechai's bris, which was on Purim, the Chasam Sofer quoted the famous line "Nichnas Yayin, yotzo sod"- when wine goes in, secrets come out. Seventy years later, after a lifetime of humility and kindness, Boruch Mordechai drank wine at a Purim seudah and revealed secrets of Torah.

A yishuvnik visits the Alter Rebbe

A yishuvnik (Jewish farmer) hires a melamed to teach his sons, and when the melamed tells the yishuvnik that he will be leaving to spend yomtov with his Rebbe, the yishuvnik decides to go as well. He becomes a changed person when he has yechidus (private audience) with the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad chassidus.

Chacham Moshe and the Sultan's signet ring

Chacham Moshe is one of the Sultan's closest advisors, along with Achmed. When Achmed's jealous scheme backfires, Chacham Moshe becomes even closer to the Sultan, which drives Achmed to plot against him with even more cunning. Finally, deliverance comes when the Sultan's missing signet ring is miraculously found and Achmed gets his just reward.

Shoshanas Yaakov

The holy Baal Shem Tov is escorting young Shaul Margolis back to his father in Lemberg shortly after Purim, when they stop at an inn and the Baal Shem Tov asks young Shaul to sing "Shoshanas Yaakov" for the assembled non-Jewish peasants. Before they resume their journey, the Baal Shem Tov introduces Shaul to three young peasant boys about his age. Many years later, the reason for this strange occurrence becomes clear.

Purim Burgel

For the Jews of Tripoli, times were good because the ruler's favorite advisor was a Jewess, known as "Queen Esther". Her husband Mordechai was the Pasha's Finance Minister. But when Crown Prince Burgel rebels against his father, Ali Pasha, the situation becomes grim until the Jews remember that it's best to trust only in Hashem.

Purim Constantinople

When Chief Rabbi Moshe Hammun, personal physician to the Sultan of Constantinople, is called urgently to the palace, he is surprised to hear that the Sultan has had a dream ordering that all Jews in Turkey must either convert or be exiled. Rabbi Moshe is unsure of how to help the Jews until a stranger tells him a secret that turns the situation around very quickly.

The harpist of Granada

When the Berbers sack the Spanish city of Cordoba and destroy the Jewish community, young Shmuel Abinoam is orphaned and only escapes with the help of kindly neighbors to Granada. There, he finds new hope with the help of Dona Ezra, who teaches him to play the harp. Eventually young Shmuel Abinoam is reunited with his uncle Shmuel HaNagid and together they use Shmuel's musical skill to restore peace to the Jews of Granada.

The Haman of the shtetl

When the sheriff outlaws the delivering of shalach-mones without a special license, which must be bought from him, the Jews gragger Haman extra hard that year and the situation quickly turns over just as in the days of Mordechai and Esther.