Big Little Book of Jewish Wit & Wisdom

This small, chunky volume presents the witty, wonderful, deadpan and droll insight of Jewish culture and humor.




With chapters on wisdom, mitzvahs, dybbuks, proverbs, jokes, curses, conventions, mores (ethics), love amd marriage, men and women, children and family--this captivating collection provides reflections gleaned from a wealth of ancient, traditional and modern sources. The range of wise observations on the ways of the world, snappy one-liners, stories and expressions captures the spirit of the Jews throughout the centuries. Illustrated with sixty watercolor paintings, The Big Little Book of Jewish Wit & Wisdom will delight and engage even the toughest Jewish mother.


Some examples include:

When we hear a baby laugh, it is the loveliest thing that can happen to us. -- Sigmund Freud

A child's wisdom is also wisdom. -- Yiddish proverb

May you lose all your teeth but one, and may that one have a cavity. -- Anonymous (Yiddish curse)

Sally Ann Berk is the author of The New York Bartender's Guide, Smoothies, Shakes & Frappes, and Farmer's Market Cooking, among others. She is the editor of Secrets of the Druids and A Reasonable Affliction: 1001 Love Poems to Read to Each Other. She lives in Northern California with her husband and son.