Jewish stories for children of all ages

The holy Baal Shem Tov takes his talmidim on a journey. They stop at a spring on the way and then visit an old man who greets the Baal Shem Tov like a long-lost brother. Later, they travel to a city and spend Shabbos with a Jewish tailor and a local anti-semite. Many years later, the talmidim learn of the purpose of their journey.

When the "Sefardishe Yid" of Cracow (Kroke), at the age of 80, offers to marry a young chalitza, the townspeople knew that something special was happening. 13 years later, the child of this union shows that he is very special indeed, and later becomes the famous Baal Mofes, Rabbi Eliyahu the Baal Shem of Wurms.

When the Poretz's Jewish business manager loses his good position after being slandered by someone he had helped, he appeals to his Rebbe, Rabbi Meir Premishlaner, who in turn speaks with Rabbi Naftoli, the Lizhensker Rebbe's einikel. Rabbi Naftoli reminds the Jewish business manager that "Pesach lasts for eight days" and the business manager soon regains his position.

Before Rabbi Dovid became known as the Lelover Rebbe, he was a talmid of Rabbi Elimelech and once received a ride to Lizhensk from a wealthy Jew. Since Rabbi Dovid appeared to be a poor beggar, the wealthy Jew made fun of Rabbi Dovid's appearance. Soon afterwards, the wealthy Jew realized that he had made a big mistake.

The holy Baal Shem Tov is traveling to the Holy Land when he must stop in Constantinople with his daughter Udel for Pesach. During the seder, the Baal Shem Tov recites the verse "To He Alone who performs great miracles" with tremendous feeling. Later, their host asks the reason for this and discovers that a miracle had indeed happened at that moment, saving the Jews of the city from a calamity.

Sholom Mordechai Schwadron, known as the Maharsham, once fell ill as a young man. When he recovered, he told an incredible story of his encounter with a Yid named Eichenstein who advocated for him in Shomayim.

When the Crown Prince falls ill while on a tour through Russia, he is taken to a little town named Vardik and lodged next to the shul. Due to his condition, the doctors order complete silence, but it's Purim and one little boy saves the Jews with his simple joy.

When a Jew named Mendel is falsely accused of theft, he appeals to the Shpoler Zeide, Reb Aryeh Leib, for help. The Rebbe arranges for a lawyer after Mendel gives 300 rubles to help an orphaned bride get married and tells Mendel to make sure the trial will be held on Purim. While the townspeople of Shpole enjoy the Rebbe's Purim shpiel, Mendel sees a Purim miracle unfold before his eyes in court.

The Sheikh of Sana, capital city of Yemen, enjoys a drop of wine from time to time. The Imam does not approve and schemes to be rid of the Sheikh and his new advisor, Mordechai ben Yair, whose skill with the properties of ink brings a most surprising and satisfactory conclusion to a very dangerous situation for the Jews of Sana.

Leib is an excellent host, and when he takes pride in his performance of the mitzvah of hachnosas orchim, welcoming guests, it is decreed that his boasting must be atoned for. A greedy guest sets in motion a long journey of wandering for Leib, until one Shabbos when he stays with a familiar face.

When French forces under Napoleon besiege the Italian city of Fossano, in the picturesque Alps, the non-Jewish inhabitants use it as an excuse to victimize the Jews during Chol Hamoed Pesach, but the simcha of the sedorim and their pure faith intercede and they are miraculously saved.

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.

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.

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 (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 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.

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 occu...

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.

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.

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 pea...

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.

A melamed in Medzibuzh desires greatly to visit the Baal Shem Tov, but the melamed's employer has forbidden it. One Friday night, the melamed's desire is fulfilled in his dream, and when he awakes he can think of nothing else until finally his dream becomes a reality.

Shmuel HaKatzin finds a most excellent bride for his dear daughter Perel, until the wheel of fortune changes and the wedding is postponed for ten years. But a passing officer leaves an old saddlebag in payment for a loaf of Perel's bread, and the wheel of fortune turns again and they finally marry.

When the Rabbi goes to collect funds for a poor kallah, his very first stop provides him with all of the expenses as well as a very special story.

Matzliach's promise to his late father is to choose one mitzvah that he will keep no matter what the cost, and Matzliach soon discovers that his dedication to negel vasser brings him great success indeed, both physically and spiritually.