Goldie's Stories - Episode 12

This week is Thanksgiving in the USA. So this week we have a story of Herschel of Osteropol and a goose dinner...or foot to be specific. Story is based on the book The Adventures of Herschel of Ostropol retold by Eric A Kimmel.

Goldie's Stories - Episode 11

This week we read an unusual story about Reb Shmuel Munkis, involving sorcerers, whisky and a trip to Liozna.

This story comes from the Early Chassidic Personalities series book on Reb Shmuel Munkis, by Rabbi Sholom D. Avtzon

Goldie's Stories - Episode 10

This week we read a story about Herschel of Osteropol a common character in the folklore of Eastern European Jews. His stories always have a bit of wit and cleverness. This telling of the story is based on the one found in the book The Adventures of Herschel of Ostropol retold by Eric A Kimmel

Goldie's Stories - Episode 9

This week's story is a modern day story that takes place in Tel Aviv and is taken from Tuvia Bolton's Torah Online weekly mailing.
http://www.ohrtmimim.org/Torah_default.asp




(Reference for the video: tefillin)

Goldie's Stories - Episode 7

This week we read a story about the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, and the work he did with the Cantonists and in helping others avoid that fate.

For those who don't already know about the Cantonists there's a bit of an introduction to that period of history at the beginning of the episode.



This story is taken from the book The Third Judge.

Goldie's Stories - Episode 6

This week we read a story about Reb Shmuel Munkis and the Kabbalistic question he gives to his fellow traveler.




This story comes from the Early Chassidic Personalities series book on Reb Shmuel Munkis, by Rabbi Sholom D. Avtzon

Goldie's Stories - Episode 5

Last week we read a story about the Rebbe Maharash, the fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe. This week we read an Erev Yom Kippur story about his wife Rebbetzin Rivkah, her son, and her grandson.



This story is taken from Extraordinary Chassidic Tales, an unfortunately out of print series of books.

Goldie's Stories - Episode 4

This week we are reading a story about the Rebbe Maharash, the fourth Lubavitcher Rebbe. Although he was known as the Baal Shemske Rebbe because so many miracles occurred when he was Rebbe this story shows the power of belief to cause a transformation.



For those who are interested in more from the behind the scenes I usually read through some of the dozens of story books that I have in our house (many of them collections of stories) to find ones that seem right for the time (season/calendar wise) and length. One story I had considered I realized was too long, and I didn't feel up to rewriting the story. I decided that the bagel story would be a good one, but I couldn't find the book I had read it from. So, while I am reading the story, what I am reading is my writing of the story as I remember it.

Goldie's Stories - Episode 3

This week's story is a story about Rabbi Akiva and his wife Rachel. When Rachel met Rabbi Akiva, then a shepherd in her father's employ, he was illiterate. But she saw wisdom in him and agreed to marry him if he would go to learn Torah...which of course first meant learning to read. The long story short - he became a great sage and his teachings are still taught and studied today. But this story, based on Midrash HaGadol, takes place earlier in the story.

This story can be found in the book No Greater Treasure: Stories of Extraordinary Women Drawn from the Talmud and Midrash.

Goldie's Stories - Episode 2

This Thursday will be the 18th of the month Elul, which is the anniversary of the Baal Shem Tov's birthday. In honor of this, this week I read two Baal Shem Tov stories from the book "Extrodinary Chassidic Tales"

A Chanukah Story for All

A fun story for you to enjoy:

Twitter Tutorial

If you aren't already on twitter - or if you have a friend you are trying to get into twitter here is a tutorial of twitter. The basics are covered in the first 11 minutes and the rest of the video goes into a slightly more in depth view of twitter.

Me Today in Rhyme - July 5th

This is Goldie Katsu and this is Me today
And now I have some words on july 5th to Say
The fourth was a blast with a boom and bash
And now back to work with some documents to hash


Today I have sorted and filed some piles
And written some words and walked some miles
Some days are interesting, exciting and fun
And other days are just a list of things to be done.


Whatever the day an opportunity is given
How will you view it, and how will it be driven?
What words will you say and what lives will you touch
Will the day seem just right or maybe too much


However it feels and whatever you sense
24 hours each day will dispense
With these words I leave you and now I must fly
But first I will wish you all good day and good bye.

Me Today July 3

Today I introduce my dogs. On this me-today I have a short clip of the dogs playing. And yes, this actually a more gentle bit of wrassling.