Funny Digital Essays: Humorous Stories About Online Annoyances, Seder Selfies & Chicken Soup Memories - Perfect for Jewish Holidays, Family Gatherings & Comedy Lovers

Book Review: The Whole SpielFor the non-Jewish reader like myself, this quick witted book by authors Scolnic and Eisenberg tells funny tales about Yiddish words that we know and throw around our households everyday as well as many other ones passed down from their ancestors that we may not know at all. Scolnic and Eisenberg’s light and readable commentaries on Yiddish terms make us pause and think about the cultural power of our own everyday language use- no matter what our background.In their Jewish family stories, they star as daughters and mothers, filling our hearts with laughter and reaching out to their readers with absolute universal appeal. This is not just a book for your Jewish friend, though your Jewish friend will shake her head, “Yes, yes,” the whole way through. This is for any girlfriend: Don’t we all “kvetch” (look in the glossary of the book if you don’t know it!) about our kids coming home from college and just lounging around? Don’t we all have husbands we have to “forgive” for channel surfing with the remote? Don’t we all have sentimental attachments to words, phrases, foods and objects? Don’t we all have holiday stories and traditions? Don’t our children all become our teachers as the complexity and necessity of technology looms larger in our lives? The authors take us into their lives and help us understand their Jewish culture, but also remind us that we are connected in small daily ways no matter our background. The Whole Spiel is an insightful, historical and hysterical ride. I must admit I learned more than I expected and I laughed so much that I am waiting for them to become grandmothers (Bubbes) so their sequel will come to press.