Dybbuk: A Version (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Dybbuk: A Version Karen Coats Rogasky, Barbara , ad. Dybbuk: A Version; illus. by Leonard Everett Fisher. Holiday House, 200564p ISBN 0-8234-1616-X$16.95 R Gr. 6-9 This cautionary tale, adapted from a well-known story in the Kabbalah, features a love story both haunted and haunting. Long ago, Sender made a vow with his friend Nisson that, if one had a son and the other a daughter, their children would marry. The now wealthy Sender is determined that his beloved daughter Leah will marry an even wealthier man, so when Konin, a poor itinerant scholar who just happens to be Nisson's son, falls hopelessly in love with Leah, Sender breaks his vow. Konin has been trafficking in his own danger, using the wisdom and magic of the Kabbalah to secure enough money to change Sender's mind; after Sender betroths Leah to someone else, Konin dies only to become a dybbuk, a restless, tormented spirit who possesses Leah until a remedy can be found. The men of the synagogue act as Greek chorus in this tragic tale, commenting on and interpreting the action. The monochromatic, thick-lined illustrations, mostly of old Chassidic men, and the text-dense pages won't lure browsers, but this compelling retelling merits a hard sell; between the spooky ghost story, the forbidden love, and the tragic ending, the book will have wide appeal. Rogasky's witty use of dialogue and her storytelling style of narration make for an involving readaloud; it would also lend itself readily to a provocative reader's theater production, likely to spark lively ethical discussion about breaking promises and ends justifying means as well as just enjoyment of a good ghost story. Copyright © 2006 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois