Modern Midrash: The Retelling of Traditional Jewish Narratives by 20th Century Hebrew Writers

Plot

Jacobson annalyzes several Modern Hebrew stories and poems that discuss or allude to traditional motifs from the bible, the Talmud, Midrash or Hasidic writings. The first chapter deals with Peretz and Berdichewski's neo-hasidic stories. Other chapters discuss Bialik (Megilat-Haesh), David Frishman and some of the more recent Israeli authors. The first chapter is based on Jacobson Ph.D. Dissertation on the retelling of Neo-Hasidic stories by secular modern Hebrew authors. Jacobson shows how modern writers used the traditional motifs in a non-traditional way, applying them to modern Jewish dilemas and according to their own, secular world-views.