- Script
- Steven M. Bergson
The Introduction makes reference to Jewish War Heroes, Captain Canuck, "Miracle at 22,300 Miles"(in Justice League of America #188), "Zog Nit Keyn Mol"(in Wimmen's Comix #10), and Yiddishkeit.
- Script
- Clara Bessijelle
- Pencils
- Clara Bessijelle
- Inks
- Clara Bessijelle
- Colors
- Andy Stanleigh
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- children
- Synopsis
- An uninspired Jewish artist goes on a quest for the scene which will satisfy his heart and soul.
- Keywords
- art; artists; folklore; Jews
This story was adapted from a folk tale told by Peninnah Schram.
- Script
- Haiwei Hou
- Pencils
- Haiwei Hou
- Inks
- Haiwei Hou
- Colors
- Haiwei Hou
- Letters
- Haiwei Hou
- Genre
- children
- Synopsis
- In the city that will become Jerusalem, two farming brothers teach each other about sacrifice and brotherhood.
- Keywords
- charity; farmers; folklore; Israel; Jerusalem
- Script
- Joshua Stulman
- Pencils
- Joshua Stulman
- Inks
- Joshua Stulman
- Letters
- Joshua Stulman
- Genre
- children; science fiction
- Characters
- King Kotar; Gothar; Tanuk; Adura
- Synopsis
- King Kotar holds a contest to determine which of his three children is the most worthy to inherit his kingdom.
- Keywords
- contests; folklore; sibling rivalry; succession
- Script
- Andy Stanleigh
- Pencils
- Andy Stanleigh
- Inks
- Andy Stanleigh
- Colors
- Andy Stanleigh
- Letters
- Andy Stanleigh
- Genre
- children
- Characters
- Steve Berg; Rabbi Moishe; Andy
- Synopsis
- A rabbi demonstrates how the damage done as a result of harmful speech can never be undone.
- Keywords
- folklore; gossip; lashon hara; moral stories; rabbis
- Script
- ?
- Pencils
- ?
- Inks
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- biography
- Characters
- Rabbi Shmuel Shtrashun; Zalman Schneider; Laya Schneider; Moshe Schneider;
- Synopsis
- After Rabbi Shtrashun realizes that his forgetfulness has caused Zalman's reputation to suffer, he comes up with an inspired solution to restore it.
- Reprints
- This page is a reprint of the back page of the Sept. 1987 issue of the children's magazine Olomeinu / Our World.
- Keywords
- honor; lending; memory; reputation
The story was adapted from the book The Maggid Speaks : A Collection of Rabbi Shalom Schwardron's Best Stories by Paysach Krohen (Mesorah Publications, 1987).
- Script
- Terry LaBan
- Pencils
- Terry LaBan
- Inks
- Terry LaBan
- Letters
- Terry LaBan
- Genre
- biography; religious
- Characters
- Rabbi Eliazar Ben Dordia; Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi
- Synopsis
- After being told by a harlot that he shall never be received in repentance, Rabbi Ben Dordia seeks intervention to save his soul.
- Reprints
- Keywords
- nature; prostitution; repentance
The story is adapted from Avodah Zarah 17A. Rabbi Richard Hirsch assisted with this adaptation.
- Script
- Trina Robbins
- Pencils
- Sharon Rudahl
- Inks
- Trina Robbins
- Letters
- Sharon Rudahl
- Genre
- advocacy
- Characters
- grandmother; granddaughter
- Synopsis
- A young woman visits her grandmother before leaving for a rally to get the US our of Central America.
- Reprints
- Keywords
- family; protesters; song adaptations
Adapted from The Partisans Song, words by Hirsh Glik (1922-1944), poet of the Warsaw Ghetto. The captions are written in both transliterated Yiddish and English.
- Script
- Chari Pere
- Pencils
- Chari Pere
- Inks
- Chari Pere
- Colors
- Chari Pere
- Letters
- Chari Pere
- Genre
- humour; children
- Characters
- onion merchant; garlic merchant; King of Distancia; chefs of Distancia
- Synopsis
- An onion merchant and a garlic merchant try to sell their wares in a distant city which doesn't have these foods. Each of them is rewarded with the city's greatest treasure, but the garlic merchant doesn't end up getting quite what he was expecting.
- Keywords
- commerce; folklore; garlic; irony; onions
- Script
- Steve Sheinkin
- Pencils
- Steve Sheinkin
- Inks
- Steve Sheinkin
- Colors
- Steve Sheinkin
- Letters
- Steve Sheinkin
- Genre
- humour; children; western-frontier
- Characters
- Rabbi Harvey; Governor
- Synopsis
- Rabbi Harvey attends a birthday party twice. After he realizes that dressing differently causes the others at the party to treat him better, Rabbi Harvey decides to teach the partygoers a lesson.
- Reprints
- This story originally appeared in Rabbi Harvey Rides Again : A Graphic Novel of Jewish Folktales Let Loose in the Wild West (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2008).
- Keywords
- appearance; folklore; rabbis
- Script
- Terry LaBan
- Pencils
- Terry LaBan
- Inks
- Terry LaBan
- Colors
- Terry LaBan
- Letters
- Terry LaBan
- Genre
- humour; children
- Synopsis
- A man and his son, who are travelling with their camel, are told by one person after another that the way that they're travelling is wrong.
- Keywords
- criticism; folklore; travel
- Script
- Richard Codor
- Pencils
- Richard Codor
- Inks
- Richard Codor
- Colors
- Richard Codor
- Letters
- Richard Codor
- Genre
- humour; children
- Characters
- Adam
- Synopsis
- A fly demands that Adam find some way to get him a tail to make him more beautiful. At Adam's suggestion, the fly approaches different animals to ask for their tails, only to be told why their tails are important.
- Keywords
- body image; folklore; jealousy
- Script
- Clifford Meth
- Pencils
- Michael Netzer
- Inks
- Michael Netzer
- Letters
- Michael Netzer
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural
- Characters
- Rebbe Nelrah
- Synopsis
- After a great Polish rabbinical leader (known as "The Rebbe") dies, a cat he touched is said to have absorbed his learning. Though reactions to the legend range from curiosity to ridicule, the cat eventually delivers a crucial message to the his devotees.
- Keywords
- cats; faith; Holocaust
- Script
- Tony Isabella
- Pencils
- Ernie Chan
- Inks
- Ernie Chan
- Letters
- Ernie Chan
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural
- Characters
- Lilith; Adam; Sanvi ; Sansanvi; Semangelaf
- Reprints
- Keywords
- angels; folklore; infanticide; revenge; vampires
- Script
- David Zane Mairowitz
- Pencils
- Robert Crumb
- Inks
- Robert Crumb
- Letters
- Robert Crumb
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural; horror-suspense
- Characters
- Rabbi Judah Loew; Golem; Franz Kafka
- Reprints
- Keywords
- folklore; golem; monsters
- Script
- Will Eisner
- Pencils
- Will Eisner
- Inks
- Will Eisner
- Letters
- Will Eisner
- Genre
- drama
- Characters
- Mersh
- Synopsis
- A trio of anti-Semitic youths pretend to offer Mersh a challenge. Using two folded-up pieces of paper marked "Guilty", they let Mersh choose one of them, telling him that one piece of paper is blank. They warn Mersh that if he picks the one that says "Guilty", the thugs will bash him. However, Mersh manages to outsmart them.
- Reprints
- Keywords
- contests; folklore; intolerance
- Script
- David Klein
- Pencils
- David Klein
- Inks
- David Klein
- Letters
- David Klein
- Genre
- drama; fantasy-supernatural; horror-suspense
- Characters
- Yakov Mendel; Mrs. Mendel; Rabbi Yudah Loew; Golem; Thadeus;
- Synopsis
- Rabbi Yudah Loew's golem was just one of many which were created before Adam (the first man). When the Jewish community of Prague is faced with a blood libel case, Rabbi Loew creates a golem to bring about justice and to save the Jews from anti-Semitic mobsters.
- Reprints
- This story will be reprinted in The Golem's Voice (Now What Media, 2014 Series) #[nn] [excerpt only]
- Keywords
- anti-Semitism; blood libel; golems; intolerance
- Script
- Joe Infurnari
- Pencils
- Joe Infurnari
- Inks
- Joe Infurnari
- Colors
- Joe Infurnari
- Letters
- Joe Infurnari
- Genre
- humour; fantasy-supernatural
- Synopsis
- The owner of a female golem gets an unexpected reaction when he tries to make a pass at her.
- Reprints
- Reprinted from Heeb Magazine (Heeb Media, 2001 Series) #17.
- Script
- Katherine Piro
- Pencils
- Katherine Piro
- Inks
- Katherine Piro
- Colors
- Katherine Piro
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- drama; horror-suspense
- Synopsis
- After a virtuous virgin is abducted by the ruler of the city, she uses her wits to figure out how to keep her chastity.
- Keywords
- chastity; kidnapping; self-mutilation; sexual assault
This story is based upon an anecdote told in chapter 38 of the 17th century book Tzemach Tzadik by Rabbi Yehuda Arie Leone di Modena.
- Script
- Yaakov Kirschen
- Pencils
- Yaakov Kirschen
- Inks
- Yaakov Kirschen
- Colors
- Yaakov Kirschen
- Letters
- Yaakov Kirschen
- Characters
- Mr. Shuldig; Doobie
- Synopsis
- During the French expulsion of the Jews from France, a Jewish jeweler entrusts a sack of valuable jewels to a Gentile neighbor. After the king's decree is revoked, the jeweler returns to the town, hoping to be able to regain the stones.
- Keywords
- brotherhood; folklore; friendship; honor; tolerance; trust
The first panel identifies the story as "A Jewish Folk Tale" and contains the logo used for the Dry Bones comic strip.
- Script
- Adam Gorham
- Pencils
- Adam Gorham
- Inks
- Adam Gorham
- Letters
- Adam Gorham
- Genre
- adventure; fantasy-supernatural; sport; sword and sorcery
- Characters
- Yaish
- Synopsis
- When the king orders the exile of his kingdom's Jews during a drought, they send Yaish on a dangerous quest to seek assistance from the ten lost tribes of Israel. Yaish brings back a champion who is intent on ensuring that the king allows Yaish's people to return.
- Keywords
- contests; folklore; intolerance
- Script
- Adam Gorham
- Pencils
- Adam Gorham
- Inks
- Adam Gorham
- Letters
- Adam Gorham
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural
- Characters
- Rabbi Adam
- Synopsis
- Rabbi Adam comes to the aid of a merchant whose wife has conspired with a sorcerer to murder him.
- Keywords
- contests; dark magic; folklore; righteous magic
- Script
- Dov Smiley
- Pencils
- Dov Smiley
- Inks
- Dov Smiley
- Colors
- Dov Smiley
- Letters
- Dov Smiley
- Genre
- drama
- Characters
- Bontsha the Silent; The Great Judge; The Prosecutor; The Defender
- Synopsis
- Bontsha's miserable life is summarized during a trial in Paradise. After the verdict is delivered, Bontsha's unusual request surprises all of the assembled angels.
- Keywords
- humility; judgement; trials
This Yiddish story was written by I.L. Peretz and translated into English by Esther Hautzig. Within the text, Bontsha is compared to Job and this story has often been compared to the Biblical Job tale.
- Script
- Keren Katz
- Pencils
- Keren Katz
- Inks
- Keren Katz
- Letters
- Andy Stanleigh
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural; romance
- Characters
- Solomon Ibn Gabirol; Golem
- Synopsis
- After Solomon Ibn Gabirol is imprisoned for practicing witchcraft, he makes a great sacrifice to regain his freedom.
- Keywords
- golems
The story was written by Eli Eshed who based it on the work of Joseph Solomon Delmedigo.
- Script
- Miriam Libicki
- Pencils
- Miriam Libicki
- Inks
- Miriam Libicki
- Colors
- Miriam Libicki
- Letters
- Miriam Libicki
- Genre
- drama; fantasy-supernatural
- Characters
- Asnat Barzani
- Synopsis
- The woman sage Asnat Barzani travels to a mountain in Amadiya to lead them in the outdoor new moon festival, despite the intolerance of the city's Gentiles. When the synagogue is set on fire, Asnat summons special assistance to protect it.
- Keywords
- angels; anti-Semitism; arson; folklore; Jewish holy days; New Moon
- Script
- Jenna Brager
- Pencils
- Jenna Brager
- Inks
- Jenna Brager
- Letters
- Jenna Brager
- Genre
- drama; fantasy-supernatural; horror-suspense
- Characters
- Anshel; Jenna Brager
- Synopsis
- After a rabbi's son unintentionally - and unknowingly - marries a female demon, the demon returns to kill his wives. However, one wife manages to survive through her great modesty and piety.
- Keywords
- demon weddings; folklore
- Script
- Shane Kirshenblatt
- Pencils
- Shane Kirshenblatt
- Inks
- Shane Kirshenblatt
- Colors
- Shane Kirshenblatt
- Letters
- Shane Kirshenblatt
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural; horror-suspense; sword and sorcery
- Synopsis
- After a woodcutter encounters a tree which bleeds when cut, he feels compelled to risk his life to free the souls trapped inside.
- Keywords
- folklore; self-sacrifice; woodsman
- Script
- Mike Friedrich
- Pencils
- Tony Dezuninga
- Inks
- Steve Austin
- Colors
- Bill Mantlo
- Letters
- Tom Orzechowski
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural; horror-suspense
- Characters
- Golem
- Synopsis
- When a golem grows dangerously tall, its creator must risk his life to destroy him.
- Reprints
- Keywords
- golems
This story is adapted from an 18th century Yiddish legend, as retold by Gershom Scholem is his book The Kabbalah and Its Symbolism (NY, 1965).
- Script
- Mark Lang
- Pencils
- Mark Lang
- Inks
- Mark Lang
- Letters
- Mark Lang
- Genre
- drama; anthropomorphic-funny animals
- Characters
- Snake
- Synopsis
- When a father discovers who has been acting as his son's patron, he decides to use treachery to obtain all of the gold instantly. However, his impatience and greed end up costing him.
- Reprints
- Keywords
- folklore
- Script
- Rachel Pollack
- Pencils
- Ted McKeever
- Inks
- Ted McKeever
- Colors
- Ted McKeever
- Letters
- John Workman
- Genre
- drama; fantasy-supernatural; religious
- Characters
- Reb Chaim; Rabbi Joseph Della Reina; Samael; Lilith
- Synopsis
- Impatient for the Messiah to arrive and bring about the Messianic Age, Rabbi Della Reina tries to force the Messiah to come to Earth prematurely. When his attempt fails, he is punished for his hubris.
- Reprints
- Script
- Bob Bernstein
- Pencils
- Joe Kubert
- Inks
- Joe Kubert
- Colors
- Joe Kubert
- Letters
- Joe Kubert
- Genre
- drama; fantasy-supernatural; horror-suspense; war
- Characters
- Jacob the shoe maker; Sonia; Major Gruber; Tommy; Rabbi Bezalel Ben Hayim; Karl; Rabbi Judah Loew; Rachel Loew; Thaddeus; Isaac Jacob; Muhler; Joseph the Golem; Emperor Rudolph
- Synopsis
- During World War II, a Prague rabbi tells a recovering Allied soldier the story of the Golem of Prague. During the Middle Ages, Rabbi Judah Loew created a Golem named Joseph to protect the Jewish community from blood-libel-inspired pogroms.
- Reprints
- Keywords
- anti-Semitism; folklore; golems; intolerance
- Script
- Dave Casey
- Pencils
- Dave Casey
- Inks
- Dave Casey
- Colors
- Dave Casey
- Letters
- Dave Casey
- Genre
- animal; fantasy-supernatural; horror-suspense
- Synopsis
- When a sorcerer's apprentice breaks his agreement, the sorcerer tries to kill him.
- Keywords
- folklore; magic; metamorphosis
- Script
- Leonard Rifas
- Pencils
- Leonard Rifas
- Inks
- Leonard Rifas
- Letters
- Leonard Rifas
- Genre
- humour
- Characters
- Leonard Rifas; Rabbi of Odessa; Rabbi of Warsaw
- Synopsis
- When the Rabbi of Odessa's vision is proven false, one of his followers tries to helps him save face.
- Reprints
- Reprinted from Magical Blend (1980 Series) #6 (1982).
- Keywords
- clairvoyance; rabbis
The second panel shows the reader that this story appeared in the book Treasury of Jewish Folk Tales by Nathan Ausubel.
- Script
- Art Spiegelman
- Pencils
- Art Spiegelman
- Inks
- Art Spiegelman
- Colors
- Art Spiegelman
- Letters
- Art Spiegelman
- Genre
- humour; children
- Synopsis
- An eccentric old man comes to the assistance of the king after the prince insists on acting and sounding like a rooster.
- Reprints
- Keywords
- empathy; folklore; identity; princes
The story is subtitled "A Hasidic Parable".
- Script
- Harvey Pekar
- Pencils
- Carole Sobocinski
- Inks
- Carole Sobocinski
- Letters
- Carole Sobocinski
- Genre
- anthropomorphic-funny animals; satire-parody
- Characters
- Harvey Pekar; Zigmund Dobrowolski; Herschel Schnorrer
- Synopsis
- In 1942, Zigmund Dobrowolski (a Pole) hides his Jewish friend (Herschel Schnorrer) from the Nazis. However, over time, Herschel takes advantage of Zigmund's generous hospitality.
- Reprints
- Keywords
- concealment; generosity; opportunism
The full names in the credits are Harvey "Ahmayid" Pekar and Carole "Pączki" Sobocinski. The two main characters are drawn in the style of the Jewish mouse and Polish pig found in the pages of Art Spiegelman's graphic novel Maus. Herschel is Harvey Pekar's Yiddish name and "schnorrer" is the Yiddish word for someone who sponges off of other people. The final panel shows Herschel in a t-shirt that reads "On strike against NBC" (the custom-made t-shirt which Pekar infamously wore on David Letterman's show).
- Script
- Liat Shalom
- Pencils
- Liat Shalom; Villi Greenberg
- Inks
- Liat Shalom; Villi Greenberg
- Colors
- Liat Shalom
- Letters
- Liat Shalom
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural; horror-suspense
- Characters
- Nahum the Milkman; Laban; Aryeh; Dovid; Rabbi;
- Synopsis
- After Laban breaks a promise, he is haunted by the spirit of the man he cheated.
- Keywords
- burial; classism; false promises; folklore; ghosts; greed
- Script
- Aliza Donath
- Pencils
- Aliza Donath
- Inks
- Aliza Donath
- Colors
- Aliza Donath
- Letters
- Aliza Donath
- Genre
- drama; fantasy-supernatural
- Synopsis
- A man who has spent most of his life looking for justice discovers a place where everyone's life force is represented by lamps. In a moment of panic, his sense of justice is put to the test.
- Keywords
- fear of mortality; folklore; justice
- Script
- Nomi Kane
- Pencils
- Nomi Kane
- Inks
- Nomi Kane
- Letters
- Nomi Kane
- Genre
- fantasy-supernatural
- Characters
- Ishtar
- Synopsis
- When Ishtar encounters a fallen angel, she comes to realize that he may be able to fulfill her ultimate wish.
- Keywords
- angels; deception; folklore; stars
- Script
- Sharon Rudahl
- Pencils
- Sharon Rudahl
- Inks
- Sharon Rudahl
- Letters
- Sharon Rudahl
- Reprints
- Keywords
- classism; seamstresses; song adaptations; workers; working class
Adapted from a Yiddish song with lyrics by Morris Rosenfeld. The captions contain both English and transliterated Yiddish.
- Script
- Joshua Edelglass
- Pencils
- Joshua Edelglass
- Inks
- Joshua Edelglass
- Letters
- Joshua Edelglass
- Genre
- children; fantasy-supernatural
- Characters
- Elijah
- Synopsis
- Elijah uses his magic to grant three desperate men their ultimate wishes. However, he asks each of them to fulfill a promise to him. When Elijah learns about the broken promises, he delivers swift - and fitting - retribution.
- Keywords
- charity; false promises; knowledge; teaching; wisdom; wives
- Script
- Steve Greenberg
- Pencils
- Steve Greenberg
- Inks
- Steve Greenberg
- Colors
- Steve Greenberg
- Letters
- Steve Greenberg
- Genre
- children; religious
- Characters
- During Yom Kippur, an illiterate shepherd sends his prayers to God in the only way he knows how. Though this upsets the other congregants, praise for his deed comes from an unlikely source.
- Synopsis
- Ba'al Shem Tov; shepherd; Rabbi Yisroel Ben Eliezer
- Keywords
- folklore; music; prayer; purity; shepherds
- Script
- Ellis Rosen
- Pencils
- Ellis Rosen
- Inks
- Ellis Rosen
- Letters
- Ellis Rosen
- Genre
- drama; children
- Characters
- Zayde
- Synopsis
- After the narrator's grandfather passes away, his family stops being Jewish. However, the narrator rediscovers his faith after he has children of his own to raise.
- Keywords
- grandfathers; song adaptations; tradition
This story is an adaptation of the song "My Zayde" by Moishe Yess.
- Script
- Steven M. Bergson; Alternate History Comics Inc.
- Pencils
- Haiwei Hou
- Inks
- Haiwei Hou
- Colors
- Haiwei Hou
- Pencils
- Joshua Edelglass
- Inks
- Joshua Edelglass
- Characters
- Elijah