Blessed Hands: Stories

by Frume Halpern, Yermiyahu Ahron Taub (Translator)

A plain factory worker who hides herself from life finds new possibilities opening up when a co-worker invites her to a political lecture. A humble shoemaker gains confidence and pride in his work after a yeshiva student introduces him to the philosophy of Spinoza. An unhappy housewife has new emotions stirred in her by an intellectual boarder. An African American man works his entire life standing, only to find himself unable to walk in retirement. A Jewish family waits in sorrow and anger as their loved ones' fates are played out on the national news. Frume Halpern brings these "slice of life" stories to life in this collection of short stories featuring protagonists on the fringes of American immigrants, Jews, African Americans, and the disabled, the sick, and the poor.
Blessed Hands is the frst ever complete English-language translation of Gebenshte dertseylungen, along with the original foreword by Isaac Elchanan Ronch and an afterword by the translator. This collection contains short stories were that were published over several decades in the left-wing daily newspaper Morgn frayhayt [Morning Freedom] and other Yiddish-language outlets in mid-20th century New York. ​These psychologically insightful stories present the lives of protagonists who are working-class poor, social outcasts, and those experiencing illness, disability, and racism. Halpern worked as a massage therapist in a hospital and many of these stories are about those who work with their workshop/factory workers, piece workers, a shoemaker, a butcher, and a hairdresser.

328 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 2023

Reviews

[Ela Pelish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frume Halpern notices what nobody else does and draws the reader in. Her stories remind me of Polish crystal pieces. No color, but an intricate design. The stories are beautifully translated. Additionally, the translator did an amazing amount of digging in to give information about the author—a very private and modest person, and about her times and society.

[Katya Soll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snapshots and brief portraits of Jewish life in NYC in the first half of the 20th century, plus several looking at the Black community. Halpern focuses on those who would not normally be seen as protagonists, examining the fragility, vulnerability, and marginalization of these lives.