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A Fool's Kabbalah
In the ruins of postwar Europe, the world’s leading expert on the Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism goes on a hair-raising journey to recover sacred books stolen by the Nazis . . .
At the end of the Second World War Gershom Scholem, the magisterial scholar of Jewish mysticism, is commissioned by the Hebrew University in what was then British-ruled Palestine to retrieve a lost world. He is sent to sift through the rubble of Europe in search of precious Jewish books stolen by the Nazis or hidden by the Jews themselves in secret places throughout the ravaged continent.
The search takes him into ruined cities and alien wastelands. The terrible irony of salvaging books that had outlasted the people for whom they’d been written leaves Dr. Scholem longing for the kind of magic that had been the merely theoretical subject of his lamplit studies.
Steve Stern’s A Fool’s Kabbalah, a novel featuring numerous real-life historic figures, reimagines Gershom Scholem’s quest and how it sparked in him the desire to realize the legacy of his dear friend, the brilliant philosopher Walter Benjamin.
At the heart of that legacy was the idea that humor is an essential tool of redemption. In a parallel narrative, Menke Klepfisch, self-styled jester and incorrigible scamp, attempts to subvert, through his antic behavior, the cruelties of the Nazi occupation of his native village.
As Menke’s efforts collide with the monstrous reality of the Holocaust, we see—in another place and time–evidence that Dr. Scholem, in defiance of his austere reputation, has begun to develop the anarchic characteristics of a clown.
A Fool’s Kabbalah
At the end of the Second World War Gershom Scholem, the magisterial scholar of Jewish mysticism, is commissioned by the Hebrew University in what was then British-ruled Palestine to retrieve a lost world. He is sent to sift through the rubble of Europe in search of precious Jewish books stolen by the Nazis or hidden by the Jews themselves in secret places throughout the ravaged continent.
The search takes him into ruined cities and alien wastelands. The terrible irony of salvaging books that had outlasted the people for whom they’d been written leaves Dr. Scholem longing for the kind of magic that had been the merely theoretical subject of his lamplit studies.
Steve Stern’s A Fool’s Kabbalah, a novel featuring numerous real-life historic figures, reimagines Gershom Scholem’s quest and how it sparked in him the desire to realize the legacy of his dear friend, the brilliant philosopher Walter Benjamin.
At the heart of that legacy was the idea that humor is an essential tool of redemption. In a parallel narrative, Menke Klepfisch, self-styled jester and incorrigible scamp, attempts to subvert, through his antic behavior, the cruelties of the Nazi occupation of his native village.
As Menke’s efforts collide with the monstrous reality of the Holocaust, we see—in another place and time–evidence that Dr. Scholem, in defiance of his austere reputation, has begun to develop the anarchic characteristics of a clown.
A Fool’s Kabbalah
304 pages, Paperback
Published February 18, 2025
23 people are currently reading
343 people want to read
About the author
Steve Stern
29 books66 followersStern was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1947, the son of a grocer. He left Memphis in the 1960s to attend college, then to travel the US and Europe — living, as he told one interviewer, "the wayward life of my generation for about a decade," and ending on a hippie commune in the Ozarks. He went on to study writing in the graduate program at the University of Arkansas, at a time when it included several notable writers who've since become prominent, including poet C.D. Wright and fiction writers Ellen Gilchrist, Lewis Nordan, Lee K. Abbott and Jack Butler.
Stern subsequently moved to London, England, before returning to Memphis in his thirties to accept a job at a local folklore center. There he learned about the city's old Jewish ghetto, The Pinch, and began to steep himself in Yiddish folklore. He published his first book, the story collection Isaac and the Undertaker's Daughter, which was based in The Pinch, in 1983. It won the Pushcart Writers' Choice Award and acclaim from some notable critics, including Susan Sontag, who praised the book's "brio ... whiplash sentences ... energy and charm," and observed that "Steve Stern may be a late practitioner of the genre [Yiddish folklore], but he is an expert one."
By decade's end Stern had won the O. Henry Award, two Pushcart Prize awards, published more collections, including Lazar Malkin Enters Heaven (which won the Edward Lewis Wallant Award for Jewish American Fiction) and the novel Harry Kaplan's Adventures Underground, and was being hailed by critics such as Cynthia Ozick as the successor to Isaac Bashevis Singer. Stern's 2000 collection The Wedding Jester won the National Jewish Book Award, and his novel The Angel of Forgetfulness was named one of the best books of 2005 by The Washington Post.
Stern, who teaches at Skidmore College, has also won some notable scholarly awards, including fellowships from the Fulbright and the Guggenheim foundations. He currently lives in Ballston Spa, New York, and his latest work, the novel The Frozen Rabbi, was published in 2010.
Stern subsequently moved to London, England, before returning to Memphis in his thirties to accept a job at a local folklore center. There he learned about the city's old Jewish ghetto, The Pinch, and began to steep himself in Yiddish folklore. He published his first book, the story collection Isaac and the Undertaker's Daughter, which was based in The Pinch, in 1983. It won the Pushcart Writers' Choice Award and acclaim from some notable critics, including Susan Sontag, who praised the book's "brio ... whiplash sentences ... energy and charm," and observed that "Steve Stern may be a late practitioner of the genre [Yiddish folklore], but he is an expert one."
By decade's end Stern had won the O. Henry Award, two Pushcart Prize awards, published more collections, including Lazar Malkin Enters Heaven (which won the Edward Lewis Wallant Award for Jewish American Fiction) and the novel Harry Kaplan's Adventures Underground, and was being hailed by critics such as Cynthia Ozick as the successor to Isaac Bashevis Singer. Stern's 2000 collection The Wedding Jester won the National Jewish Book Award, and his novel The Angel of Forgetfulness was named one of the best books of 2005 by The Washington Post.
Stern, who teaches at Skidmore College, has also won some notable scholarly awards, including fellowships from the Fulbright and the Guggenheim foundations. He currently lives in Ballston Spa, New York, and his latest work, the novel The Frozen Rabbi, was published in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 25, 2025
CW: extensive antisemitic violence
Just to be honest from the get-go, I didn't finish this book, though I was two-thirds of the way through it when I stopped reading. The two timeline story is smart and interesting and focuses on a "village clown" during WWII and a professor's attempt to recover Judaica immediately after the war. But the time setting includes regular acts of humiliating and brutal violence. At first, I thought I could skim these sections and limit my experience of the violence enough to continue reading, but eventually that failed.
I absolutely understand that this was a time when cruelty became commonplace and that telling a story of that time is going to involve documenting that cruelty, but eventually I just had to stop reading. It's not a matter of wanting to pretend that violence didn't happen. It did, and we minimize or deny it at risk of repeating it. But living in the U.S. in what will soon be Donald Trump's second term as President, I just don't have room in me to sink into past violence when I'm working as hard as I can to brace myself for the violence that's yet to come.
I would definitely be eager to read any new books by Steve Stern. He's a good writer with an intelligent, ironic imagination. I just can't manage this particular narrative at this particular point in time.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
Just to be honest from the get-go, I didn't finish this book, though I was two-thirds of the way through it when I stopped reading. The two timeline story is smart and interesting and focuses on a "village clown" during WWII and a professor's attempt to recover Judaica immediately after the war. But the time setting includes regular acts of humiliating and brutal violence. At first, I thought I could skim these sections and limit my experience of the violence enough to continue reading, but eventually that failed.
I absolutely understand that this was a time when cruelty became commonplace and that telling a story of that time is going to involve documenting that cruelty, but eventually I just had to stop reading. It's not a matter of wanting to pretend that violence didn't happen. It did, and we minimize or deny it at risk of repeating it. But living in the U.S. in what will soon be Donald Trump's second term as President, I just don't have room in me to sink into past violence when I'm working as hard as I can to brace myself for the violence that's yet to come.
I would definitely be eager to read any new books by Steve Stern. He's a good writer with an intelligent, ironic imagination. I just can't manage this particular narrative at this particular point in time.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss; the opinions are my own.
March 7, 2025
There has been a shift of focus in recent years from the extermination camps to "The Holocaust by Bullets" - the improvised extermination of Jewish settlements by Einsatzgruppen, often supported by local non-Jewish populations, further east. One of the twin narratives in Stern's book looks at one such operation in unflinching detail. Yet ... there is one individual - a titular "Fool" - who responds to the inhumanity with humour. And the jokes he makes, first to impress the object of his affections, and later to temporarily ingratiate himself with the German commandant, did make me laugh out loud. The second narrative, interleaved with this, takes place after the war, and concerns a distinguished Professor of Jewish Mysticism, resident in Palestine, charged with retrieving sacred Jewish texts from the hands of European organisations reluctant to release them - even though, as he continually points out, there are too few Jews left in Europe to use them. This task is frustrating and largely futile, and the Professor returns home changed: in fact he becomes his own type of Fool, as the reader will discover. The book, of course, raises the same question as Benigni's 1997 film La vita è bella: is it appropriate to introduce comedy into an account of the Holocaust? This book is, I feel, a far more honest example of this than that film. I personally found it compelling: both "Fools"showing how absurdity may sometimes be the only human response to the implacable.
June 27, 2025
DO NOT READ A BOOK ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST AND THEN COMPLAIN ABOUT THE VIOLENCE.
What exactly were you expecting?
This book was outstanding. The writing was exceptional and highly intelligent.
What exactly were you expecting?
This book was outstanding. The writing was exceptional and highly intelligent.
April 29, 2025
This was an amazing work of literature, a wonderful piece of the writing art, and a terribly difficult book to read during the contemporary current events of the Palestine/Israel region…a tough book to read in the current American administration’s efforts to broaden the economic disparity between classes, relegating and designating an ever larger class of impoverished people, and marginalizing BIPOC people as disposable—a demographic that the oligarchs and the pretend king-president deign to call “animals.” This was a hard book to read because I had chosen to concurrently read exposés and memoirs and manifestos like Omar El Akkad’s One Day Everyone Will Have Always been Against This, and Ta-Nehisi Coates’s The Message, and other works that underscore Israel’s offenses against human rights and that nation’s descent into war crimes equitable in severity to the atrocities that the Jewish people themselves have suffered for millennia. And what is sad is how easily the Israeli-Jewish people have forgotten the atrocities waged against them, and how easily that nation has become the exact same abominable monster under which they suffered the exact same abominable acts of dehumanization.
And while much of the annihilation of the Palestinian people of Gaza has been easier for Israelites to ignore because bombs and drones do the “nasty” work of genocide in the 21st century…many of the same atrocities do in fact occur…such as bored Israeli soldiers who apathetically sniper shoot Palestinians as though they were at a carnival shooting game booth…just as the Nazis would “pick-off” Jewish pedestrians running late from work after curfew.
What is the purpose of attending church or Sabbath every week and hearing the stories that define one’s culture…or celebrating the high holy days that relive significant moments of persecution and survival and justice…if we chose not to hear them, chose not to internalize them, choose not to learn from them and decide that our purpose is greater and different than our predecessors? What is the point of learning to survive and celebrate one’s humility as a persecuted people, and to trust wholly in the hand of God…if only to take our plowshares and turn them back into swords? Even in the time of Jesus, the Jewish people were awaiting a military Messiah who might deliver them from their persecuted, second-class existence and lead them in battle to their rightful place as self-ruling autonomous people of their own land. Netanyahu certainly perceives himself in that role of redeemer…but at what cost to the moral soul of Israelites and their perception by the rest of the world?
This was a hard book to read because it details over and over again the brutality of which humans are capable of committing against one another, of how we are capable of dehumanizing one another to appease ourselves of our efforts at erasing other human communities, that we have to admit that we are still tribalistic at our most base and core character. That so much of our malignancy is due to greed—monetary, materialistic, geographic—when in truth we are just fleeting creatures who cannot really “possess” anything at our final hour…there is nothing that we can take with us; and ironically we become a retroactive possession of the earth, of this big rocky planet, of the elements floating through the universe. How and why we choose to spend our fleeting lives in the pursuit of collecting and accumulating as much “stuff” or “power” as is temporarily and temporally possible…is an utter mystery.
This is a personal perspective completely at odds with the plot of the book and the raisin d’être of the protagonist Gerschom Scholem’s mission to find, root-out, and recover Jewish books, knowledge, and Judaica that had been stolen and hoarded by the Nazi regime, with the intention of returning them to Jewish communities or for the preservation of Jewish culture. By cultural standards this is a noble task. …And yet, Scholem seems vexed at every turn, if not because these sought-after things have been destroyed, and if not because the remnants of hoarding museums refuse to surrender their holdings, then because of the books and items that have been recovered…virtually nothing remains of the Jewish population that previously owned them. And thus, the story rather supports the idea that we have created these possessions and endowed them with invented relevance and importance…when in the end (which all humans must face), their significance is greatly reduced, and life for the remaining must go on…
How this author was able to create so much eloquent art and find such magic in a story of such tragedy and demoralizing human atrocity …is also a mystery…and a miracle. The subtleties of magical realism that pervade this dual-perspective/dual-timeline story are a wonder. One review blurb described Stern’s writing in this book “like Marc Chagall on LSD,” which having finished reading the book myself, seems like a very astute description, though with perhaps less pastel coloration.
One prolific reviewer here was of the opinion that secondary characters were not developed sufficiently. And, I would argue that, while this is a perfectly valid personal critique, that it is incorrect. “Secondary” characters in this novel have, perhaps, a broader definition than in a more traditional roman a clef. In Stern’s book, one character is the Jewish people or population of the small village of Zyldzce (as a whole), and another is the Hitlerite invaders (as a whole) whom are painted with dexterity. If Jewish individuals are characterized at all it is in the form of the one-sentence-short-story format that paints a picture by defining their want/lack and describing their demise. If individuals of the oppressive regime are defined it is by their apathy, their privilege, and their violence.
I think the point is that the atrocities committed against the Jewish population were to such an extent and of such a destructive volume that we can only conceive of them in terms of “mass.” Which is not to say that each individual—mother, child, or man—did not have their own beautiful individual “story.” But that the obliteration of millions of those stories becomes overwhelming to the point that we must re-live them through the horror of numbers, of mass graves, of vanished villages and communities. Those are the secondary characters whose lost stories we must lament, because just like those burned books or Judaica, they simply do not exist anymore for us to ask about the intricacies of their stories, or observe the beauty of their crafts, or the richness of their traditions.
Still…a difficult book to read for those of delicate soul and for those upon whose hearts weigh broader perspectives of justice. As with most historical fiction, we know what the outcome of the story is going to be…but it doesn’t make the revelation any less devastating as we close the back cover.
And while much of the annihilation of the Palestinian people of Gaza has been easier for Israelites to ignore because bombs and drones do the “nasty” work of genocide in the 21st century…many of the same atrocities do in fact occur…such as bored Israeli soldiers who apathetically sniper shoot Palestinians as though they were at a carnival shooting game booth…just as the Nazis would “pick-off” Jewish pedestrians running late from work after curfew.
What is the purpose of attending church or Sabbath every week and hearing the stories that define one’s culture…or celebrating the high holy days that relive significant moments of persecution and survival and justice…if we chose not to hear them, chose not to internalize them, choose not to learn from them and decide that our purpose is greater and different than our predecessors? What is the point of learning to survive and celebrate one’s humility as a persecuted people, and to trust wholly in the hand of God…if only to take our plowshares and turn them back into swords? Even in the time of Jesus, the Jewish people were awaiting a military Messiah who might deliver them from their persecuted, second-class existence and lead them in battle to their rightful place as self-ruling autonomous people of their own land. Netanyahu certainly perceives himself in that role of redeemer…but at what cost to the moral soul of Israelites and their perception by the rest of the world?
This was a hard book to read because it details over and over again the brutality of which humans are capable of committing against one another, of how we are capable of dehumanizing one another to appease ourselves of our efforts at erasing other human communities, that we have to admit that we are still tribalistic at our most base and core character. That so much of our malignancy is due to greed—monetary, materialistic, geographic—when in truth we are just fleeting creatures who cannot really “possess” anything at our final hour…there is nothing that we can take with us; and ironically we become a retroactive possession of the earth, of this big rocky planet, of the elements floating through the universe. How and why we choose to spend our fleeting lives in the pursuit of collecting and accumulating as much “stuff” or “power” as is temporarily and temporally possible…is an utter mystery.
This is a personal perspective completely at odds with the plot of the book and the raisin d’être of the protagonist Gerschom Scholem’s mission to find, root-out, and recover Jewish books, knowledge, and Judaica that had been stolen and hoarded by the Nazi regime, with the intention of returning them to Jewish communities or for the preservation of Jewish culture. By cultural standards this is a noble task. …And yet, Scholem seems vexed at every turn, if not because these sought-after things have been destroyed, and if not because the remnants of hoarding museums refuse to surrender their holdings, then because of the books and items that have been recovered…virtually nothing remains of the Jewish population that previously owned them. And thus, the story rather supports the idea that we have created these possessions and endowed them with invented relevance and importance…when in the end (which all humans must face), their significance is greatly reduced, and life for the remaining must go on…
How this author was able to create so much eloquent art and find such magic in a story of such tragedy and demoralizing human atrocity …is also a mystery…and a miracle. The subtleties of magical realism that pervade this dual-perspective/dual-timeline story are a wonder. One review blurb described Stern’s writing in this book “like Marc Chagall on LSD,” which having finished reading the book myself, seems like a very astute description, though with perhaps less pastel coloration.
One prolific reviewer here was of the opinion that secondary characters were not developed sufficiently. And, I would argue that, while this is a perfectly valid personal critique, that it is incorrect. “Secondary” characters in this novel have, perhaps, a broader definition than in a more traditional roman a clef. In Stern’s book, one character is the Jewish people or population of the small village of Zyldzce (as a whole), and another is the Hitlerite invaders (as a whole) whom are painted with dexterity. If Jewish individuals are characterized at all it is in the form of the one-sentence-short-story format that paints a picture by defining their want/lack and describing their demise. If individuals of the oppressive regime are defined it is by their apathy, their privilege, and their violence.
I think the point is that the atrocities committed against the Jewish population were to such an extent and of such a destructive volume that we can only conceive of them in terms of “mass.” Which is not to say that each individual—mother, child, or man—did not have their own beautiful individual “story.” But that the obliteration of millions of those stories becomes overwhelming to the point that we must re-live them through the horror of numbers, of mass graves, of vanished villages and communities. Those are the secondary characters whose lost stories we must lament, because just like those burned books or Judaica, they simply do not exist anymore for us to ask about the intricacies of their stories, or observe the beauty of their crafts, or the richness of their traditions.
Still…a difficult book to read for those of delicate soul and for those upon whose hearts weigh broader perspectives of justice. As with most historical fiction, we know what the outcome of the story is going to be…but it doesn’t make the revelation any less devastating as we close the back cover.
August 3, 2025
Steve Stern has delivered what may be his most profound and accomplished work to date with A Fool's Kabbalah. This extraordinary novel masterfully weaves together two seemingly disparate narratives, one historical, one mythical, into a stunning meditation on survival, redemption, and the transformative power of humor in the face of unimaginable darkness.
The novel's genius lies in its intricate dual structure. Stern juxtaposes the real-life journey of Gershom Scholem, the renowned scholar of Jewish mysticism tasked with salvaging sacred texts from post-war Europe, with the fictional tale of Menke Klepfisch, a village fool whose antic behavior becomes both shield and weapon against Nazi occupation. The alternating chapters create a powerful dialogue between scholarly pursuit and folk wisdom, between the aftermath of destruction and the moments of its unfolding.
This structural choice proves brilliant, as both characters—though separated by time and circumstance—embark on parallel quests to preserve Jewish culture and humanity itself. Scholem seeks to rescue books that have outlasted their people, while Menke attempts to save lives through the ancient art of the holy fool.
Stern's prose achieves a rare balance of erudition and accessibility. His deep grounding in Yiddish folklore, which has earned him comparisons to Isaac Bashevis Singer, is on full display here. The writing is both "heartbreaking and dazzling," combining the "cynical poetry of the sages" with moments of profound beauty and devastating insight.
At its core, this novel asks one of literature's most challenging questions: How do we respond to ultimate evil? Stern's answer, channeled through both his protagonists, is revolutionary in its simplicity and profundity. Both Scholem and Menke deploy humor not as escape from reality, but as a form of resistance, a tool of redemption that affirms human dignity even in the face of systematic dehumanization.
The book explores Walter Benjamin's concept that "humor is an essential tool of redemption," transforming this philosophical idea into lived experience through Stern's characters. The result is a work that confronts the Holocaust neither through sentimentality nor nihilism, but through a uniquely Jewish tradition of sacred comedy that finds light even in the deepest darkness.
Stern's integration of historical figures and events is seamless and respectful. His portrayal of Gershom Scholem, based on the real scholar's mission for the Treasures of Diaspora Archive, brings to life a man whose academic pursuit of Jewish mysticism becomes a lived experience of loss and hope. The novel's historical research is impeccable, yet never feels academic or burdensome, instead serving the deeper emotional and spiritual truths Stern seeks to illuminate.
Published at a time when antisemitism is rising globally and Holocaust memory faces new threats, A Fool's Kabbalah serves as both historical testimony and contemporary warning. Stern demonstrates how art can serve as a vessel for cultural preservation, showing us characters who understand that saving books and stories is ultimately about saving souls and identities.
The novel's exploration of Jewish mysticism, folklore, and tradition creates what one critic calls "a primer on Jewish texts and mysticism" while remaining thoroughly accessible to general readers. This educational dimension never feels didactic but emerges naturally from the characters' lived experiences and spiritual journeys.
What elevates A Fool's Kabbalah to masterpiece status is Stern's compassionate vision. He refuses to exploit tragedy for dramatic effect or to indulge in easy sentimentality. Instead, he offers us characters whose humanity remains intact despite—and perhaps because of—their encounters with history's darkest chapter. Both Scholem and Menke emerge as fully realized individuals whose struggles illuminate universal truths about resilience, faith, and the power of the human spirit.
The novel's ending, without spoiling its impact, achieves that rarest of literary achievements: it provides both closure and opening, resolution and new beginning. It suggests that while individual lives may be lost, the stories and traditions they embody can survive and flourish in new forms.
A Fool's Kabbalah stands as Steve Stern's crowning achievement and one of the finest historical novels of recent years. It succeeds on every level: as a work of historical fiction that illuminates the past while speaking to the present; as a meditation on Jewish identity and survival; as an exploration of the relationship between scholarship and lived experience; and most importantly, as a deeply moving human story that affirms the possibility of hope, humor, and redemption even in history's darkest moments.
This is essential reading—a book that not only entertains and educates but transforms our understanding of how literature can bear witness to both human cruelty and human grace. Stern has created a work that will endure, a modern classic that honors the past while offering guidance for the future.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A magnificent achievement that establishes Steve Stern as one of our most important contemporary voices in Jewish-American literature.
The novel's genius lies in its intricate dual structure. Stern juxtaposes the real-life journey of Gershom Scholem, the renowned scholar of Jewish mysticism tasked with salvaging sacred texts from post-war Europe, with the fictional tale of Menke Klepfisch, a village fool whose antic behavior becomes both shield and weapon against Nazi occupation. The alternating chapters create a powerful dialogue between scholarly pursuit and folk wisdom, between the aftermath of destruction and the moments of its unfolding.
This structural choice proves brilliant, as both characters—though separated by time and circumstance—embark on parallel quests to preserve Jewish culture and humanity itself. Scholem seeks to rescue books that have outlasted their people, while Menke attempts to save lives through the ancient art of the holy fool.
Stern's prose achieves a rare balance of erudition and accessibility. His deep grounding in Yiddish folklore, which has earned him comparisons to Isaac Bashevis Singer, is on full display here. The writing is both "heartbreaking and dazzling," combining the "cynical poetry of the sages" with moments of profound beauty and devastating insight.
At its core, this novel asks one of literature's most challenging questions: How do we respond to ultimate evil? Stern's answer, channeled through both his protagonists, is revolutionary in its simplicity and profundity. Both Scholem and Menke deploy humor not as escape from reality, but as a form of resistance, a tool of redemption that affirms human dignity even in the face of systematic dehumanization.
The book explores Walter Benjamin's concept that "humor is an essential tool of redemption," transforming this philosophical idea into lived experience through Stern's characters. The result is a work that confronts the Holocaust neither through sentimentality nor nihilism, but through a uniquely Jewish tradition of sacred comedy that finds light even in the deepest darkness.
Stern's integration of historical figures and events is seamless and respectful. His portrayal of Gershom Scholem, based on the real scholar's mission for the Treasures of Diaspora Archive, brings to life a man whose academic pursuit of Jewish mysticism becomes a lived experience of loss and hope. The novel's historical research is impeccable, yet never feels academic or burdensome, instead serving the deeper emotional and spiritual truths Stern seeks to illuminate.
Published at a time when antisemitism is rising globally and Holocaust memory faces new threats, A Fool's Kabbalah serves as both historical testimony and contemporary warning. Stern demonstrates how art can serve as a vessel for cultural preservation, showing us characters who understand that saving books and stories is ultimately about saving souls and identities.
The novel's exploration of Jewish mysticism, folklore, and tradition creates what one critic calls "a primer on Jewish texts and mysticism" while remaining thoroughly accessible to general readers. This educational dimension never feels didactic but emerges naturally from the characters' lived experiences and spiritual journeys.
What elevates A Fool's Kabbalah to masterpiece status is Stern's compassionate vision. He refuses to exploit tragedy for dramatic effect or to indulge in easy sentimentality. Instead, he offers us characters whose humanity remains intact despite—and perhaps because of—their encounters with history's darkest chapter. Both Scholem and Menke emerge as fully realized individuals whose struggles illuminate universal truths about resilience, faith, and the power of the human spirit.
The novel's ending, without spoiling its impact, achieves that rarest of literary achievements: it provides both closure and opening, resolution and new beginning. It suggests that while individual lives may be lost, the stories and traditions they embody can survive and flourish in new forms.
A Fool's Kabbalah stands as Steve Stern's crowning achievement and one of the finest historical novels of recent years. It succeeds on every level: as a work of historical fiction that illuminates the past while speaking to the present; as a meditation on Jewish identity and survival; as an exploration of the relationship between scholarship and lived experience; and most importantly, as a deeply moving human story that affirms the possibility of hope, humor, and redemption even in history's darkest moments.
This is essential reading—a book that not only entertains and educates but transforms our understanding of how literature can bear witness to both human cruelty and human grace. Stern has created a work that will endure, a modern classic that honors the past while offering guidance for the future.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A magnificent achievement that establishes Steve Stern as one of our most important contemporary voices in Jewish-American literature.
December 28, 2024
An electronic advanced review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a non biased review.
Steve Stern, celebrated for his magical realism and deep-rooted connection to Jewish folklore, presents "A Fool's Kabbalah," a novel that promises to blend historical intrigue with the mystical traditions of Kabbalah.
Summary
"A Fool's Kabbalah" transports readers to the post-World War II era, where the narrative centers on Gershom Scholem, a real-life figure renowned for his scholarship in Jewish mysticism. Commissioned by the Hebrew University in British-ruled Palestine at the war's end, Scholem's journey is one of recovery and redemption. He is tasked with reclaiming sacred Jewish texts, many of which were stolen by the Nazis or hidden by Jews across Europe.
The novel vividly illustrates Scholem's travels through the devastated landscapes of Europe, where he encounters the irony of salvaging books that outlasted their owners. His quest is not just a physical one but also an intellectual and spiritual journey, where he grapples with the magical essence of Kabbalah, something he had previously studied in a more theoretical context.
Stern's narrative intertwines historical facts with imaginative storytelling, featuring numerous historical figures like Walter Benjamin. The book explores themes of loss, memory, and the mystical underpinnings of Jewish identity, all while weaving a tale of adventure and philosophical reflection.
Analysis and Critique
Plot and Structure: Stern's storytelling is both a strength and a challenge. He masterfully blends real history with speculative elements, creating a rich tapestry that requires the reader to navigate both the known and the fantastical. However, the complexity of intertwining factual events with fiction can sometimes overwhelm the narrative's pace.
Character Development: Scholem is portrayed with depth, reflecting his real-life persona as a scholar yet introducing fictional elements that expand his character into realms of personal and mystical discovery. The supporting cast, while vibrant, sometimes feels underdeveloped due to the novel's focus on historical breadth rather than depth in character arcs.
Cultural and Historical Context: Stern's intimate knowledge of Jewish mysticism and history shines through, providing a backdrop that educates as much as it entertains. His depiction of Kabbalah is nuanced, avoiding the oversimplification often seen in popular culture, instead offering a respectful and profound exploration.
Writing Style: Stern's prose is lyrical and dense, filled with the poetic essence of Yiddish folklore, which might be a hurdle for some readers but a treasure for those who appreciate cultural narratives.
Themes: The novel delves into themes of preservation, the clash between ancient wisdom and modern disillusionment, and the quest for understanding in a world marked by destruction. It's a poignant reflection on the resilience of cultural identity and the power of knowledge.
Conclusion
"A Fool's Kabbalah" is not just a novel but a journey through time and the mystical, offering a unique perspective on Jewish history and Kabbalah through the lens of one man's extraordinary mission. Steve Stern crafts a narrative that is as enlightening as it is entertaining, though its dense historical and cultural references might require a committed reader.
Ratings Breakdown
Plot: 4/5 - Engaging but occasionally dense with historical detail.
Character Development: 3.5/5 - Complex and rich for the protagonist but less so for secondary characters.
Cultural Representation: 5/5 - Exceptional depth and respect for Jewish mysticism and history.
Writing Style: 4/5 - Beautifully crafted but might be challenging for some.
Overall Enjoyment: 4/5 - A rewarding read for those interested in historical fiction with a mystical twist.
This novel stands out for those looking to delve into the intersection of history, culture, and mysticism, though it might not appeal to everyone due to its stylistic density.
Steve Stern, celebrated for his magical realism and deep-rooted connection to Jewish folklore, presents "A Fool's Kabbalah," a novel that promises to blend historical intrigue with the mystical traditions of Kabbalah.
Summary
"A Fool's Kabbalah" transports readers to the post-World War II era, where the narrative centers on Gershom Scholem, a real-life figure renowned for his scholarship in Jewish mysticism. Commissioned by the Hebrew University in British-ruled Palestine at the war's end, Scholem's journey is one of recovery and redemption. He is tasked with reclaiming sacred Jewish texts, many of which were stolen by the Nazis or hidden by Jews across Europe.
The novel vividly illustrates Scholem's travels through the devastated landscapes of Europe, where he encounters the irony of salvaging books that outlasted their owners. His quest is not just a physical one but also an intellectual and spiritual journey, where he grapples with the magical essence of Kabbalah, something he had previously studied in a more theoretical context.
Stern's narrative intertwines historical facts with imaginative storytelling, featuring numerous historical figures like Walter Benjamin. The book explores themes of loss, memory, and the mystical underpinnings of Jewish identity, all while weaving a tale of adventure and philosophical reflection.
Analysis and Critique
Plot and Structure: Stern's storytelling is both a strength and a challenge. He masterfully blends real history with speculative elements, creating a rich tapestry that requires the reader to navigate both the known and the fantastical. However, the complexity of intertwining factual events with fiction can sometimes overwhelm the narrative's pace.
Character Development: Scholem is portrayed with depth, reflecting his real-life persona as a scholar yet introducing fictional elements that expand his character into realms of personal and mystical discovery. The supporting cast, while vibrant, sometimes feels underdeveloped due to the novel's focus on historical breadth rather than depth in character arcs.
Cultural and Historical Context: Stern's intimate knowledge of Jewish mysticism and history shines through, providing a backdrop that educates as much as it entertains. His depiction of Kabbalah is nuanced, avoiding the oversimplification often seen in popular culture, instead offering a respectful and profound exploration.
Writing Style: Stern's prose is lyrical and dense, filled with the poetic essence of Yiddish folklore, which might be a hurdle for some readers but a treasure for those who appreciate cultural narratives.
Themes: The novel delves into themes of preservation, the clash between ancient wisdom and modern disillusionment, and the quest for understanding in a world marked by destruction. It's a poignant reflection on the resilience of cultural identity and the power of knowledge.
Conclusion
"A Fool's Kabbalah" is not just a novel but a journey through time and the mystical, offering a unique perspective on Jewish history and Kabbalah through the lens of one man's extraordinary mission. Steve Stern crafts a narrative that is as enlightening as it is entertaining, though its dense historical and cultural references might require a committed reader.
Ratings Breakdown
Plot: 4/5 - Engaging but occasionally dense with historical detail.
Character Development: 3.5/5 - Complex and rich for the protagonist but less so for secondary characters.
Cultural Representation: 5/5 - Exceptional depth and respect for Jewish mysticism and history.
Writing Style: 4/5 - Beautifully crafted but might be challenging for some.
Overall Enjoyment: 4/5 - A rewarding read for those interested in historical fiction with a mystical twist.
This novel stands out for those looking to delve into the intersection of history, culture, and mysticism, though it might not appeal to everyone due to its stylistic density.
December 26, 2025
A stunning twinned tale of two men struggling to comprehend and deal with the Holocaust and its aftermath. One, Menke, is a consummate fool; in fact, he is his shtetl's joker and is faced with the arrival of the deathly serious Nazi death squads during the war. The other, Gershom Scholem, a real-life Kabbalah scholar and researcher of Jewish mysticism, is a post-war agent hunting down important stolen Jewish books. The novel is rich in the ideas and symbolism of Yiddish folklore, poorly understood and misperceived as they are by this gentile, but moving and thrilling nonetheless (I was frequently looking up terms and references). The wordplay is extraordinary to me, or maybe common in this culture. I am quite fond of the questioning nature of this thinking/culture. It made my mind race as I retraced certain sections. Extremely important in Menke's tale is his out-of-reach heart's desire, the radiant rabbi's daughter Blume, as well as his shadow, the waifish albino outcast Tsippe-Itsl whose long silences are punctuated by intermittent spells of logorrhea and whose strangeness is countered by a resolute capability to keep things together. Gershom's story is haunted by the ghost of the German cultural critic Walter Benjamin, by memories of Hannah Arendt, and by discussions with Martin Buber, as well as a range of postwar personages.
The writing swept me away from the beginning. It should be obvious that this is not an easy read due to the events/eras covered and the struggles faced by both protagonists. However, do not let that dissuade you from reading this book if it seems of interest. I felt uplifted by this novel. It worked a certain magic upon me, especially because I have long been fascinated by the archetypes of the fool and the mystic. Menke's foolish resistance and Gershom's mystic questioning (that last chapter!) feed my own troubled spirit in our perilous times.
February 12, 2025
Gershom Scholem (a real historic figure) is one of two main characters in this fictionalized account of Scholem's trip across Europe to retrieve Jewish books confiscated after WWII and the Holocaust. As a leading expert in Jewish mysticism, he believes that in collecting these books and bringing them back to Jerusalem, he is gathering the sparks of light let loose by God at the moment of creation.
Interwoven with Scholem's story is that of Menke, a Jew living in a Polish shtetl before and during WWII, who appoints himself a clown, jokester and troublemaker. Even though Menke warns his neighbors of the approaching horrors, they pay him no attention until a German army unit occupies the shtetl and creates a Jewish ghetto.
While these two characters do not exactly meet during their lifetimes, the mystic aspects of Judaism impact both of them and also show the limits of Kabbalah magic in its ability to save the Jews. Scholem visits Menke's shtetl twice during his European tour, with the first visit integrating the characteristics of mysticism and the second more realistically showing the town now rid of Jews and enjoying a revitalization.
Over the course of the book, Scholem's personality takes on the qualities of Menke, as evidence of the impact of Scholem's European travels meeting camp survivors and encountering bureaucrats and librarians still adhering to Nazi ideology and antisemitism.
This is territory that is familiar to readers and fans of Steve Stern. The book isn't easy, especially the final 1/3, but the writing, as always, is strong and complex, the magical realism is there to make a point, and overall I highly recommend it.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.
Interwoven with Scholem's story is that of Menke, a Jew living in a Polish shtetl before and during WWII, who appoints himself a clown, jokester and troublemaker. Even though Menke warns his neighbors of the approaching horrors, they pay him no attention until a German army unit occupies the shtetl and creates a Jewish ghetto.
While these two characters do not exactly meet during their lifetimes, the mystic aspects of Judaism impact both of them and also show the limits of Kabbalah magic in its ability to save the Jews. Scholem visits Menke's shtetl twice during his European tour, with the first visit integrating the characteristics of mysticism and the second more realistically showing the town now rid of Jews and enjoying a revitalization.
Over the course of the book, Scholem's personality takes on the qualities of Menke, as evidence of the impact of Scholem's European travels meeting camp survivors and encountering bureaucrats and librarians still adhering to Nazi ideology and antisemitism.
This is territory that is familiar to readers and fans of Steve Stern. The book isn't easy, especially the final 1/3, but the writing, as always, is strong and complex, the magical realism is there to make a point, and overall I highly recommend it.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley.
January 17, 2025
Gershom Scholem has arrived in Offenbach am Main to take on an impossible quest. This professor of Jewish mysticism wants to bring back as many of the books that formerly belonged to Jewish people murdered by the Nazis to Israel, where they can be kept safe for use by scholars. In the years after the war, the Offenbach Archival Depot held millions of books stolen by the Nazis while people tried to figure out what should be done with them. It wasn’t always possible to find the original owners or their descendants. Some books were repatriated to their countries of origin; others were sent to the US Library of Congress and other libraries around the world. A Fool’s Kabbalah, by Steve Stern, follows Gershom as he combs through the mountains of books in Offenbach am Main and travels around Germany, Czechia, and Poland to recover yet more Jewish books for his university in Israel. A Fool’s Kabbalah also contains the story of Menke Klepfisch, a man who cannot resist a joke or a prank even when his quest for a laugh gets people killed...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.
January 28, 2025
Steve Stern’s latest book A Fool’s Kabbalah is based on a true if tragic story. In the aftermath of World War II, academic Dr Gershom Scholem, is sent by the Hebrew University to Europe to rescue any books and artefacts that have survived the Holocaust. Scholem’s almost picaresque quest is juxtaposed with the life of Menke Klepfisch, a classic Yiddish fool, who returns to his shtetl on the eve of the war with warnings of a great conflagration to come.
A Fool’s Kabbalah is a tough read. Scholem’s journey through a ghost-ridden Europe to find the traces of lost communities is a tragic one that at least is tinged with hope. Menke’s tale is the more tragic – documenting as it does the occupation of a small Polish town and the demonisation, degradation and then slow destruction of the Jewish community there. Menke uses humour to deal with the tragedy, but even this ultimately cannot save him from the depredations of the Germans.
With anti-semitism on the rise globally, these stories are timely. And while that are both harrowing and tragic in their own way, it is important that they keep being told.
A Fool’s Kabbalah is a tough read. Scholem’s journey through a ghost-ridden Europe to find the traces of lost communities is a tragic one that at least is tinged with hope. Menke’s tale is the more tragic – documenting as it does the occupation of a small Polish town and the demonisation, degradation and then slow destruction of the Jewish community there. Menke uses humour to deal with the tragedy, but even this ultimately cannot save him from the depredations of the Germans.
With anti-semitism on the rise globally, these stories are timely. And while that are both harrowing and tragic in their own way, it is important that they keep being told.
March 19, 2025
I know that this is a good book because I kept reading it even though It pained me on almost every page. For me it's one of those books that is best read at the literal level because if I go to the depths of I will hurt for a really long time. Two stories here: the story of the Holocaust and the how people rose above it even as the were slaughtered and brutalized in the most degrading ways; the story of those who came after and suffered the trauma of that degrading experience by witnessing the result of that ordeal. Very well written but... hard... to touch into it.
April 11, 2025
Stern’s facility with dialogue, wit, and parallel histories are a constant that make his work a must read. A Fool’s Kabbalah takes on a more challenging swath of history than usual, but still does a masterful job of connecting the pre-war shtetl to early Israeli independence, and our protagonists’ personal and spiritual challenges. I would have liked a more explicit tie between the parallel tales, but perhaps like the end of Singer’s Shosha, we’re intended to simply appreciate the mystery.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
December 19, 2024
A Fool’s Kabbalah is a masterpiece. It might be Stern’s best book, and that’s saying something. Entertaining (few writers are his equal sentence for sentence) but also important. The writing of the history of the holocaust will never be finished but this novel is a significant step toward shining a new light on that infinite darkness. And Steve Stern’s belief in the power of words, even in the most desolate times, is nothing short of inspiring.
February 20, 2025
I’m not sure quite what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. And that is a very good thing. I absolutely love the way. This author brought his latest work to life. Historical facts, with liberties taken, always make something far more enjoyable for me to read and this book was quite interesting. Though the first few chapters were a struggle, I’m glad I hung in there as it got way better after that point.
March 16, 2025
Absolutely fascinating. Two tales--one of life in a shtetl during WW2, and one of the life of a man serving to collect and preserve the scattered remnants of the Jewish culture destroyed in WW2. I found the first to be brilliant and terrifying and heartbreaking, and the second to be emotional and lacking certainty for the future of the world. Highly recommended.
Want to read
November 27, 2024
Thank you to Melville House Publishing for kindly providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 16, 2025
Incredible prose. Every line felt super well conceived. Hard to believe how funny this book is when the subject matter is so depressing. One of the best contemporary novels I've read in a long time.
May 30, 2025
I feel like I should take the time to write a proper review, but, for now, I will say, that Steve Stern is one of the greats and more people should read him.
July 16, 2025
I liked how dense this book was (putting my religion degree to good use!); I didn’t like how little this book had to say, despite the litany of references and textual allusions
October 28, 2025
A must read for fans of Stern's "The Frozen Rabbi." One improvement that would have earned five stars: presenting the two intertwined stories in chronological order.
October 13, 2025
Here are two intertwined mid- and post-holocaust tales where two characters experience Life’s humorous head eating its own tragic tail. I will always include comedy on the guest list of posh pity parties or high-toned therapeutic throwdowns, but oh howeverly unfortunate, the fuel that feeds the unclassiest clownery is composed of pure unleaded tragedy and Stern, being the magical tragedist’s realist comedian, removes non-jest from nonfiction where, truth be told, comedy-in-truth’s often withheld… wait, what? No, that makes sense.
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