The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition

by Nina Jaffe, Louise August (Illustrator)

Many years ago in Poland, there lived a rabbi who had a wife and three daughters. One day, the rabbi asks his children a powerful "How much do you love me?" His older daughters profess their love in gold and diamonds, but his youngest daughter, Mireleh, declares she loves her father the way meat loves salt. For this remark, she is banished from her father's home.

In this flavorful Jewish Cinderella tale, Mireleh's courageous journey is peppered with a perfect blend of magic and romance, leading to a reconciliation with her beloved father. Lavishly illustrated in Louise August's bold linocuts, The Way Meat Loves Salt will make a wonderful gift for the Jewish holidays.

Genres: Picture Books, Cinderella, Fairy Tales, Jewish, Childrens, Fiction, Cultural

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 1998

Reviews

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though there has been like a million retellings of “Cinderella” done already, I do recall one version of the tale that was quite unique as it had the “Cinderella” character running away from home and dancing with the prince of the story in disguise and that version came from a fairy tale called “Cap O’ Rushes.” So, imagine my surprise when I found out that there was a Jewish version of this tale called “The Way Meat Loves Salt” by Nina Jaffe along with illustrations by Louise August and I was pleasantly surprised by this brilliant version of the classic fairy tale!

Many years ago in the country of Poland, there lived a rabbi who had a wife and three daughters. The names of the three daughters were Reyzeleh, the oldest, Khaveleh, the middle daughter and Mireleh, the youngest. One day, the rabbi wanted to know how much each of his daughters loved him and he decided to ask each of them how they felt about him.

Reyzeleh answered, “I love you as much as diamonds.”

Khaveleh answered, “I love you as much as gold and silver.”

And Mireleh answered, “I love you the way meat loves salt.”

When the rabbi heard Mireleh’s answer, he was so enraged that he kicked Mireleh out of his house. Mireleh then wonders through the forest crying when suddenly, an old man dressed in a white robe showed up carrying a tall silver staff in one hand and a wooden stick in the other hand. The old man then tells Mireleh that she should go to the house of Rabbi Yitskhok ben Levi, the renowned scholar of Lublin and that he has a wife and son that could take care of her. When Mireleh goes to the house, the family took her in and let her stay in their attic. One day however, a wedding feast was being held in Cracow and Rabbi Yitskhok’s family decided to go to the wedding feast, but they let Mireleh stay at home. Mireleh wanted to go to the wedding, but she realized that she did not have the proper attire to attend the wedding. So, she used the magic stick that the old man gave her and she was able to make a beautiful dress appear out of thin air! When Mireleh arrived at the wedding, the guests were astonished by her appearance and Rabbi Yitskhok’s son immediately took interest in her and wanted to know everything about her. But, Mireleh kept quiet and did not tell the rabbi’s son anything about herself. As soon as the wedding feast was over, the rabbi’s son wanted to know more about the mysterious girl who came to the wedding and he decided to put some tar and pitch out in the front of his house to wait for the mysterious girl to arrive. When Mireleh came back to the house, she ended up getting one of her shoes stuck in the tar pitch and she had to leave without the other shoe. The rabbi’s son then picked up the shoe and declared that whoever fits the shoe will be his bride.

Will the Rabbi’s son find the woman who fits the shoe?

Read this book to find out!

Nina Jaffe’s writing is beautifully written as she does a brilliant job at retelling this ancient old version of “Cinderella” and incorporating Jewish customs into the story that makes it stand out from other folktales. I loved the way that Nina Jaffe incorporated the Jewish traditions in this story such as the groom stepping on the wine glass during the marriage ceremony as we get to learn more about Jewish culture through this story and how they define the characters. I also loved the fact that this story takes place in Poland since it is rare that I read children’s books that take place in Poland and it gives the story an extremely unique feel. Nina Jaffe did an excellent job at bringing out the theme of true love in this story as Mireleh, the main protagonist, is unfairly thrown out of her own home just because she stated that she loved her father as much as “meat loves salt.” While it takes most of the story for the father to figure out what Mireleh’s statement really meant, it was intriguing to me that Mireleh would make such an odd statement about her love for her father and yet, it still meant that she truly loves her father, even if the statement “meat loves salt” sounded a bit odd to both her father and the reader (unless you think about that statement really hard). Louise August’s artwork is beautiful and cute to look at as all the characters are drawn in a cute way and I really loved the Polish outfits that the characters wear such as the large dresses with the aprons that the female characters wear and the polo jackets and baggy trousers that the male characters wear.

Parents should know that the core part of this story is that the father ends up kicking his own daughter out of his home due to his daughter’s odd comment about how much she loves him. This could upset some readers as it hits closely home to children who were forcibly put out of their own homes by their parents or have dealt with parents who were abusive towards them. Parents might want to reassure their children that while such abuse can happen in real life, they should let their children know that they will always love them no matter what happens.

Overall, “The Way Meat Loves Salt” is a beautiful story about what true love really is and the importance of family no matter what kind of differences you may have with each other. I would recommend this book to children ages six and up since the Jewish terms might be a bit confusing for some smaller readers and the scene of the daughter being kicked out of her home might upset some children.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Set · Rating 1 out of 5]

A rabbi has three daughters and he loved the youngest the best. He wanted to know which of his three daughters loved him the most and was very displeased with the answer of his youngest daughter. In this illustrated version, both her sisters are brunettes and the most favored daughter is the blonde; it's very Himmler's bible. Typical for a Cinderella story; the fairy tale most prone to colorism by sneaky illustrators.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the other openings for the Cinderella tale. A rabbi cruelly drives his daughter away because she tell him she loves him as meat loves salt. . . .

Bits of local color for the tradition, but the same skeleton under it. Nice illustrations.

[Lisa Skripps · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition, is a Jewish rendition of Cinderella told by Nina Jaffe. In this version of the tale, a rabbi lives in Poland with his three daughters and wonderful wife. He decides that he needs to know how much his precious daughters love him, but is very disturbed when his youngest daughter, Mirelah, says she loves her father as much as meat loves salt. The rabbi is so distraught that he sends his daughter away and tells her never to return. Mirelah comes across an old man with a long flowing beard who guides her to the house of another rabbi who lives with his wife and son. The old man also gives Mirelah a magical wand to help her get all that she desires. Mirelah falls in love with the rabbi’s son and uses the wand to make a beautiful dress so she can attend a party that the family is going to. The family discovers that Mirelah is the woman from the party, whom their son loves. Mirelah and the son of the rabbi happily get married. At the wedding, she demands that no salt is used to make the brisket because she is still hurt by what happened with her father. Mirelah is reunited with her family and is able to explain to her father what she meant at the beginning of the story.

This was a wonderful version of a very dear children’s tale. I very much enjoyed seeing how the Jewish culture tells the tale that I grew up reading. I also enjoyed reading this story because of how much the authors incorporated aspects of Jewish culture into the story; from food, to religion, to various sayings. I think that this book could easily be used in the classroom with younger readers to show how different cultures tell the same story. The story would allow children to see themselves as a part of a global community through this story. I also enjoyed this book because it had definite differences from the traditional version that I grew up hearing. However, the storyline is similar and comforting at the same time.

[Charmie McKinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition by Nina Jaffe and illustrated by Louise August

A Cinderella story with a twist! This Cinderella story takes place in a small town in Poland where there lived a rabbi, his wife, and three daughters. The rabbi loved all his daughters, but he favored the youngest daughter the most. One day, he set out to find just how much his daughters loved him. The two oldest daughters reply was satisfying to his ears. However, when Mireleh, his youngest daughter told him, "Father, I love you the way meat loves salt," he became furious and banished her from the house. In this delightful Jewish tale, the young Mireleh adventurous journey is sprinkled with the right mix of romance and magic which eventually leads to the reunion with her precious father. I liked this rendition of Cinderella because it didn't have the typical "fairy godmother" but instead the Prophet Elijah which was revealed at the end of the story. The illustrations were not spectacular but they did add meaning to the text. I would recommend this book for Pre-K to 3rd grade. The way I would use this story is in a compare and contrast lesson with other versions of Cinderella.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story allows the reader a peek into Jewish traditions while following the same motif of wicked sisters and the struggle for a young girl to feel adequate and loved like in Cinderella. The Way Meat Loves Salt begins with a girl named Mireleh who lives in Poland with her rabbi father and two older sisters. One day, their father asked them to tell him how much they loved him. The first replied, “Oh, Father, I love you as much as diamonds!” The second responded, “Father, I love you as much as good and silver!” Finally, Mireleh answered, “Father, I love you the way meat loves salt.” This angered father who immediately sent her away and told her never to return. Mireleh ran away feeling lost and confused when suddenly she met an old man surrounded by a golden glow who told her he was there to help her. The man led her to a home where she would be cared for by a rabbi, his wife and their son. Soon this family took care of Mireleh but treated her as a poor beggar girl and would never allow her to go to the synagogue or other events. Mireleh wanted to go to the wedding that the family was attending but knew she wouldn’t be allowed. Then, she remembered that the old man had given her a magic stick that would grant her a wish if she tapped it three times on the floor. Soon after, Mireleh arrived at the wedding wearing a beautiful dress and caught the eye of Rabbi Yitshok’s son. Much like the traditional Cinderella tale, Mireleh left behind a shoe and the rabbi’s son searched the town for the owner of that shoe. A must read for students comparing versions of Cinderella and those who are not familiar with other cultures. The text features a pronunciation guide to Yiddish names and words in the story which I found very useful. There is even a song at the end of the book titled Mazel Tov! which is a wedding song. The illustrations in this book are used to further describe the settings and the main events of the storyline. Some are small to describe the setting and are positioned above the text while others take up an entire page to show the importance of some events. This book can be read by students in grades 3-6 as they are better able to compare versions of a common storyline that is transformed to portray a Jewish traditional story. I recommend teachers to provide an array of Cinderella traditional literature texts to help students compare their features and perhaps create their own story based on the culture or traditions that their family shares. I don’t find any weaknesses of this story as far as meeting traditional literature expectations or interest of readers and recommend it to all readers!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ages 6-11

I really enjoyed this Cinderella version. Maybe because I come from a cooking family and have grown up and still live surrounded by cooks, including myself, I was immediately drawn to the title of this story. This Cinderella tale from the Jewish tradition does not follow the same exact story as the traditional version that many of us may know.

It begins in Poland with a rabbi, who has a wife and three daughters. The family lived happily until the rabbi decided that he needed to test the love his daughters had for him. So he asked them the question, "How much do you love me?" The youngest daughter, Mireleh, who the rabbi secretly loves the most, responds with, "I love you the way meat loves salt." At this response, Mireleh is banished from the house.

Very much distraught, Mireleh meets an old man who wants to help her. He directs her toward the house of another rabbi and also gives her a magic stick. She can tap this magic stick three times and anything she would like will appear. The family is kind and takes her in, but the next day the family must attend a wedding in Cracow. Mireleh decides that she too would like to go to the wedding and she uses her magic stick to dress her up and take her to the event. At the event, she sees the son of the rabbi (whose house she is staying) and the rabbi falls for Mireleh.

The rabbi's son eventually figures out it was Mireleh and on their wedding day she directs the cooks to not use any salt in the preparations of the meal. Upon tasting the food, one of the guests grimaced. It was Mireleh's father.

Many reviewers rated this book appropriate for 4-7 year olds, I think many children that age would have a hard time understanding what was happening in this story.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cinderella is one of the most told, retold, reimagined, and fractured fairy tales in all the world. Like, over 1,000 versions are swirling around. Not kidding. So, The Way Meat Loves Salt is a needle in a fairy tale haystack, but so what?

From the Jewish tradition, this tale is set in long-ago Poland. There are no evil step-sisters or step-mother. Instead, the Cinderella figure, Mireleh, is the youngest of a rabbi’s three daughters. The rabbi banishes Mireleh because she says she loves him how meat loves salt, which insults him. There is still magic and a fancy dress, but a wedding rather than a ball and Elijah the Prophet taking the reigns for Fairy Godmother. Most importantly, a search for the fair maiden who fits a misplaced satin slipper remains the culmination.

I liked how the story was resolved, showing Mireleh to be wiser than her years and a faithful daughter, despite her rabbi papa acting like a nudnik.

[Erin Sterling · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this Jewish Cinderella tale, a man has three daughters who he loves. When he asks how much they love him, the two oldest compare their love to jewels, but his youngest (and favorite) says she loves him the way meat loves salt. He doesn't understand and throws her out, where she is forced to become a beggar and live with a kind rabbi's family far from home. She uses a magic stick she received to make a beautiful dress for herself to attend a wedding and the rabbi's son falls in love with her. This book incorporated Jewish traditions into a traditional fairy tale well, and ending with the girl getting back at her father by showing her what meat without salt actually tastes like.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

King Lear meets Cinderella in this engaging picture book presentation of a traditional Eastern European Jewish folktale from author Nina Jaffe and illustrator Louise August. When a rabbi asks each of his three daughters how much they love him, the answer of Mireleh, the youngest and most beloved, that she loves him the way meat loves salt, enrages him. Not understanding her, he banishes Mireleh from the house, and she flees town. Meeting a kindly old man on the road—none other than Elijah the Prophet—she is given a magic stick, which comes in very handy in her new life in the home of another rabbi, in a different town. Mistaken for a beggar girl, she is taken in and given refuge, and when her host family heads to a wedding, she uses the stick to create beautiful clothing in order to attend herself. It is at the weddings feast that Mireleh wins the heart of the rabbi's son, and leaves behind her slipper. But it is only at her wedding feast that she can finally reveal her true meaning to her father, leading to a reconciliation and a true happy ending...

The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition is the second picture book I have read from this author/illustrator team, following upon their In the Month of Kislev: A Story for Hanukkah , and the third from both author and illustrator individually. It was quite engaging, pairing two tales I didn't expect to see combined, and utilizing story elements both familiar—the enchanted clothing, the midnight limit to the spell, and the slipper left behind—and others that were new. I appreciated the fact that here the fairy godmother role is played by Elijah, and the religious significance this added to the story, which is as much about healing from family misunderstandings and quarrels as it is about finding true love. I also appreciated the artwork, done using linocuts, oil and pastel, all on rice paper. My only critique of the book, and it is a critique I find myself making often with Cinderella retellings, is that the author's note at the beginning of the book incorrectly maintains that the first recorded variant of this story was in 9th-century China. In point of fact, the ancient Egyptian variant predates the Chinese one by many centuries. The tale of Rhodopis—see Shirley Climo's The Egyptian Cinderella for a picture book presentation—was recorded in the work of the Greek geographer Strabo some time in the late first century BC, or early first century AD. Another retelling can be found in the work of Roman author Aelian (ca. 175–235 AD). It's very, very frustrating to see this misinformation shared again and again, especially in children's books! Leaving that issue aside, this is one I would recommend to young folk and fairy-tale lovers, and to any picture book reader seeking new Cinderella variants and/or stories with a Jewish cultural background.

[Janelle Bailey]

1: (I count up each year every book I read, every review I then write, hoping to reach 100 by the end of 2024! Here we go!)

The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition by Nina Jaffe, illustrated by Louise August

I read this sweet children's book this afternoon. No longer remembering who recommended it or what, exactly prompted me to add it to my hold list, I am simply grateful that I did.

Before the story for children--and all!--starts, Nina Jaffe begins with some wonderful pronunciation instruction for some Yiddish words and names included in the book. She additionally shares some of her personal history with the Cinderella story, primarily of Cinderella's history and the reality that a Cinderella-like fable or fairy tale, which most of us know, has slightly different variations around the world and in many cultures. She shares that the earliest version was recorded in China in the 9th century.

This story Jaffe tells is based on the Jewish version of Cinderella, originally found by her in a book called Yiddish Folktales, and called "Do You Love Me?" That story is said to have been collected in the 1920s, from a storyteller named Khave Rubin, of Poland. Jaffe's own story is spun to include the "love test" present in many stories and even classic literature, such as Shakespeare's King Lear, and incorporates her knowledge of her own great-grandmother being part of a rich storytelling culture, full of the fact that storytellers spun even the known stories their own individual ways as well.

Thus Jaffe prepares us to read her story, one she hopes will warm anyone hearing or reading it on a cold winter's night, envisioning those storytelling sessions her own grandmother experienced, growing up in Bialystok, in Poland, and speaking Russian, Polish, and Yiddish, receiving stories in those rich languages and traditions.

Jaffe's tale begins fairly simply: there is a rabbi who has three daughters, named Reyzelah, Khaveleh, and Mireleh. He is prompted one day to impose a "love test" upon each of his daughters. Their answers create the premise for the spinning of the rest of this tale, and cueing the book's title early on.

While not necessarily believable--all of the plot's components--as a contemporary story, that is never the point of a well-told legend or fairy tale. The point is the lesson learned, knowledge gained... and this one gives us a youngest daughter/sister different from what may be expected, wise beyond her spot. She is quite mature of mind and matter, and becomes even stronger in mind and heart. And thank goodness for the "fairy godmother" element of the Cinderella story to help her along the way.

Louise August's illustrations are gorgeous and worthy of spending additional time on each page. I am reminded of how storytelling as a tradition was oral and not written, so its pictures really only in the minds of the tellers until they shared. These images prompt reflection on how beautiful those playing in a storyteller's mind must always be as well, to be able to spin a beautiful story, rich in imagery and detail.

This is a sweet story and a beautiful book! It's not new (published in 1998), but perhaps that is why you want to read it right now, too!

[Dain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this very different cultural retelling of a Cinderella-type story. Filled with Jewish, Polish, and Yiddish words and phrases, this story is so different from the typical Cinderella story, it's almost not even related. Other than having some wishes granted and losing a slipper, the rest of the details will be like reading a new story. A great way to introduce some cultural diversity along with religious diversity in a gentle way. Illustrations support story throughout. It does get a bit wordy on some pages, but none of it is superfluous.

[Sarah Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This “Cinderella” tale “combines two folklore traditions: the romantic Cinderella tale and the love-test between parent and child” (Rochman, 1998), the second of which adults readers will see as the story of King Lear” (Chatton, 1998). Mireleh, the Jewish “Cinderella,” is actually driven away by her father, a rabbi, for saying she loves him the way meat loves salt (Jaffe, 1998). Because of a magic stick, Mireleh attends a feast in beautiful clothes and wins the heart of a rabbi’s son, eventually reuniting with her family through unsalted food at her own wedding (Jaffe, 1998).

Selection Sources:
• Chatton, B. (1998). Preschool to grade 4: Nonfiction. School Library Journal, 44(9), 192.
• Rochman, H. (1998). The way meat loves salt: A Cinderella tale from the
Jewish tradition [Book Review]. Booklist Online. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com.libsrv....-
A-Cinderella-Tale-from-the-Jewish-Tradition-Nina-Jaffe/pid=767280

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spin-off of Cinderella, except told in a Jewish version, with Jewish traditions. I think it is beneficial to share other versions of fairy tales that incorporate other religions to introduce a wide range of people. Super cute, and loved how it was similar and different.

[MaryAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting version of the Cinderella story. I like retellings and enjoyed the story for myself. It is long & the story a bit complicated for younger children, though, and does not translate well for our classroom.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting reading the background on this story. I'd first come across it in a Shakespeare volume as a possible source for King Lear type stories, so reading it as more of a Cinderella type story was fascinating.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this Jewish version of Cinderella because its focus is on the protagonist’s relationship with her father rather than female competition with her sisters. Not only is the story lovely, but the illustrations are gorgeous too! I highly recommend it.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique Cinderella tale...I really enjoyed this Jewish version.

[Mabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still love this one from my childhood. It’s rushed through like most classic fairy tales are but the concept is so different from others.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute Jewish Cinderella.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Cinderella stories, especially those from other countries. This Jewish folktale is a fun version of the Cinderella story.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jewish version of Cinderella with a whole family, satin slipper and happy ending.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really neat to see the Cinderella story from a Jewish perspective, but it was way too wordy.

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favorite rendition of the classic tale

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cinderella retelling with a few other fairy tale elements added in, all told with a Yiddish flavor.

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cinderella story from the Jewish tradition. A couple things didn't ring true, but it's a fairy tale.

[Benoitcesoir · Rating 4 out of 5]

My students enjoyed this version of Cinderella in our global studies class. This version is inspired by the Jewish storytellers of Eastern Europe.

[GardeniaPearl]

Mireleh didn't seem to do anything.

[Patricia Gower · Rating 5 out of 5]

fairy tale
Fantasy

[(NS) Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Way Meat Loves Salt" is a story that tells a Jewish version of Cinderella.
The story begins in Poland, in the city of Lublin, where a rabbi and his wife lived with their three daughters. The rabbi loved his daughters very much and would do anything for them. However, one day he wondered, "How much do they love me?" He didn't know and the question troubled him. So, he asks his daughters. The eldest replies that she loves him as much as diamonds. The middle daughter replies that she loves him as much as silver and gold. But the youngest replies that she loves him "the way meat loves salt." The father is furious with such an answer and has no idea what she means. In his fury he kicks her out of the house and banishes her from the family. Thus the poor young girl, Mireleh, sets forth and begins living the life of a servant girl. However, she is assisted by a kind old man who gives her a magical stick. Mireleh keeps the stick a secret and eventually is taken in by another rabbi and his family and this is where the Cinderella part of the story begins.
The family that Mireleh is living with must attend a wedding feast in Cracow. Mireleh does not want to be left out, so she uses the magic stick to wish for a beautiful gown, so she too can attend the wedding. When she arrives, all the guests are stunned by her beauty. The son of the family that she is living with asks her to dance. The two have a wonderful evening, but Mireleh never speaks a word. At the end of the night, she leaves in a hurry to get back to the house before the family. When she leaves, she loses one of her slippers in tar. The rabbi's son retrieves the slipper and states, "I will marry only the young woman who can wear this slipper!"
The story goes on to describe the sons search for the beautiful maiden, but will he ever find her. Will we ever find out the meaning of "The Way Meat Loves Salt"?

This story would be very appropriate for kindergarten through fourth grades. Students will enchanted by this variation of a well-known folktale found in traditional literature.