BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH is an anthology of four one act plays based on the Yiddish short stories of the late nineteenth century Jewish author, I. L. Peretz.  BONTSHE SHVAYG (Bontshe the Silent). Throughout his hard and painful life on earth, Bontshe Shvayg is silent; his existence insignificant. But when he dies, the Heavenly Shofar trumpets his arrival in Heaven. Offered anything his heart desires for his quiet and saintly behavior on earth, Bontshe Shvayg’s humble request dismays his Defending Angel and stuns the Heavenly Court of Paradise. (4 males; 4 females)  WHAT IS A SOUL? Three very different teachers—a stern, by-the-book Talmud teacher, a mystical Khasidic rebbe, and a modern, “freethinking” Yiddish writing tutor—compete for the heart, mind, and soul of a young Jewish boy. (4 males; 3 females)  EMPTY HANDED. When the White Angel arrives to escort the saintly Rivke-Beyle’s soul to Heaven, she is surprised to find the Dark Angel from “the other place” already waiting beside the dying woman’s bed. Rivke-Beyle’s choice of which angel to accompany will surprise and challenge the thinking of your audience. (1 male; 2 females)  IF NOT STILL HIGHER  A Litvak, a skeptical Jew from Lithuania, is determined to find out where the Rebbe of Nemirov really goes when he suddenly disappears each year between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. What the Litvak discovers about tzedakah—good deeds—changes his life forever. (3 males; 2 females)  Adapted for the stage by Scott Hilton Davis. Appropriate for middle school, high school, and adult audiences. Published by Jewish Storyteller Press.

Between Heaven and Earth

Literature & Fiction

Peretz, I. L.

Davis, Scott Hilton

Dramas & Plays

Jewish Storyteller Press

SOULS ARE FLYING! A Celebration of Jewish Stories is a collection of twelve short stories based on the writings of beloved Jewish authors Sholem Aleichem, Sholem Abramovtish, I. L. Peretz, and Jacob Dinezon. Collected and retold by storyteller Scott Hilton Davis, these new adaptations celebrate Jewish heritage, culture, and values. Featured in this revised edition are characters such as the Old Book Peddler who struggles to remain true to his own path; the poor Melamud (a Hebrew school teacher of young children) who imagines the world he would create if he were the wealthy banker Rothschild; the orphan boy who learns how to be a mentsh (an honorable person); and the Litvak, a skeptic from Lithuania, who discovers the heavenly power of a simple good deed. Although written more than a hundred years ago, these retold tales with their quintessential Jewish values hold important insights for people of all faiths who struggle with today's issues of social injustice, poverty, violence, war, and how to live a life of integrity in a world that seems constantly in turmoil. Intended to be read aloud, these Jewish stories will make you laugh, maybe bring a tear to your eye, and fill your heart with the joy of Yiddishkayt and Jewish culture. Fun reading for Jewish book clubs and a perfect gift for bar or bat mitzvah, confirmation, or Chanukah!

Souls Are Flying!: A Celebration of Jewish Stories

Literary

Celebrate the holiday of Chanukah with eight original short stories by Jewish storyteller Scott Hilton Davis. Enjoy a fun-filled journey to Oykvetchnik, the tiny shtetl town in Eastern Europe where people complain a lot (except during Chanukah when they seem to be a little more charitable).
Meet Chaim the Chanukiyah, the nine-branched menorah, who feels out of place in his new home, Myzeleh the Mouse who helps a poor orphan boy find his true calling, Pinchas ben Mordechai who survives twenty-five years in the Tsar’s army, Reb Shimon the Shammes who has misplaced the synagogue’s big menorah, Channele the Rabbi’s daughter who finally meets her besherter (her soul mate), and the kind-hearted Dovidl who fears the town’s beggar may be the rightful owner of his family’s new pawnshop menorah.
One for each night of the holiday, these sweet and heartwarming Chanukah stories will fill your heart with the light of Jewish history, culture, and values. As the candles burn low, spend a few minutes remembering the lives of our ancestors and how they joyfully celebrated their Jewish traditions.
Chanukah Tales from Oykvetchnik is a storybook to be read each year as the chanukiyah comes off the shelf, dreidels start spinning, and the smells of freshly fried latkes waft through the house

Chanukah Tales from Oykvetchnik

United States

Winner of a 2018 Silver Ben Franklin Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association and a 2018 Bronze IPPY Medal from the Independent Publisher Awards! Celebrate the holiday of Chanukah with eight original short stories by Jewish storyteller Scott Hilton Davis. Enjoy a fun-filled journey to Oykvetchnik, the tiny shtetl town in Eastern Europe where people complain a lot. Meet Chaim the Chanukiyah, the nine-branched menorah, who feels out of place in his new home, Myzeleh the Mouse who helps a poor orphan boy find his true calling, Pinchas ben Mordechai who survives twenty-five years in the Tsar's army, Reb Shimon the Shammes who has lost the synagogue's big menorah, Channele the Rabbi's daughter who finally meets her besherter (her soul mate), and the kind-hearted Dovidl who fears the town's beggar may be the rightful owner of his family's new pawnshop menorah. One for each night of the holiday, these sweet and heartwarming Chanukah stories will fill your heart with the light of Jewish history, culture, and values. As the candles burn low, spend a few minutes remembering the lives of our ancestors and how they joyfully celebrated their Jewish traditions. Chanukah Tales from Oykvetchnik is a storybook to be read each year as the chanukiyah comes off the shelf, dreidels start spinning, and the smells of freshly fried latkes waft through the house.

Chanukah Tales From Oykvetchnik

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Davis, Scott Hilton. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Davis, Scott Hilton

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Davis, Scott Hilton. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Between Heaven and Earth

Souls Are Flying!: A Celebration of Jewish Stories

Chanukah Tales from Oykvetchnik

Chanukah Tales From Oykvetchnik