Baal Sham Tov
Woody Allen's Hassidic Tale-Telling
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/bsor.v42i3.11Keywords:
Woody Allen, Hasidism, SatireAbstract
Woody Allen has long been seen as a definitive voice in American Jewish humor because of his films, but his short fiction has been largely ignored. An analysis of his fiction can, however, yield strong indications that while Allen himself may be an atheist, his prose owes a great debt to his religious upbringing and his ongoing religious literacy. This essay take a closer look at one particular story to note the ways in which Allen encounters religion in his fiction and uses his knowledge of Jewish scriptural forms to enhance the reader's experience of his satire. In this story, consisting of his parodies of the Hassidic tales of Eastern Europe, is he the Baal Sham Tov; the Master of the Good Fake.
References
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Berrin, Danielle. 2013. “Mel Brooks and Philip Roth on Jewishness, work, and love.” Jewish Journal. http:// www.jewishjournal.com/hollywoodjew/item/mel_ brooks_and_philip_roth_on_jewishness_work_and_ love
Blansfield, Karen. 1988. “Woody Allen and the Comic Tradition in America.” Studies in American Humor 6: 142– 53
Brand, Arnold. 1978. Nachman of Bratslav: The Tales. New York: Paulist Press.
Commins, Gary. 1987. “Woody Allen’s Theological Imagination.” Theology Today 44: 235–49.
Cooper, Arthur. 1975. “Allen the Author.” Newsweek, June 23.
Dan, Joseph. 1978. Preface to Nachman of Bratslav: The Tales, by Arnold J. Brand, xiii-xix. New York: Paulist Press.
Dart, John. 1977. “Woody Allen, Theologian.” The Christian Century, June 22-29, 585–89.
Epstein, Gary. 2006. “Tales of the American Masters.” In The Big Book of Jewish Humor, by William Novak and Moshe Waldoks, 130. New York: Collins.
Geist, William. 1987. “The Rolling Stone Interview: Woody Allen.” Rolling Stone, April 9.
Glaser, Jennifer. 2009 “The Politics of Difference and the Future(s) of Jewish American Literary Studies.” Prooftexts 29: 474–84.
Guttman, Allen. 1983. “Jewish Humor.” In The Comic Imagination in American Literature, edited by Louis Decimus Rubin, 329–38. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Jewish Publication Society. 1976. “Jewish Population in the United States, 1974.” In American Jewish Year Book, 229–38. New York: The Jewish Publication Society.
Kaplan, Mordecai. 2010. Judaism as a Civilization. New York: The Jewish Publication Society.
Lax, Eric. 2011. Conversations with Woody Allen. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Monro, D.H. 1963. Argument of Laughter. South Bend: University of Notre Dame Press.
Nilsen, Don. 1996. “Humorous Contemporary Jewish American Authors.” MELUS,: Vol 21:4 pp71-101.
Rubenstein, Richard. 1992. After Auschwitz. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Simon, Solomon. 1973 The Wise Men of Helm. West Orange: Behrman House.
Speidell, Todd. 2000. “God, Woody Allen, and Job.” Christian Scholar’s Review 29: 551–61.
Berkey-Gerard, Mark. 1997. “Woody Allen & the sacred conversation.” The Other Side 60-67.
Berrin, Danielle. 2013. “Mel Brooks and Philip Roth on Jewishness, work, and love.” Jewish Journal. http:// www.jewishjournal.com/hollywoodjew/item/mel_ brooks_and_philip_roth_on_jewishness_work_and_ love
Blansfield, Karen. 1988. “Woody Allen and the Comic Tradition in America.” Studies in American Humor 6: 142– 53
Brand, Arnold. 1978. Nachman of Bratslav: The Tales. New York: Paulist Press.
Commins, Gary. 1987. “Woody Allen’s Theological Imagination.” Theology Today 44: 235–49.
Cooper, Arthur. 1975. “Allen the Author.” Newsweek, June 23.
Dan, Joseph. 1978. Preface to Nachman of Bratslav: The Tales, by Arnold J. Brand, xiii-xix. New York: Paulist Press.
Dart, John. 1977. “Woody Allen, Theologian.” The Christian Century, June 22-29, 585–89.
Epstein, Gary. 2006. “Tales of the American Masters.” In The Big Book of Jewish Humor, by William Novak and Moshe Waldoks, 130. New York: Collins.
Geist, William. 1987. “The Rolling Stone Interview: Woody Allen.” Rolling Stone, April 9.
Glaser, Jennifer. 2009 “The Politics of Difference and the Future(s) of Jewish American Literary Studies.” Prooftexts 29: 474–84.
Guttman, Allen. 1983. “Jewish Humor.” In The Comic Imagination in American Literature, edited by Louis Decimus Rubin, 329–38. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Jewish Publication Society. 1976. “Jewish Population in the United States, 1974.” In American Jewish Year Book, 229–38. New York: The Jewish Publication Society.
Kaplan, Mordecai. 2010. Judaism as a Civilization. New York: The Jewish Publication Society.
Lax, Eric. 2011. Conversations with Woody Allen. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Monro, D.H. 1963. Argument of Laughter. South Bend: University of Notre Dame Press.
Nilsen, Don. 1996. “Humorous Contemporary Jewish American Authors.” MELUS,: Vol 21:4 pp71-101.
Rubenstein, Richard. 1992. After Auschwitz. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Simon, Solomon. 1973 The Wise Men of Helm. West Orange: Behrman House.
Speidell, Todd. 2000. “God, Woody Allen, and Job.” Christian Scholar’s Review 29: 551–61.
Published
2013-09-27
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Caplan, J. (2013). Baal Sham Tov: Woody Allen’s Hassidic Tale-Telling. Bulletin for the Study of Religion, 42(3), 11-19. https://doi.org/10.1558/bsor.v42i3.11
