Diane Wolkstein | Hasidic Stories

“She illuminates her texts with profound spiritual

understandings of the past,

nuanced so as to address the

contemporary reader. A master storyteller."

— Avivah Zornberg, author of The Beginning of Desire: Reflections on Genesis

Synopsis

For 28 years Diane listened to the stories of Shlomo Carlebach in his travels throughout the world. The stories she tells from the Hasidic culture are the stories she heard her Rabbi tell. Peopled with princesses, clay–diggers, water–carriers, schleppers, and hidden wise ones, they are stories of spiritual renewal, blessing, and transformation that are suitable for all audiences.

Video preview

Reviews

“What a treasure! Diane Wolkstein, the master storyteller, uncovered a rare tape of a concert that she and Rabbi Shlomo, the master of song, gave shortly before Reb Shlomo's untimely death. It is an hour of the best of both worlds: stories and songs woven together to enchant and inspire.”
— Ari L. Goldman, professor, Columbia School of Journalism
"Celebrating Our Mistakes is so alive that I felt I could touch everything… the evening is superb! Diane tells with grace and passion as if she were dancing. Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, like Meister Eckhardt, brings a sense of joy and great warmth. A rich, moving spiritual work that celebrates life, bringing peace to the listener.”
— Jay O'Callahan, author, The Pill Hill Stories
“An evening of songs and storytelling with Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and Diane Wolkstein must have seemed like a marriage made in heaven to the audience of 800 who came to hear them at the American Museum of Natural History in 1994. Indeed, it was an extraordinary event. This pairing was miraculously preserved on video and has now been released, ten years later, after extensive — and highly successful — restoration. Like a lost memory that returns with astonishing clarity, we are present as two of the world’s greatest Jewish storytellers exchange tales with each other, accompanied by Rabbi Carlebach’s intensely soulful songs. Those who were present at the time understood this was a historical event, those who are fortunate enough to view this concert film will certainly understand why.”
— Howard Schwartz, author, The Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism
“[The] remarkable [Celebrating Our Mistakes] ends too soon, but it is still enough, because it is filled withenlightening, profound stories, heart–stirring chants, 'heavenly whistling,' and more from both Reb Shlomo and Diane Wolkstein. Reb Shlomo leaves his audience that night, just a few dozen days from the day that he died, and says, 'How good it is to be alive.' He then says, 'I bless you that every minute of your life you should be alive'… Had this DVD done nothing more than to offer that blessing to all of us, it would be enough…”
— Arthur Kurzweil, Parabola

Performance Photos

Available Media

CELEBRATING OUR MISTAKES

Stories and Songs from the Jewish Tradition

SHLOMO CARLEBACH & DIANE WOLKSTEIN

Cloudstone, New York, 2004, DVD.

ISBN 1‐879846‐18-7.

On a September evening in 1994, Shlomo Carlebach and Diane Wolkstein traded stories of the Baal Shem Tov and the Seer of Lublin before an appreciative audience at New York’s American Museum of Natural History. The energy radiating from the two tellers created such joy and love that members of the audience spontaneously called out "L'Chayim!" ("To life!"). We hope that some of that energy — and the resulting joy and love — touches you as you enjoy Celebrating Our Mistakes. Program notes included.

For all images please credit Shirley Keller.