Bintel Brief

For some people, reading about other people's worries is not an enjoyable idea. However, the Bintel Brief does that, and still manages to be historical and even uplifting at times. The book is a collection of about 200 letters from the early 1900's to the mid-1960's. Each letter is written to the Jewish Daily Forward by someone stating their predicament, and asking for advice or financial aid. While the letters might sometimes have grammatical mistakes, or not be well-written, sometimes the sheer despair or helplessness just makes you forget about all that. What I love about this book is that some people who contribute are grandparents who need help with their daughter-in-law, or young men who need help getting a job, and ever single letter is different from the one before it. This book demonstrates the raw emotions that course through the veins of the Jewish religion, and for that reason, I give Bintel Brief a 7.2/10.