Dream by Dream: The Story of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise
In 1819 in a small Bohemian village a poor Jewish schoolteacher and his wife welcomed a son into the world They blessed him and named him Isaac
Life was not easy for Jews in this part of Europe They couldn't own land or live in certain places They often faced hatred and harsh treatment Isaac's parents dreamed of a world where their son would have the same freedoms as his neighbors
Isaac's father was a teacher and Isaac was a curious child eager to learn Instead of playing with the neighborhood children he followed his father to the tiny schoolroom in their house Before long Isaac could read as well as the older students To Isaac written words were magic keys unlocking new worlds
One day the butcher's son hit Isaac just because Isaac was Jewish Isaac hit back Isaac expected his father to praise his courage but his father scolded him Instead of using fists he would need to use words said his father So Isaac filled his head with more and more words
