He’s inconsiderate. She’s discourteous.

They’re negligent.

You are absolutely, positively, no-doubt-about-it certain that your friend/spouse/boss/neighbor/ fellow-Jew has done something he shouldn’t have.

And you’re wrong.

For more than two decades, Rebbetzin Yehudis Samet has been teaching her fellow Jews to love each other. To speak well of each other. And to judge each other favorably.

As part of her renowned workshop on shmiras halashon, Rebbetzin Samet has collected hundreds of true stories of behavior that seems, at first glance, to be unforgivable, negative, or just plain nasty — and that turns out to have been perfectly justified.

The Other Side of the Story gives us 180 funny, poignant, and unusual tales that teach us to unravel the mysteries of human behavior and help us to understand others, and ourselves. These are stories that will tickle your funny-bone or tug at the strings of your heart. Either way, they will surely change the way you look at people — and provide 180 reasons for doing it.

Her co-worker had taken the earrings that she lost in the office — or had she? His brother hadn’t bothered to invite him to the family reunion — or so it seemed. The plumber was a thief, the teacher was incompetent, the babysitter irresponsible. The judgment was clear. Until we heard The Other Side of the Story.

In addition to this collection of tales gathered from all over the world, The Other Side of the Story offers successful strategies on integrating the principles of judging favorably into our own lives, and a look at the profound wisdom that underlies this important concept. As we learn to give others the benefit of the doubt, to stretch our imagination and judge our fellows favorably, we will rise beyond anger to compassion, leave pettiness behind, and enjoy true personal growth.