Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen

Every Friday My Machberet presents an array of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • For your weekend listening: a Tikvah podcast episode featuring Liel Leibovitz on the Jewish poetry of Leonard Cohen.
  • New issue alert! Say hello to the summer 2017 edition of Lilith magazine.
  • The Jewish Review of Books also has a new issue out (fyi—some content is paywalled). Included with a newsletter alert about the new issue: “P.S. We’re looking for a great web editor to help us revamp and ramp up our website. Cover letter, resume, and (brief) writing samples should be sent to jobs(at)jewishreveiewofbooks(dot)com.”
  • The Whole Megillah has announced “the debut of Holocaustkidlit.com, a new website featuring an online searchable database of children’s Holocaust literature published in the United States and Canada from 2002 forward (excluding self-published and educational titles).” Details here.
  • And one concluding note: We’ll be hosting the July Jewish Book Carnival right here on the My Machberet blog. For background on the project and instructions if you’d like to contribute a #JewLit-focused link (not a self-promotional one, if you please!), do check the Carnival HQ. Deadline: July 10.
  • Shabbat shalom.

    Words of the Week

    “On the other hand, Israel is meant to be the state for all of the Jewish people. It is meant to be a place where all Jews can feel at home, can pray freely and practice their religion the way they want, with respect and dignity. It was one thing when the cabinet passed the Kotel deal in 2016 but then got stuck with its implementation. At least it seemed on the surface to be trying to move things forward. Now, the message to millions of Jews around the world is that Israel simply doesn’t care about them.

    Reform and Conservative Jews throughout the US already feel like second-class citizens when it comes to ritual in Israel like conversion and marriage. By annulling the decision to create a prayer space that all Jews can call home, the government is leading this relationship toward an even greater divide.

    For years, Netanyahu has told the Israeli public that there is no one better than him who understands America and American Jewry. Today we finally understood what that means – he doesn’t really care about them.”

    Yaakov Katz, “Shameful Day for Israel as It Freezes Plan for Pluralistic Prayer Site at the Kotel” (Jerusalem Post)

    Looking Ahead to Fall 2017 #JewLit

    Last Tuesday I spent a delightful day at the Association of Jewish Libraries conference (held this year right here in New York). And I was lucky enough to sit in on the latest iteration of a session titled “Recommended Reads: The Latest & Greatest in Jewish Fiction for Adults.” It was helmed, as in the past, by librarian Rachel Kamin, who was joined this year by Rosalind Reisner and Judy Weidman.

    From left: Judy Weidman, Rosalind Reisner, Rachel Kamin

    At one point, the session previewed some forthcoming novels “by favorite authors.” Among those that were mentioned: (more…)

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Every Friday My Machberet presents an array of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • From The Jewish Week: a summer reading section (that includes my own review-essay about Dorit Rabinyan’s All the Rivers (trans. Jessica Cohen).
  • “Faye Kellerman’s Orthodox Characters Bring Judaism to the Masses”—good piece by Yvette Alt Miller over on Aish.com.
  • Jewish Currents has just issued this call to artists and writers (and I’ve been assured via email that these are paying opportunities).
  • Now available: the June edition of the Jewish Book Carnival.
  • And on Commentary‘s site: a review (by Marat Grinberg) of Ellendea Proffer Teasley’s Brodsky Among Us.
  • Shabbat shalom!