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.

  • It was quite a moment when Judy Bolton-Fasman told Gold Star father and American patriot Khzir Khan about the lamed vavniks—and her belief that he stands among them. (I dare you not to tear up at the last paragraph of this piece.)
  • And another poignant, powerful piece: a review-essay by Nina Badzin on the resonance, this Passover holiday, of Abigail Pogrebin’s My Jewish Year.
  • Pogrebin’s aforementioned new book is one of “Eight New Books for Passover 5777” recommended by the Jewish Book Council’s Nat Bernstein.
  • An especially good episode of “Israel in Translation” includes a link to Almog Behar’s website, where you can freely download, a new draft version of collected translations of Behar’s poems and stories and some other texts, in a bilingual (Hebrew/English) edition.
  • And over on my other blog, I’ve shared some exciting news about a poetry contest sponsored by the Manhattan Jewish Experience.
  • Shabbat shalom, and happiest Passover wishes!

    Words of the Week

    “One thing is certain: Rabin could not have made peace by himself. It takes two sides to conclude a genuine peace agreement, and I am dubious that the Palestinians are up to the task. But I am also confident that Rabin would not have let Israel become a binational state. Whether Israel will have the political leadership to prevent that outcome is something that only time will tell.”

    Source: Dennis Ross, “A Life with Consequences” (review of Itamar Rabinovich’s Yitzhak Rabin: Soldier, Leader, Statesman), Jewish Review of Books

    ICYMI: Video Recordings of Recent #JewLit Events

    One of the wonders of our modern world: recordings of literary events that make it possible for us to “attend” readings, conversations, and seminars—no matter where we live or what time of day we might be able to watch them.

    Here are just three events from the past week or so that I have viewed and recommend highly:

    CONFESSIONS OF A HASIDIC POET
    Yehoshua November interviewed by journalist Danielle Ziri of the Jerusalem Post (Manhattan Jewish Experience).

    (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.

  • “Jewish Currents, a 72-year-old progressive Jewish magazine and small media company (‘Activist Politics & Art’), is seeking an associate editor, very full-time after part-time trial period.
  • The new (spring 2017) issue of Jewish Review of Books arrived in my mailbox this week (hello, Shabbat reading!). Some of the content is paywalled, but some pieces, including Sarah Rindner’s take on Yehoshua November’s poetry, are accessible to all.
  • And it seems as though the new issue of Lilith should be arriving soon, too. Meantime, I’m sneaking some peeks online (starting with a moving memoir excerpt by my friend Judy Labensohn).
  • I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this week has also brought a fresh newsletter issue from our team at Fig Tree Books. Check it out for a couple of Passover excerpts from Abigail Pogrebin’s My Jewish Year and some other fun stuff.
  • And there was a lovely surprise for me at the end of this week’s “Unorthodox” episode from Tablet magazine. As always, I encourage you to listen to the full episode. But if your curiosity is piqued, go to the 46:20 mark to hear what made me verklempt.
  • Shabbat shalom.