My Year in Jewish Books

StarFor the past six years, I’ve found it useful (and kind of fun) to look back on “my year in Jewish books.” So, borrowing some of the same introductory wording, I’m going to attempt to do something similar for 2017.

Reviewing my reading for 2017 (thank you, Goodreads!), I can see that, again, I do not and would not ever limit my reading to “Jewish books” exclusively. (By the way, in case you haven’t heard me say this before, I define “Jewish books” in the simplest terms as books with substantive Jewish content. In my view, non-Jewish authors can write “Jewish books.” And Jewish authors can write books that don’t strike me as overtly Jewish.)

But this year, as usual, I did read quite a few books that fall within the “Jewish book” category. And, as an advocate for Jewish literature, I’m proud of that.

Below, you will find these books presented in the order in which I read them (most recent first). I have also disclosed how I obtained each book: P (purchase), R (complimentary review copy), L (library [or otherwise borrowed]), G (gift). (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.

  • About the Jewish children’s book that has incensed anti-vaxxers.
  • Giveaway alert! Win a copy of The Going, an inspiring and insightful new book—part-spiritual memoir, part-learned reflection—by Shalom Hartman Institute faculty member Leon Wiener Dow.
  • In the vein of the perennial debates of what makes any given book “a Jewish book,” JTA editor-in-chief Andrew Silow-Caroll recently mused about what makes news “Jewish news.”
  • “The Canadian government has officially recognized the national historic significance of two seminal Montreal Jewish writers of the early 20th century, Hirsch Wolofsky and A.M. Klein.”
  • ICYMI: I had two poems published on the Jewcy site last Friday. One poem corresponded to last week’s Torah portion, but the other remains relevant each and every Shabbat!
  • Shabbat shalom.

    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.

  • “12 Jewish Artist-Educators You Should Know” (via eJewishPhilanthropy).
  • Ahead of this weekend’s Boston Book Festival, JewishBoston.com’s Judy Bolton-Fasman interviews Daphne Kalotay, whose Holocaust-related short story “Relativity” is being featured as the winning entry in the festival’s One City One Story contest.
  • Writers I know are buzzing about this new opportunity for kidlit authors to travel to Israel.
  • Hadassah Magazine is looking for freelancers to write about arts and culture, trends and important issues shaping the Jewish community. Journalism experience is required.” For more information/application instructions, scroll down for the call in this Hadassah Magazine newsletter.
  • And ICYMI: Last Friday the Forward published a new essay of mine, about my return to Hebrew School.
  • Shabbat shalom!

    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.

  • Beautiful poem by Julia Knobloch, “The Kabbalist’s Son,” over on Jewcy.
  • Via JTA: “The new PJ Library edition of [football star Julian Edelman]’s ‘Flying High’ includes extra material on the front and back flaps that emphasizes the story’s Jewish content and values. There is also a new reference to Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism. The dedication page includes one of Herzl’s most famous quotes: ‘If you will it, it is no dream.'”
  • I warn you to have tissues at the ready when you watch this powerful Holocaust-related “op-doc” video feature over on NYTimes.com.
  • And then, although it certainly could not have been intended as a “companion” piece, that’s what came to mind as I watched this seven-minute film, via TheAtlantic.com: “In 1939, the German American Bund organized a rally of 20,000 Nazi supporters at Madison Square Garden in New York City. When Academy Award-nominated documentarian Marshall Curry stumbled upon footage of the event in historical archives, he was flabbergasted. Together with Field of Vision, he decided to present the footage as a cautionary tale to Americans.”
  • “Jewish Currents is launching its sixth annual Raynes National Poetry Contest. The submission season runs from October 15, 2017 to January 15, 2018.” This year’s theme is “Facts, Fakes, and Fictions.” NB: Although on my other blog and in my newsletter I limit contest and similar opportunity listing to those that don’t charge fees, I make an exception on the My Machberet blog because the pool for specifically Jewish-lit calls and competitions is so much smaller. So, yes, there’s a fee involved if you want to enter this contest.
  • Shabbat shalom.

    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.

  • The Jewish Women’s Archive has announced its list of titles for its 2017-18/5778 Book Club. (And they’ve made some excellent selections!)
  • Over on the PJ Library site, Laurel Snyder has a lovely brief piece on “Writing the Books I Wish I Grew Up With.”
  • Awst Press has been publishing an intriguing series of essays on religion/spirituality. Begin with the curators’ introduction and then peruse the pieces posted to date. (Don’t miss the one by Alicia Jo Rabins.)
  • Got a flash story written in Hebrew? You might want to send it to SmokeLong Quarterly (this does not appear to be a paying opportunity, but I make exceptions for such things on the My Machberet blog).
  • Finally, it’s a bittersweet honor to present my own Tablet piece on an exhibition of the art of Hadar Goldin.
  • Shabbat shalom.