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 is my deepest wish that I have honoured those who were lost – including my grandfather – with this novel.” Suzanne Reisman explains what having her novel manuscript longlisted for the Bath Novel Award means to her.
  • This week brought the June Jewish Book Carnival, hosted by Life Is Like a Library.
  • Israeli author Etgar Keret is making the rounds promoting his new book, a memoir. Listen to his interview with Terry Gross.
  • Over on the Fig Tree Books blog, I introduce a new review of work by author Gerald Green (1922-2006).
  • And also Fig Tree-related: Enter this Goodreads giveaway for the next FTB title, Ben Nadler’s The Sea Beach Line.
  • 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.

    “But it’s Thursday,” you’re saying!

    That is correct. But since I will be in transit to Minneapolis tomorrow–and since many folks will be heading offline for the concluding weekend of Pesach fairly soon, I figured I’d post early this week.

  • I’m currently reading Michal Lemberger’s After Abel and Other Stories, an extraordinary collection that spotlights women’s experiences in the Bible. (If you liked The Red Tent, this book is for you.) Check out the author’s conversation with Deborah Kalb for some more info.
  • Check out the latest links on American Jewish Experience (AJE) over on the Fig Tree Books blog. (My own favorite is the five-year Jewish-holiday calendar from the URJ.)
  • Speaking of Fig Tree Books, this week I was a guest on The Next Best Book Club blog, touting three upcoming releases.
  • ICYMI: a Passover poem & its postscript.
  • Finally, you’ve got some time (but not much) if you’d like to submit poems for Poetry Super Highway’s 17th Annual Holocaust Remembrance Day Issue. Deadline is Friday. (NB: This is not a paying opportunity. But when it comes to Holocaust-related writing, I’m personally a lot more flexible on my own “must-be-paid-for-my-work” rule.)
  • See you all next week.

    On Attending a Performance of “Defiant Requiem”

    Rafael Schächter, the conductor at the heart  of the Defiant Requiem.
    Rafael Schächter, the conductor at the heart of the Defiant Requiem.

    For a long time, I was known to describe Verdi’s as “my favorite Requiem.” The first time I attended a live choral performance, I was overwhelmed by it.

    That was many years ago. Since that first performance, I have listened over and over to a CD. But Monday evening I attended another live performance. And I can’t quite find the words to articulate how extraordinary it was.

    So I’ll borrow from others.

    From the Defiant Requiem Foundation website: (more…)

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Lit 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.

  • Mitch Ginsburg profiles Dalia Betolin-Sherman on the occasion of the publication of the Ethiopian-born Israeli writer’s first story in English.
  • Mazal tov to the winner and honorable mentions for this year’s ALA/Sophie Brody Medal for outstanding achievement in Jewish literature.
  • On the Fig Tree Books website: a fresh appraisal of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s Shosha.
  • Some of the most moving moments of this past week for me: watching “Defiant Requiem,” a documentary “which illuminates the extraordinary, untold story of the brave acts of resistance by the Jewish prisoners at Terezín.” Let’s just say that although I’ve always loved Verdi’s Requiem, I’ll never listen to it in quite the same way again.
  • “The Jewish Student Press Service is looking to hire a recent or soon-to-be college graduate for the full-time position of editor-in-chief of the national Jewish student magazine New Voices. The new editor would simultaneously serve as executive director of the Jewish Student Press Service.”
  • 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.

  • Looking forward to reading the new issue of The Ilanot Review (theme: Migrations).
  • Ellis Shuman reviews New York 1, Tel Aviv 0, Shelly Oria’s short-story collection.
  • And over on the Well Versed blog, Gloria Kestenbaum discusses an anthology that I’m reading now, myself.
  • “70 Faces Media is hiring a razor-sharp editor with digital savvy and creative vision to help lead our JTA News team into the future.”
  • ICYMI: a brief post about Matthew Lippman’s new poetry collection, Salami Jew.
  • Shabbat shalom.