Jewish Literary Links
- In which Mitch Ginsburg points us toward new (and slightly older) Israeli poetry in translation.
- One of the translators whom Ginsburg cites—Benjamin Balint—also made news this week as the latest winner of the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, for his nonfiction book Kafka’s Last Trial: The Case of a Literary Legacy. (I’ve never met Balint, but back in the early aughts, when he was on the editorial staff of a Jewish magazine, he routinely—and, memorably, quite graciously—”passed” on numerous short-story submissions I sent his way.)
- “5 Feminist Biblical Retellings You Need to Read,” as recommended by Emily Burack for Alma. (I’ve read four of them. How about you?)
- Looking ahead to next week, I am anticipating with particular eagerness two online events that are slated for Wednesday, May 20: Adam Kirsch’s appearance via the London-based Jewish Book Week team (topic: “Who Wants to Be a Jewish Writer?”—which is also the title of one of Kirsch’s recent books), and then, “Writing in Israel 2020: New Stories,” an evening honoring Professor Michael Kramer that will feature Matti Friedman and Yossi Klein Halevi in conversation with Dr. Ilana Blumberg.
- And ICYMI: Birthright: Poems received another lovely review this week. Snippet below.
Shabbat shalom.
