Erika Dreifus

Toward the end of each week, the My Machberet blog presents a collection of links, drawn primarily from the world of Jewish books and writing.

[Apologies to subscribers: This went out earlier than it should have. An error as I typed!]

• Julie Zuckerman’s latest author newsletter includes, among much else, updates from Israel.
• From Heidi Rabinowitz: a “completely unofficial 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Award shortlist.”
• “Fantastic Books is delighted to announce a second anthology of original science fiction—and now, fantasy—stories that will speculate on the past, present, and future of the Jewish people.” Submission deadline is February 27. Compensation: “five cents a word (for a maximum total payment of $250).”
• In case you missed it, please take a look at “My Year in Jewish Books: 2023 Edition.”
• And if you haven’t checked it lately, you may want to peruse the “After October 7: Readings, Recordings, and More” document-in-progress.

This week I discovered that Amiram Cooper—a resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz who, at 84, is among the oldest Israeli hostages captured by Hamas—is the author of three books of poetry and one children’s book (source: The Times of Israel). I’m trying to find out more, including whether his work has been translated into English. May he be returned home swiftly and safely.

And I learned that another Nir Oz resident, Israeli-American-Canadian Judih Weinstein Haggai—whose death was announced late last week and whose body remains captive in Gaza—was also a poet. You can find some of her work on her YouTube channel; you might begin with some poetry that she shared there last spring. May her memory—and that of her husband, Gadi Haggai, whose death was announced some days earlier—be a blessing.

#BringThemAllHomeNow.

Shabbat shalom.