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. This week, more than 150 days after October 7 and on the eve of International Women’s Day, I’m amplifying five Substacks authored by Jewish women writers—four of them writing from Israel—for others’ consideration.

• First up: Julie Zuckerman’s Monthly Author Newsletter. I’ve subscribed to this newsletter for a long time. It features “book recommendations, literary news, a virtual series connecting readers and authors of Jewish books, a story/essay of the month, recipes, and other thoughts on writing.” A native of Connecticut, Julie lives in Israel with her husband and four children; her post-October 7 newsletters have shared her reflections and observations on current events, too.
• The brainchild of former Canadian ambassador to Israel and “Toronto lawyer turned Tel Avivian” Vivian Bercovici, State of Tel Aviv “is a weekly newsletter and podcast focusing on Israel, the Middle East and Jewish life. Our analysis and reportage delve deeply into the complex realities of the war in Israel, politics, business, tech, innovation and culture in this frenetic place.” This is another Substack that I was following before October 7 and have continued to appreciate since then.
• More directly tied to recent and current circumstances: Vivian Cohen’s The Little Things, a War Diary offers “notes, thoughts and dispatches for friends and family in the aftermath of the October 7th attacks by Hamas on Israel.” I’m grateful that these posts have been made available to the public.
• The eponymous author of Jessica’s Substack is Jessica Steinberg, whose day-job title is Arts & Culture Editor for The Times of Israel. In her personal Substack, she normally shares “updates about my latest adventures, which can include behind-the-scenes tales of my latest interviews and articles, exploring a new or favorite place, best-of lists, having to do with anything from musical performances and goat farms to gelato, Israeli TV and art in all forms.” (Of course, at the moment, nothing is normal.)
• And the newest Substack on this block is titled Never Alone. As outlined by creator Elissa Wald, it’s intended for “progressive Jews who love Israel. I am addressing progressive Israel-loving Jews when I say that as of today – mid-February of 2024 – I have been watching you go mad in your attic for four straight months now. I have watched you be bullied out of your cherished progressive spaces. I have listened to you cry. I’ve heard you say you feel abandoned, betrayed, isolated, alone and politically homeless. I am writing this Substack to show you that you’re not alone. As Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat told us, children of Israel are never alone. And I’m going to make sure you’re not homeless. I’m going to make this place your home.” Reader, trust this (generally centrist) Zionist when I tell you how quickly I’ve come to depend on these posts.

Of course, there are many additional Substacks by Jewish women writers that I read and could have listed above, too! Feel free to drop some of your favorites (they can be your own!) in comments below. (Bonus points for explanations behind your suggestions.)

At this time, especially, let’s get these voices read/heard.

Shabbat shalom.