From My Bookshelf: LOVE NAILED TO THE DOORPOST by Richard Chess

by Erika Dreifus on
1

Richard ChessIn addition to being a gifted poet, Richard Chess is a kind and generous teacher whom I was lucky to encounter back when I was an MFA student. Some months ago, the happy news reached me that a new collection of his work was forthcoming. Love Nailed to the Doorpost, which was released earlier this spring, is Chess’s fourth collection to be published by the University of Tampa Press, after Tekiah (1996), Chair in the Desert (2000), and Third Temple (2006).

A number of the pages in this new volume were familiar to me, because they appeared originally as posts in the Image/Patheos “Good Letters” blog series, and I’ve been following Rick’s contributions there for a long time. At first, I was a bit surprised to find these pieces in the book. I hadn’t necessarily perceived the pieces to be poems when I’d first read and admired them as blog posts. (more…)

Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

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.

  • Possibly my favorite HevriaCast episode thus far: Elad Nehorai in conversation with guest Amy Guterson, the founder and director of Tzohar, a Hasidic seminary for the arts.
  • “How Jewish Tradition Makes Its Way Into My Epic Fantasy Books”: interesting post by Noah Beit-Aharon on ReformJudaism.org.
  • “This past week I was fortunate to hear four gifted, articulate writers — two American and two North American-born who made aliyah many years ago. They described how, through their work, they grapple with their relationship with Israel, and how the complexities of the Israel-diaspora relationship — a reality made more urgent as the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War nears —are reflected in their writing.” Read Gary Rosenblatt’s reflections after events that featured Bret Stephens, Yossi Klein Halevi, Matti Friedman, and Nicole Krauss.
  • Speaking of the anniversary of the Six-Day War: I have a poem that would be timely for publication in conjunction with that anniversary. Please contact me if you’re an editor who’d like to consider it.
  • And speaking of poems: Did you know about the one that argued against Norway’s constitutional ban on Jews? I didn’t—until I read about it on Tablet.

    • Shabbat shalom.

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    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.

  • Terrific tribute to Herman Wouk—who just turned 102—from Jeff Jacoby.
  • A beautiful piece for a Friday: “Marking God’s Time in Our Muslim and Orthodox Jewish Families,” by Saadia Faruqi and Shoshana Kordova, for Catapult.
  • A gift from across the pond: London’s Jewish Book Week festival archive.
  • ICYMI: big announcement about my work at Fig Tree Books over on my other blog.
  • “The Yiddish Book Center is accepting applications for a yearlong fellowship in development and fundraising. Fellows will gain hands-on, paid experience and professional training. The goal of the fellowship is to mentor the next generation of fundraising professionals interested in working in the Jewish cultural space.” Apply by July 1.

    • Shabbat shalom, everyone. And chag sameach.

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    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.

  • “Are you a Jewish student? Do you like to write?” If so, you might want to check out The Alevy National Jewish Student Journalism Conference, May 21-22 in New York City.
  • I missed this Yom HaAtzmaut webinar with Dr. Ruth Calderon on “The Israeli Identity Challenge: The Public Sphere in a Jewish Democratic State,” but I plan to catch up soon with this recording (and text materials).
  • Fellowship opportunity for “culture-makers” at LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture.
  • Baltimore Jewish Times is looking for a staff reporter, and Jewish News of Greater Phoenix seeks a managing editor.
  • ICYMI: my dispatch from this week’s celebration for the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature.

    • Shabbat shalom.