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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.

  • I’m among those theatergoers swept up in the power of Oslo, which won a Tony award for Best Play this week. Itamar Rabinovich’s review for Jewish Review of Books offers some insights I appreciate knowing.
  • Speaking of plays: Check out this nice feature on the Jewish Plays Project by Amy Oestreicher for Broadway World.
  • I was lucky enough to be in the audience one recent evening when authors Matti Friedman and Nicole Krauss were in conversation—on writing about Israel and more—at Central Synagogue in New York. And now, thanks to JBSTV.org, you can catch a video of their discussion.
  • For The New York Jewish Week, George Robinson shares the four films that he believes are “the best Jewish or Israeli films of the first half of the year.” See if you agree with his choices (or add some titles to your to-be-watched list).
  • And a hearty mazal tov to all of the individuals and publications recognized in the latest round of the Simon Rockower Jewish Journalism Awards.

    • Shabbat shalom.

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Literary Links

    by Erika Dreifus on
    2

    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.

  • Check out Heidi Rabinowitz’s bibliography of “Diverse Jewish Kidlit,” and share your thoughts/comments with Heidi.
  • In which Howard Freedman, director of San Francisco’s Jewish Community Library, recommends three recent short-story collections: The Worlds We Think We Know: Stories by Dalia Rosenfeld; Inherited Disorders: Stories, Parables & Problems by Adam Ehrlich Sachs; and Heirlooms: Stories by Rachel Hall.
  • To say that I wasn’t exactly looking forward to watching the “Dirty Dancing” remake is something of an understatement, and early reviews from Zoë Miller and Helene Meyers are (more than) enough to ensure that I’m going to skip it altogether.
  • “NA’AMAT USA is pleased to invite proposals for the Second NA’AMAT USA Research Fellowship in Honor of Elizabeth J. Raider….The 2017-18 theme of the fellowship program is ‘Jewish Women’s Contributions to Israeli Society.’ Scholars from all academic disciplines working on Jewish women’s activism, critical engagement, and/or leadership in varied arenas including art, medicine, culture, history, education, politics, etc. are encouraged to apply. The fellowship carries an honorarium of $2500.” Deadline: June 15, 2017.
  • “The Alexander Grass Chair in Jewish History and the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica at the University of Florida are pleased to invite applications for short-term research fellowships during the 2017-2018 academic year. Researchers studying different aspects of the Jewish experience in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the southern regions of the United States from the sixteenth century until present day will have the opportunity to spend a maximum period of a month researching in the Price Library.” NB: “The Research Fellowship covers long distance and local transportation and lodging. The entire Research Fellowship stipend, including honorarium, transportation and lodging does not exceed $5,000.” Deadline: June 15, 2017.

    • 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.

  • If you haven’t yet caught the new PBS American Masters documentary “By Sidney Lumet,” you can watch the film online until Feb. 2. (I recommend that you do. Strongly.)
  • The Theo Bikel Yiddish-Into-English International Poetry Translation Contest is currently accepting submissions for the 2017 prize. Cash prizes and publication. No entry fee. Deadline: March 20, 2017 (received).
  • The Jewish Advocate in Boston has “an immediate opening for a full-time news reporter and community editor.”
  • From the department of better-late-than-never: I’ve finally read Nicole Krauss’s The History of Love, and I’ve shared a few thoughts over on the Fig Tree Books blog.
  • And please mark your calendars for this literary event, happening at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (and online) next month.

    • 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.

  • So much excellent work on Hevria this week, including “How the Rebbe Inspired Me to Be a Writer”; “Orthodox Writers, Meet Your Role Model”; and “Mermaid Esther: An Astonishing Fire.”
  • Montreal has a new mural–honoring Mordecai Richler.
  • A follow-up to Moment magazine’s recent list of Jewish podcasts—this time featuring readers’ recommendations.
  • If video is more your thing, check out the Forward‘s list of 10 Jewish movies you can stream for free (the Forward is calling them “overlooked,” but I’m not sure that’s always the case).
  • From the revelation that it took him about two years to really inhabit the protagonist of To the End of the Land to a reflection on how each of his books has been necessary to the writing of those that have followed, David Grossman shared a multiplicity of quiet insights—personal, professional, and political—during his recent appearance at the JCC Manhattan.

    • Shabbat Shalom.

    Pre-Shabbat Jewish Lit Links

    by Erika Dreifus on
    2

    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.

  • Presenting this month’s Jewish Book Carnival–hosted by the Jewish Book Council.
  • On the Fig Tree Books blog: a stroll down literary-memory lane (and a re-assessment of Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America).
  • Jewish Currents has announced the theme for the Fourth Annual Raynes Poetry Competition: “Urge.” NB: This competition charges an entry fee of $18, which includes a one-year subscription to the magazine.
  • Here’s hoping that Baba Joon, the next official Israeli selection for nomination as “Best Foreign Language Film” at the Oscars, makes it to U.S. distribution soon.
  • From Mosaic magazine: a review of Edward Alexander’s Jews Against Themselves, which is on my tbr list. It’s a thorough review but doesn’t quite contain any spoilers: I’d already sensed that this book won’t be happy read.

    • Shabbat shalom.

    From My Screen: ABOVE AND BEYOND

    by Erika Dreifus on
    Disabled

    Over the Shavuot/Memorial Day weekend, I watched an extraordinary film. In its simplest terms, the film might be described (as a New York Times reviewer has written) as follows: “Produced by Nancy Spielberg (sister of Steven Spielberg), the documentary ‘Above and Beyond’ recounts the story of Jewish American pilots who, beginning in 1948, secretly fought for Israel in its war of independence, when the Israeli military was nascent.”

    It’s an amazing story. To be sure, it’s not without its discomforts. For starters, the American Jews who participated in this effort were risking their U.S. citizenship. But by the end of the film, one can’t help thinking of the devastating consequences had they not made the choices that they did.

    The same NYT reviewer mentioned above also notes that “the movie’s one-sided view of history is bound to start arguments.” Maybe. But if this is a “one-sided view of history,” it’s also an accurate view of history. For instance, the Arab countries’ 1947 rejection of the U.N. Partition Plan that would have created the first-ever Palestinian state is included as part of the prelude to Israel’s War of Independence. Not everyone is cognizant of this pre-history to Israel’s declaration of statehood. Is its inclusion what the reviewer means by “one-sided”?

    Regardless, I strongly recommend this film, especially for anyone who wants to learn more about the establishment of the State of Israel and the contributions of American Jews to that achievement. Above and Beyond can be viewed via (some) on-demand cable companies, iTunes, and at screenings. You’ll find more information on the film’s website.