Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Happening May 11-13 at Bar-Ilan University: International Creative Writing Conference – Second Site: Displacement, Revelation. Free and open to the public. (via Israel Association of Writers in English)
  • Happening next Tuesday (May 6) here in New York: “Love in a Time of Conflict: Contemporary Fiction Set in Jerusalem,” billed as “an evening of readings and discussion with two award-winning authors, Ruchama King Feuerman and Yael Unterman.” NB: “Entrance $25 (min.)—$35 (recommended).” Fee includes signed copy of both books.
  • Writing contest for high-schoolers. “The Norman E. Alexander Award for Excellence in Jewish Student Writing is seeking essays on the American Jew the writer most admires and who has made significant contributions to humanitarian causes, social justice, medicine or science. The contest subject relates to the 2014 theme of American Jewish Heritage Month, ‘American Jews and Tikkun Olam, Healing the World.'”
  • “JTA, the global Jewish news service, is looking to hire summer and fall editorial interns in our New York City office. The editorial interns will perform various editorial tasks, including writing and reporting news and feature articles, as well as work related to our website and newsletter products.” This is a paid opportunity.
  • Rebecca Klempner interviews Tzvia Ehrlich-Klein, author of I Live with My Mommy, “a new, groundbreaking picture book [that] for the first time focuses on growing up in a single-parent, Orthodox Jewish home.”
  • Shabbat shalom.

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • Ellis Shuman reviews Nora Gold’s new novel about anti-Israelism in academe, Fields of Exile, for The Times of Israel. (We’ll have a Q&A with Nora Gold about the novel here on My Machberet next month.)
  • Aaron David Miller’s take on Lawrence Wright’s “Camp David” makes me wish that I could see the play myself.
  • Tablet introduces us to Israeli poet Vaan Nguyen.
  • Fascinating essay-review by Cynthia Ozick on “How Kafka Actually Lived.” (h/t Mosaic Magazine)
  • From Jewish Literary Journal: “We are proud to announce that we are holding a 1-year anniversary competition on the theme of “Creation/Building.” Entering is Free. There will be 1 winner each in Fiction, Poetry, and Creative Non-Fiction, with a $50 prize per winner to be paid through Amazon Payments. The submission period is April 15-June 15 and winners will be published in issue 13, publishing July 1st. The Editors of the JLJ will decide who wins.”
  • Shabbat shalom.

    Jewish Literary Links for Shabbat

    Photo Credit: Reut Miryam Cohen
    Every Friday morning My Machberet presents an assortment of Jewish-interest links, primarily of the literary variety.

  • In The Barnes & Noble Review: an interview with Israeli author David Grossman about his newly translated book Falling out of Time.
  • I haven’t wanted to spend my precious reading time with John B. Judis’s Genesis: Truman, American Jews, and the Origins of the Arab/Israeli Conflict. Here’s another review that explains why that’s the case.
  • From Tablet: “Second Seder,” a Passover poem by Andrea Cohen.
  • Catch up with the monthly Jewish Book Carnival: April’s edition is hosted by The Whole Megillah.
  • LABA, “a non-religious Jewish house of study and culture laboratory at the 14th Street Y” in New York, has issued a call for fellowship applications. Next year’s theme: “TIME.” No fee to apply. Deadline: May 12, 2014. The program awards stipends to its fellows.
  • Shabbat shalom.

    Call for Fiction that Engages with “the American Jewish Experience”

    Via email:

    fig tree logo“Fig Tree Books is a new publishing house currently seeking fiction manuscripts that engage with the American Jewish experience (AJE). Fig Tree Books has responded to the need for a publisher to champion emerging and unique voices and created a place where writers about the AJE can launch their work into the world with visible celebration and support. Fig Tree Books is passionate about discovering new voices as well as expanding the audience for established writers. Although a small press, FTB has the resources to offer competitive advances, a variety of publishing formats, and a comprehensive marketing plan for authors. All books will be published in print and e-format, backed by a major distributor. FTB’s mission is to add to the rich tradition of literary American fiction that appeals to a major commercial market.

    The senior editor, Michelle Caplan, is actively seeking both new and establishing talent and will consider work from everyone, including those with no prior credits. She is in the process of trying to get the word out about Fig Tree Books and eager to recruit manuscripts and authors that may fit their model. She would love to provide more details about Fig Tree Books to any interested writers or agents with original materials or out-of-print classics on the AJE. You can contact her directly: MCaplan(at)FigTreeBooks(dot)net. Please take a look at their website www.FigTreeBooks.net, which will give you a good overview of who they are and their mission. You can find the link for submission guidelines on their home page.”

    Call for Applications: Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative

    From Moment magazine:

    Moment launched the Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative in 2010 in honor of the 38-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter slain by terrorists in 2002 to encourage young journalists to write in-depth stories about a modern manifestation of anti-Semitism or another deeply ingrained prejudice. With the help of our prestigious panel of journalists, Moment select and mentors the writer, providing her or him with journalistic as well as financial support. The fellowship offers $5,000 to cover the costs of the project—$2,500 up front, and $2,500 upon completion of the story. The edited stories will be published in Moment, perhaps in conjunction with another media outlet. Applicants must be between the ages of 22 and 38; international applicants are welcome to apply.

    There is no fee to apply. Deadline: May 10, 2014. “Fellows will be mentored by a group of prestigious journalists, including: Wolf Blitzer, Linda Feldmann, Martin Fletcher, Glenn Frankel, Bill Kovach, David Lauter, Charles Lewis, Clarence Page, Robert Siegel, Paul Steiger, Lynn Sweet and David Wessel. The DPIJI project director is Mary Hadar.”