The title sentence of this post might surprise some, given rising antisemitism and a history of years of persecution. That’s because they haven’t bothered to take the time to understand Jewish culture and tradition, which has always felt the status of “Jew” was to be celebrated and embraced no matter what hardships it may come with. Anything but pride in our existence is actually a largely Christian or secular view imposed upon Jews, and often the precursor or excuse given for the aforementioned antisemitism.
Another misguided outsider view imposed upon Jews? That we’re an all white culturally homogeneous group. People are shocked to learn that we have Jews in every color of the rainbow with diverse cultural practices and unique heritage and traditions. Below are some books that highlight famous Jews who have made important contributions to the world. While a few individuals repeat, the vast majority are unique across the books. Technically, most are written for children, but grown-ups will enjoy them too. Each book has a unique take on what it means to be Jewish, but they all agree on one thing – it’s good to be a Jew!
Most people will recognize at least a few of the faces on the illustrated cover of Julie Merberg and Georgia Rucker’s ‘”Nice” Jewish Girls’. In my case, I spotted Barbra Streissand and Ruth Baider Gisnberg.
This book features a wide variety of women broken down into the categories of activists, entertainers, writers, artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, leaders, and justices. Most were born in the 1900’s or later and there were good cultural touch stones for young women today. The vibrant illustrations pair with shorts 1-2 page descriptions and the Jewish geography map in the back cracked me up. My personal favorite? Heddy Lamarr. People are always shocked this glamor icon is both Jewish and an inventor too!
What are the chances of two books coming out in the same year titled “She’s a Mensch”? Apparently, pretty high since we got two in 2023! Anne Dublin’s slim volume follows ten remarkable Jewish women and has the biggest focus on activism and social justice of all the books reviewed in this feature.
There is more text per woman, usually 3-6 pages, and accompanying drawings in blue/grey/black. I was extremely impressed by the artistry of these portraits. This particular volume is suitable for older children who might want to delve a bit more into the backstory of each famous woman but likely not suitable for the read-out-loud younger set.
Note: We received a copy of this book from the publisher
Clocking in with my favorite explanation for how and why Jews are so diverse is “What Jewish Looks Like” by Liz Kleinrock, Caroline Kusin-Pritchard and illustrator Iris Gottleib which has 36 biographies of famous Jews of any gender.
Each biography contains a large illustration and 3-6 paragraphs of accompanying text. Plus a little shout out bubble for fun facts and Jewish lessons. Not only do the authors successfully defy expectations on the answer to the title question – they provide a really neat map and overview of various Jewish customs and cultural heritages that many, many adults would benefit from reading.
Want some biographies that go back a little further? Maybe even including biblical times? “Chutzpah Girls” by Tami Pruwer and Julie Silverstein has got you covered. Set out in chronological order, these biographies of 100 amazing Jewish women feature one page of illustration and one of text.
It makes a beautiful gift, especially as the illustrations might just be my favorite of the bunch for how they interpret these women and their life stories. More importantly, it also reinterprets the word “chutzpah” which was not really a compliment when used by my elementary school teachers. As with all things in Judaism, any trait can be used for the good and finding the courage to stand up and do the right thing even when it is scary does take a lot of chutzpah.
Note: We received an e copy of this book from the authors
Don’t let the title fool you. “Bedtime Stories for Strong Jewish Girls” by Melanie Goldberg Silver and illustrated by Jess Goldsmith is actually a great read for boys too. Also in chronological order, our first heroine was born in 1890.
There is a 1-2 explanation that is indeed suitable for reading out loud, along with an illustration. Middle schoolers can read it on their own.
Find It: Amazon |
Note: We received an e copy of this book from the author
Finally, we all know Orthodox books have a special place in my heart. Not all the women in Aliza Lavie’s “Iconic Jewish Women” are Orthodox, but the book is written with an orthodox sensibility and published by Gefen.
It features 59 Jewish women, and is intended for an older audience, roughly around bat mitzvah age. It can make for a good conversation starter with your tween.
Find It: Amazon |
Want to have a really good time? One of the most frequently featured women in these books is Bruriah. I am pretty passionate about this particular topi,c and could go one for hours about the smear campaign lead by the patriarchy against her (but you’d be better served by reading The Mad Woman In the Rabbi’s Attic). I hugely enjoyed seeing how the different authors handled her story. There are a few others that appear in most of the books, and it is interesting to compare the entries.
Let us know which one was your favorite!