Bookishly Jewish

I get a lot of requests for diverse books, especially books featuring characters with disability. In fact, it was reader feedback that led to the creation of the Representation page (thanks readers!). However, I have struggled to keep the lists stocked with adult titles. Which is why I jumped at the opportunity to read Laura Brown’s latest adult romance, The Un-Arranged Marriage.

I enjoyed the hard of hearing and deaf representation in Brown’s prior books, so I had high expectations for this childhood-enemies-to-lovers story. I was not disappointed. The female lead, Shaina, is hard of hearing and this fact is an integral part of the plot. Her rivalry with Mark, the soft-spoken male lead, can be blamed on their parents overenthusiastic matchmaking, but the vehemence of Shaina’s dislike for him is due to Mark’s failure to take Shaina’s hearing loss into account when communicating with her. To earn Shaina’s trust, Mark must first prove himself willing and capable of making the necessary adjustments.

Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that one of the most touching moments in the books comes when Shaina shows extreme vulnerability by taking off her hearing aids in Mark’s presence and he reciprocates by cleaning them for her. These are the small details that show how much Brown has thought about this issue and what it means for interpersonal relationships.

In the words of the famous Jewish song Dayenu, if this were all the representation in the book, it would have been enough. However Brown has taken it one step further by including demisexual representation. It is rare to find any form of ace character in adult literature, yet alone one that identifies as demisexual. Which is why it was a pleasant surprise to discover that Mark has been out as a demisexual for years. Because when he feels attraction towards Shaina, it ratcheted up the stakes and narrative tension a thousand fold. I needed this couple to work out.

A common misconception is that demisexuals do not enjoy sex. In fact, this book bangs A LOT. Because Mark does enjoy sex, when he’s been given enough time to form a connection with his partner. His parents may never understand his sexuality, or even remember the word for it, but readers will. And demisexuals will see themselves in Mark’s extreme abhorrence for traditional dating. He still wants a life partner, but the process that works for everyone else is not going to work for him.

The book, which follows Mark and Shaina through two weddings, one of which is actually a wedding weekend that includes a cut throat competition, is a bit longer than I’m used to seeing in romance. I suspect this was a conscious choice, because in order for demisexual representation to be realistic the author must allow the couple to spend a significant amount of time together before feelings develop. In fact, the only complaint I had was that I could not fathom a world in which people are willing and able to take off an entire week for someone else’s destination wedding. Which basically means I’m an overworked grouch.

Readers have come to expect better diverse representation from childrens’ literature, but there have been less demands for it in the adult sphere. I’m glad to see Brown has risen to the challenge anyway. This novel tackles some serious issues while still being steamy and full of light moments. I hope more authors follow suite.

Note: I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher

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E Broderick is a writer and speculative fiction enthusiast. When not writing she enjoys epic games of trivial pursuit and baking. She currently lives in the U.S. but is eagerly awaiting the day a sentient spaceship offers to take her traveling around the galaxy.

By: Adne Sadeh and E Broderick

During the course of reading for the blog, I often spot trends among upcoming Jewish Books. Lately, what’s caught my eye is the inclusion of Jewish mythic creatures. These Golem’s and Sheyd’s represent a shift away from the Christian themed beasts favored in classic fantasy. An acknowledgement that telling a story grounded in the non-dominant cultural heritage is both worthwhile for writers and interesting to readers.

I knew I had to gather these stories together in some way for BookishlyJewish readers, some of whom might never have encountered a Dybbuk before. My qualifications for explaining Jewish monster lore are admittedly sketchy, so I turned to Adne Sadeh (aka Jack Zaientz @adnesadeh on twitter), Jewish monster hunter extraordinaire and creator of “Jewish Mythology Trading Cards: Jewish Monsters, Magic, and Mayhem” to be published this fall, who also bails me out when I hit a research snag in my own writing. Thankfully, he was up for the challenge.

The proposition is simple: I’ve got the books, Adne’s got the creatures. So sit back, relax, and let us regale you with tales from the deep.

Sheyds (Demons)

“Night is a time of rigor, but also of mercy. There are truths which one can see only when it’s dark”

Isaac Bashevis Singer, Teibele And Her Demon

Judaism is rich with descriptions of different kinds of Sheydim. Mazzakin are troublemakers who were created at dusk on the 6^th day of creation and left unfinished. Because their bodies were not completed, they can assume any shape they want, though they are always recognizable by their feet, which look like chicken’s claws. They are usually invisible but always around. Sprinkle hardwood ash on your floor at night and look for chicken footprints to see if they’ve visited you.

There are also lilin, the daughters and sons of Lilith, the queen of demons. The lilin visit at night to seduce and corrupt the innocent. There are sherim, with goat hooves, and ruachim, who are unformed spirits who can possess the unwary. Sheydim are not evil, any more than a shark is evil. They often avoid humans, living in the wastelands and near outhouses, though they are also known to encroach on cities to cause chaos. They have their own halachah (Jewish laws) and some, including demon king Ashmedai, are even known to study Torah. Sheyds show up in Jewish folklore from around the world, but also in major Jewish religious writings including the Zohar, the Talmud and, through Talmudic commentary, the Torah.

For some contemporary books that include sheydim, you can check out From Dust A Flame, a contemporary queer fantasy by Rebecca Podos, which features a very angry sheyd who is willing to stop at nothing to get what he wants.

I haven’t gotten my hands on a copy yet, possibly because it isn’t due for release until September 2022, but I have it on good authority that the upcoming Black Bird, Blue Road by  Sofiya Pasternak includes a sheyd. The same goes for When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb, scheduled for release in Fall 2022.

Dybbuks (Possessing demons or ghosts)

A dybbuk can be a sheyd or a ghost. Following Jewish halachah by pursuing justice, praying, giving charity, repenting for sins etc. strengthens us spiritually. Without that strength, we can easily be possessed by dybbuks.

Jewish ghosts typically linger near their gravesites (placing rocks on their gravestones helps hold the in place) but can wander further and take hold of a Jew who’s spiritually weakened by some un-repented sin, lack of faith, or not having a mezuzah hung properly on all doors of their dwelling. Ghost dybbuks often have some sin of their own that needs to be addressed by a rabbi before they can move on. The easiest way to find out if a dybbuk is a ghost or a demon is simply to ask, though knowing how to ask requires deep knowledge of Jewish lore.

 If the dybbuk is a ghost, a rabbi may be able to talk with it until the ghost leaves peacefully, often through the victim’s toe or through some hole in their body (e.g., eyes, mouth). If the dybbuk doesn’t leave peacefully or the dybbuk is a demon, then the rabbi must conduct an exorcism and try to force the dybbuk out. Like sheyds, dybbuks of both types are common in Jewish folklore. They are reports of direct observation of dybbuks, and of their exorcism, in Jewish articles, reports, and letters all the way up through today.

The City Beautiful by Aiden Polydoros is a historical Jewish fantasy that includes a ghost dybbuk. When the possessed refuses to undergo an exorcism he has one option left – solve the dybbuk’s murder and avenge his death before it kills them both. For a more light-hearted approached, the MG contemporary novel Aviva Vs the Dybbuk by Mari Lowe features a mischievous spirit that lives in the community bathhouse wreaking havoc on the girl who lives there with her mother, the mikvah attendant. The story features a look at grief, what it is like to be the child of someone with depression, and accurate ultra-orthodox representation.

Although space constraints did not allow for a full discussion of the nice version of Dybbuk’s – called Ibbur’s – you can meet one in Sofiya Pasternack’s Anya and the Dragon series.

Golems

Adam was the first golem, a man made from unformed clay and animated by the breath of God. Rabbi’s, studying the Sefer Yetzirah and other Jewish magical texts, demonstrate their holiness and skill by creating golem animals or people from clay or wood and small bits of soul. Since Rabbi’s are not God, their golems are flawed; small, mute, or limited in mental ability. Humanoid golems can be male or female.

Early golems were seen as helpers or even, when animals, as the centerpiece of a Shabbat meal. Later, golems were used for protection from European Christian pogroms. First in Chelm and then more famously in Prague, golems were put on patrol in defense of the Jewish community. Rabbi Lowe, the Maharal of Prague, created his famous golem, Joseph, using the spirit of Yoseph ha-Sheyda (Joseph the Demon), a sheyd who had been a friend and teacher of the rabbis of the Talmud. After the need for Joseph had passed, Rabbi Lowe dis-animated the golem and stored his remains in the attic of the New Synagogue in Prague. In addition to folklore and fiction, the creation of golems was described in the Talmud. The authoritative telling of the golem of Prague is The Golem and the Wondrous Deeds of the Maharal of Prague by Rabbi Yudl Rosenberg (1909).

For fictional versions of golems, try Katherine Locke’s moving historical novel This Rebel Heart, where a golem is created curing a pivotal moment in the Hungarian uprising of 1956. This golem is also a protector of the people, fighting against tyranny. From Dust a Flame by Rebecca Podos, also features a golem, helping to fight the aforementioned sheyd that appears in the books. Both books have the delightful bonus of being queer.

Possibly the most famous recent book about a golem is The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker. This story, of a female golem teaming up with a Syrian jinn in the streets of NY has inspired many fantasy writers to dig deep into their own personal heritage.

Other golem books include The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman, The Way Back by Gavriel Savit and Sweep by Jonathan Auxier.

Angels (Malachim)

In Judaism, legions of angels serve as God’s messengers, functionaries, and warriors. The angel Gabriel sits at God’s left hand. He carried the sharpened scythe that destroyed Sodom and Gamorah. He also is the gentle hand that plucks souls from the Guf, the great treasury of souls under God’s throne. Dumah is the silent angel who oversees souls after death. Samael is the resentful angel, accuser of humanity and God’s chief angel of death. The Ophanim guard God’s throne and look like sets of wheels with eyes.

Angels are not to be prayed to, they are merely extensions of God’s will, but they can be prayed for. Every Shabbat, many Jews sing Shalom Aleichem “peace be with you” to welcome the angels who accompany us home from synagogue. Every night, during the nightly Shema, many Jews ask God for angel’s protection, singing:

In the name of God, the God of Israel
On my right is Michael, on my left is Gavriel
In front of me is Uriel, behind me Raphael
And all above, surrounding me, Shechinat-El.

Jewish folklore, fiction, liturgy and religious writings are filled with angels of all types.

 True Jewish angels, with only one foot, spheres within spheres for heads and innumerable wings and eyes, are hard to find. Even in books. Magical Princess Harriet by Leiah Moser comes the closest. The story follows a Jewish middle schooler struggling with gender identity who is suddenly informed they are actually a magical princess who must defend the school against darkness. The angels are indeed the best kind of freaky.

 My favorite depiction of a Jewish angel is actually from the poem The Prophet, to His Angel by Bogi Takács, published in in Fantasy Magazine. Spheres within spheres! Many eyes! And all kinds of accurate.

I’d love to see more of these angels in literature. In fact, I’d love to read more of our even lesser known pantheon creatures. So here’s the challenge. Give me your spheres within spheres angels. Your estries flying with their hair and out for blood. Your leviathan’s terrorizing the ocean depths and your ziz with wingspans so large they blot out the sun. I want the watery sereines and the hungry alukah’s. The kind ibbur’s and the mischievous mazzik’s. In short, I want them all.

Note: Many thanks to the writers of Ash and Sheyd who helped contribute titles to this article

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Jack Zaientz, aka Adne Sadeh, is author of the blog “Jewish Monster Hunting: A Practical Guide to Jewish Magic, Monsters, and Mayhem” at https://jewishmonsterhunting.com/ and tweets daily at @adnesadeh. He’s an exciting storyteller who’s taught a variety of Jewish monster themed classes. He’s currently developing a set of Jewish Mythology trading cards that will be published in the fall of 2022.

E Broderick is a writer and speculative fiction enthusiast. When not writing she enjoys epic games of trivial pursuit and baking. She currently lives in the U.S. but is eagerly awaiting the day a sentient spaceship offers to take her traveling around the galaxy.

Like all good books, When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers starts with a map. The map is of a region that author Ken Krimstein coins ‘Yiddishuania’, including the territory of countries like modern-day Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine – an area that was a centre of Jewish life before the Holocaust. 

Six young inhabitants of Yiddishuania form the heart of When I Grow Up. The book is a nonfiction graphic narrative divided into six sections, each of which illustrates the life story of one young Yiddish-speaker in 1930s Europe.

As Krimstein explains in the foreword, the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research ran a youth writing competition in the 1930s, asking young people to submit short autobiographical stories in Yiddish. YIVO encouraged the writers to be honest (suggested topics included “you and your family,” “boyfriends, girlfriends,” and “political party affiliations”), and to that end the submissions were anonymous. Unfortunately, the start of the Second World War prevented winners from ever being announced.

The autobiographies were saved from the Nazis by the efforts of the Paper Brigade, Jewish inhabitants of the Vilna Ghetto who hid Jewish cultural objects (such as books and paintings) at great personal risk. The autobiographies were then saved again after the war, this time from Soviet repression, and ended up hidden in an abandoned church in Vilna. They were rediscovered in 2017, which is where Krimstein enters the picture. In When I Grow Up, he has adapted into comics six of these stories – translated from Yiddish to English by Ellen Cassedy – by writers ranging from 11 to 20 years old. 

Krimstein’s art paints a vivid picture of pre-Holocaust Jewish life. While the autobiographies were written before the war began, this book very much sits within the context of the Holocaust. Most of the people mentioned in these stories would have perished only a few years later, and it’s impossible not to see the contrast between the Europe presented in the book and what we know will come after – as Krimstein puts it: “the complete and utter annihilation of Yiddishuania, its towns, its cities, its stories, its treasures, its language, its people. A hole in history.”

This context is made explicit in the foreword and afterword, where Krimstein explains background information like the recovery of the YIVO archives, and how the fate of most of the autobiography writers remains unknown. 

Krimstein’s voice is also present in the book through his art, which intertwines with the young writers’ words in inventive ways: for example in ‘The Letter-Writer’, a boy sends letters all over the world in an attempt to emigrate, and Krimstein draws the famous figures on his postage stamps making witty remarks. Krimstein also makes his presence known in the footnotes: inserting humour, translating culturally specific terms mentioned by the young writers, or explaining the eventual fate of a particular town during the Holocaust. Occasionally, it is unclear whether the words in the footnotes are Krimstein’s or the young writers’, but luckily this isn’t a frequent issue.

Largely, the anonymous writers – the Eighth Daughter, the Letter-Writer, the Folk Singer, the Rule-Breaker, the Boy who Liked a Girl, and the Skater – speak for themselves. Each section opens with an image of what looks like the young person’s original handwritten letter to YIVO in Yiddish, and their stories are poignant, funny, and heart-breaking by turns. They fight with siblings, have problems at their schools and youth movements. They watch movies and read books, play musical instruments and ice-skate. A girl isn’t allowed to say Kaddish for her father, a boy can’t forget his unrequited love. 

Reading this book provoked a lot of thoughts for me about seeking a connection with pre-Holocaust Jewish Europe. There’s something important in a book like this, that both acknowledges all that was lost, but still goes to such effort to bring the world, emotions, and dreams of these young writers to life. The title itself, When I Grow Up, encompasses that simultaneous grief and longing for connection, since we know that in all likelihood most of the young writers never got the chance to grow up – but still we read about their teenage hopes and uncertainties and longings. 

When I Grow Up is a powerful read. It connects the reader to pre-Holocaust Jewish Europe by intermingling the past and present: the teens’ voices mingling with Krimstein’s; the English translation alongside the Yiddish and other languages peppered through the background; the Paper Brigade’s efforts to save Jewish cultural documents alongside Krimstein’s efforts to convey these stories to a modern audience. 

And thanks to those efforts, these autobiographies which lay unread in an abandoned cathedral for almost 70 years are now finally being published and read. As a young Jewish writer myself in 2022, reading the words of young Jewish writers from the 1930s feels profoundly right. 

The Holocaust left a hole in history. With When I Grow Up, Krimstein’s goal was “to allow these people without names to once again speak their words, the words of youth, to fill that void”. I’m glad I had the opportunity to listen. 

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Olivia Shenken is a writer and editor from Melbourne, and is currently working on her Yiddish. Her writing has been published in Verge, On the Street: A Melbourne Anthology, Voiceworks, and elsewhere. She is a fiction editor at Voiceworks, and tweets at @oliviashenken.

Every graduate student develops an obsession while studying for exams. It is a necessary coping mechanism that allows us to survive grueling weeks of cramming. There was the girl that was constantly in the gym, listening to audio review books. The guy that stalked airline mile websites to fund his post exam trip. And then there was me and the Food Network.

I watched Iron Chef, Chopped and Cake Wars with abandon. A textbook was perpetually in my lap and a souffle was always up on the screen. I dreamed of cakes cleverly disguised to look like anything but cake. Baskets full of mystery ingredients that somehow coalesced into a cohesive dish. It wasn’t particularly healthy, but it got me through. Because ever since I was a little girl watching Yan Can Cook on the public broadcasting network, food has been my happy place.

It was therefore a forgone conclusion that I would enjoy Amanda Elliot’s first adult romance, Sadie on a Plate. Set in a reality TV show where the contestants vie for the title of Chef Supreme – and the investment dollars that come with it – the book follows Chef Sadie as she attempts to claim the title and rehabilitate her reputation following a disaster at her last chef job. The complication? Luke Weston, the incredibly hot judge that Sadie accidentally met on the flight over.

Luke is a great love interest – sensitive and sweet- and Sadie is a voicey, scrappy main character, but their relationship is almost secondary to the relationships Sadie develops between the other contestants. They are diverse and realistically drawn, each having their own complete character arcs both in terms of romance and personal growth. I have no idea how she balanced it all, but everyone from Sadie’s frenemy Katilyn to the audience members that routinely got Sadie’s worst plates, had a fully rounded narrative. And they work well with each other. Much like the ingredients on Sadie’s plates.

And then there’s the food. Pages and pages of luscious, gorgeous, mouth watering descriptions of Jewish food. Sadie explains several times that cooking Jewish food does not have to be limited to cooking kosher food. She creates new takes on such Ashkenazi favorites as gefilte fish and chopped liver. Never in my life did I think liver could actually sound tasty, but it did. In fact, my favorite line of the book comes at 90% (according to my e-reader) when Sadie answers why Ashkenazi food relies heavily on certain ingredients. I will not spoil her answer for you, but I will tell you that I cackled so hard I scared the other people in the room.

If there is to be bonus content, I sincerely hope it includes a recipe book.

I passed my exams long ago but I still enjoy some Food Network every now and again. I love creating mini chopped competitions in my home and disguising cupcakes to look like anything but cake. So trust me when I tell you, this book is full of great food and drama. In short, I’m obsessed with it.

Note: I received an e-arc of this book through NetGalley

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E Broderick is a writer and speculative fiction enthusiast. When not writing she enjoys epic games of trivial pursuit and baking. She currently lives in the U.S. but is eagerly awaiting the day a sentient spaceship offers to take her traveling around the galaxy.

Today I am fortunate enough to interview authors that are ALSO editors! Jonathan Rosen and Henry Herz c0-edited the forthcoming anthology, Coming of Age – 13 B’nai Mitzvah Stories which is scheduled to release April 19, 2022. My review of the anthology will drop next week, right on this blog, but for now let’s have a chat with the editors.

BookishlyJewish: It is so wonderful to see an anthology on this beloved Jewish topic. Can you talk a little about the inspiration for the anthology and how it became a reality?

Jonathan Rosen: The inspiration was just basically a desire to see more Jewish stories. There seemed to be a lack of inclusion for Jewish-centric stories, and it would be nice for Jewish kids to see themselves or others like them in print. Thankfully, when the subject was broached to other Jewish authors, the vast majority of them agreed to sign on, pretty much for the same reason. They also felt the need for increased Jewish representation in kidlit. 

BookishlyJewish: Rumor has it some of the proceeds are going to charity. Is this true?

Jonathan Rosen: Yes, it’s definitely true. That was one of the main goals going in, to donate a portion of the proceeds to organizations that actively fight antisemitism. There is an organization already picked out, and hopefully, it will be official soon enough.

BookishlyJewish: How did you celebrate your own 13th birthday? Did that experience play into your contribution to the anthology?

Henry Herz: I had a run-of-the-mill 13th birthday party and a traditional Conservative bar mitzvah. I know, I was such a maverick. Although I was mortified at the thought of singing in public, it all worked out fine. This vanilla experience made absolutely NO impact on my story in the anthology, which portrays an alien on Planet Latke choosing a mitzvah project to impress his crush, and learning an important lesson in the process. The story also has fun Yiddish terms and a few winks at the Seinfeld TV series. So, yeah. Nothing like my real life.

Jonathan Rosen: I had my Bar-Mitzvah at the Western Wall in Israel. We were living there at the time, and I remember thinking about all the multitudes of similar experiences that had taken place there before mine. It really impacted me. While my story doesn’t take from that experience, the feeling of respecting what came before definitely did.

BookishlyJewish: Who are the ideal readers for the anthology and what are you hoping they take away from the reading experience?

Jonathan Rosen: The ideal reader is anyone. There are so many different types of stories in the anthology, in different genres, that there will be something for everyone. Will also be nice for Jewish kids to read about Jewish themes. And, while I know it probably won’t be automatically picked up by non-Jewish kids, there is a hope that if even some do, they can see that Jewish kids aren’t that different, and perhaps, create a better understanding and closeness.

BookishlyJewish: Does one have to be Jewish to enjoy the stories?

Henry Herz: Definitely not. These are stories anyone can appreciate. While Jewish readers may smile at terms and traditions with fond memory, it is important for non-Jews to see that struggling through adolescence and family dynamics are the same for all people. We also hope that these stories will build bridges, and perhaps when Jews aren’t “othered,” they’ll suffer less antisemitism.

BookishlyJewish: What was it like editing stories from so many different Jewish backgrounds?

Henry Herz: It was a ton of fun. And I was surprised that three of the thirteen stories were science fiction. I did not see that coming. The topics, themes, and writing styles vary considerably, but are all lovely. And isn’t that the point of an anthology. I felt a little bit of the imposter syndrome co-editing an anthology featuring Jane Yolen and two New York Times bestselling authors.

BookishlyJewish: Any advice for the aspiring Jewish teen writers that are reading this interview?

Henry Herz: To improve your writing craft, read a lot and write a lot. Find others who will give you candid and helpful critiques of your writing. Whether or not your work ever gets published, writing is fun. It’s a wonderful form of self-expression and promotes creativity and communications skills, which will be helpful throughout your life.

Jonathan Rosen: I’ll echo Henry’s advice. You really need to read and write a lot. Especially in the genres that you like to write. And write whenever you can. Doesn’t matter if the first times you try, it’s not good. That’s what revision is for. But first, you want to get those words on paper, and let your creativity flow. Most importantly, don’t let anyone discourage you or tell you that you’re not good. Everything is subjective. You keep going. That’s the only way to get better, and don’t let anyone deprive you of something that you enjoy doing.  

BookishlyJewish: Do you have a favorite Jewish book?

Henry Herz: Exodus. On a more serious note, being asked to pick a favorite book is a Sophie’s Choice. Honestly, I don’t know how to have a favorite book. Each book has its own strengths and appeal. Read them all!

Jonathan Rosen: There are a few Jewish-themed books that I have read and reread many times, but the one that instantly comes to mind is The Chosen by Chaim Potok. I loved that book, as well as the movie adaptation. It was a book that I read when I was still a kid, and it stayed with me.

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Today I got to chat with author Kalyn Josephson about her MG debut “RAVENFALL” a spookily fun novel about a girl whose family runs an inn at the crossroads of the human world and the Otherworld.

BookishlyJewish: I am so excited for RAVENFALL! Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind the story and the process of writing it?

Kalyn: Thank you so much! I’d love to. It started with the idea of a sentient inn and a family with magical powers, which I got after re-watching the Addams Family. It grew into a bit of a love letter to Irish mythology and autumn, both of which feature heavily, alongside a longtime desire to see the cat companion as the good guy for once (it wasn’t long before Max the cat stole the show, quickly becoming my favorite character).

BookishlyJewish: Correct me if I’m wrong but, your previous books were YA. What made you take the leap to MG and what are the differences you noticed?

Kalyn: That’s correct! Funnily enough, RAVENFALL actually started out as YA when I first wrote it nearly 8 years ago. It’s a story I drafted before my published YA and ultimately shelved. When I revisited it, I realized I’d written a middle grade book, as the story focused so much on the characters’ places within their families, had such wild, whimsical magic, and humor in the darkest places, all things that fit the middle grade space really well.

BookishlyJewish: Interesting, so who is the ideal reader for RAVENFALL?

Kalyn: RAVENFALL falls into the upper middle grade range, so I think it’s a great option for both middle school and high school readers looking for a story steeped in magic and mythology. Particularly fans of things like Supernatural, Encanto, and Practical Magic. But one of the great things about middle grade fantasy is I think it can appeal to readers of all ages looking for something full of magic and heart.

BookishlyJewish: RAVENFALL just got a cover! Any thoughts?

Kalyn: So many thoughts! The artist, Ramona Kaulitzki, completely captured the spooky autumnal heart of the story. I love how central the inn is, the way the title unfurls like a scroll, and all the little creatures you can spot throughout. It’s the kind of cover that the more you look at it, the more you see.

BookishlyJewish: I’ve been staring at it for hours, and I think you are correct. This is such an exciting writing milestone. When did you decide you wanted to be a writer? How was the journey from then to now?

Kalyn: I’m honestly not sure. It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do for as long as I can remember. But it wasn’t until college that I realized it was something I could pursue as a profession, and I went from writing fanfic and short stories to learning to write novels. Since the release of THE STORM CROW, I’ve been fortunate enough to keep telling new stories, and I’m excited to do that in the middle grade space now too.

BookishlyJewish: What do you hope readers take away from this book or any of your other writing?

Kalyn: RAVENFALL is primarily a story about processing grief and learning to express yourself. So much healing in the book happens through honest communication, something I think a lot of us struggle with sometimes. I hope the message that how you’re feeling is valid and deserves attention really comes through and sticks with readers when they need it.

BookishlyJewish: While I feature Jewish books on this site, part of my focus is showing how they are actually great books for EVERYONE. Any background our general audience readers should know before diving in to RAVENFALL?

Kalyn: I totally agree with that, and I really appreciate the work this blog does for Jewish voices. RAVENFALL was interesting for me to write because it features a Jewish main character whose identity is just part of who she is, rather than integral to the story. The sequel on the other hand was a big change, as it explores Jewish mythology and identity. But I think both, like any other books featuring mythology, are just an opportunity to explore a new world, no background needed.

BookishlyJewish: You’re making me blush! I can’t help but notice your bio includes cats. What are the names of these wonderful pets? Do you have a favorite literary cat?

Kalyn: I do!! Their names are Snags and El. The cat in my book, Max, is actually based on El, who despite being all of 5 pounds is one of the world’s greatest menaces (which she would take as a compliment). 

In terms of favorite literary cats, I’d have to pick Mogget from the Abhorsen series by Garth Nix. His dry humor is the best, and like Mogget, the cats in my stories are never quite what they seem.

BookishlyJewish: Mogget is the best. And he’s always giving cryptic advice. What is the one piece of advice you’d like to tell an aspiring Jewish writer? 

Kalyn: That if you want to write Jewish characters, write Jewish characters. When I was a new writer, I got feedback on RAVENFALL telling me there was no reason for Anna to be Jewish, and so I took it out. It wasn’t until later that I added it back, because Anna doesn’t need a reason to be what she is.

BookishlyJewish: I always end by asking if you have a favorite Jewish book or author?

Kalyn: The last couple years have made this especially tough, with an incredible list of new Jewish fiction being published, but I think I have to go with a recent read, which is FROM DUST A FLAME by Rebecca Podos. It’s the kind of story that sweeps you off your feet from page one, and the Jewish themes throughout were so relatable and powerful.

BookishlyJewish: Great choice! I loved it too. My review can be found here.

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My favorite thing about books, and the reason I would plow through 10+ novels a week as a kid, is the way they let you experience something new and exciting without actually leaving your home. I would go on adventures, travel to Mars, and visit ancient civilizations, all without leaving my cozy bed. Sarah Kapit’s contemporary MG novel, The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family, took this a step further. Forget going someplace new, I got a chance to inhabit the head of someone vastly different from myself and see what the world is like through their eyes.

In fact, the narrator of this neurodivergent tale of family secrets switched between two of the Finkel sisters, Caroline and Lara, both of whom are autistic. Lara, the older sibling, has overtones of a modern Harriet the Spy, as she brandishes her notebook of observations and attempts to become a detective. It is quickly apparent to readers that she is actually looking to find her place in a family undergoing several significant upheavals.

Caroline, on the other hand, is confused about her older sisters new independent streak, despite vying for some independence of her own at school. Although Caroline must use assistive technology to speak, she has convinced her new middle school to let her attend classes without a para and is determined to prove she can make friends on her own, without Lara’s or the school’s help.

Several members of the Finkel family are neurodivergent, including Dad whose ADHD impacts the sisters multiple times, and it is fascinating to see this through Caroline and Lara’s eyes. Their voices are unique, their perspectives fresh and gripping. They each make mistakes and seek to make reparations in their own unique fashion, based on their personalities and strengths. This allows the reader to appreciate their individuality as well as their bond as sisters.

Books can do so many things, but at their hearts, they usher the reader into the narrators particular universe. In this case, the adventure may not have taken me very far geographically, nor were the stakes the stuff of the apocalypse, yet I was taken out of my comfort zone, into someones else’s, and am grateful for the experience. Middle grade readers will find much to love in these pages.

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E Broderick is a writer and speculative fiction enthusiast. When not writing she enjoys epic games of trivial pursuit and baking. She currently lives in the /u.S. but is eagerly awaiting the day a sentient spaceship offers to take her traveling around the galaxy.

In the Midst of Civilized Europe: The Pogroms of 1918-1921 and the Onset of the Holocaust by Jeffrey Veidlinger is a work of non-fiction positing that the genocide which took place in the Pale of Settlement following the Russian Revolution was a dress rehearsal for the Holocaust. This particular era of Jewish bloodshed is often overlooked, eclipsed by the Holocaust or lumped in with the wave of pogroms in the Pale of Settlement following the assassination of Alexander II in 1881. Further, until recently, Soviet documents detailing it were hidden and, per this book’s thesis, it is not politically convenient for the world to remember. This history is personal to me as I’m partially descended from teenage survivors of this particular genocide.

The book pulls no bunches in its descriptions and thus trigger warnings are necessary for descriptions of murder, violence, rape, torture, and antisemitism.

I found the book dense but necessary. It centers a corner of the world, whose population is divided into warring political factions—Bolsheviks, Russian Nationalists, Ukrainian Nationalists, Polish Nationalists, who each join together—soldiers and civilians—to slaughter their Jewish neighbors in what is now primarily Ukraine, as well as Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic states. Each political faction blamed Jews for their past woes and claimed “the Jews” conspired with whichever political movement they disliked the most.

In truth, though Jewish activists existed within each of the various political factions, most of the Jewish population lacked firm political inclination because, as my great-grandfather once said, we were “too poor for opinions.” Further, the Jews living in the Pale lacked political influence, except, as often happens with antisemitism, to act as a unifier for disparate gentiles to come together and slaughter.

The book describes each major political movement with nuance and complexity, while also explaining how hundreds of thousands of Jews were slaughtered in the name of so many disparate ideas—communism, western-style democracy, self-determination, etc.

While the book spends significant time relaying the events and their roots, the author focused equal or more time on the world’s response to these events focused not on saving lives but on their own political interests.

Of particular note, it was clear that Jews in the United States knew of the danger and became concerned over the killing. However, American interests aligned with that of a democratic independent Poland. And, to those ends, refused to even use diplomatic pressure to stop the bloodshed, instead
adopting the antisemitic position proposed by Polish leaders at the time—that the Jews were “exaggerating,” and secretly aligned with the Bolsheviks or the Russians or the Germans and thus merely seeking to undermine Poland and the west.

Additionally, the book recounts how Polish politicians successfully used the Tulsa Massacre to push back against the idea of American moral authority. It is reiterated that this was duplicated by Germany during WWII, who were prepared to use the specter of Jim Crow to undermine any objection
that the west might have had to its treatment of Jews.

There is also an excellent discussion of the limited options for refugees and how western countries amended their laws to prevent Jewish refugees from this particular genocide from immigrating. Further, U.S. immigration laws in 1921, 1922, and 1924 were aimed directly and specifically at limiting the number of Jews admitted into the U.S. and most certainly contributed to the death toll in
the Holocaust.

As previously stated, the book carefully lays out the case that the world’s response to this particular genocide set the table for the Holocaust and that response is why several hundred thousand became six million. Moreover, a direct line can be made from the antisemitic theories espoused by the world then and the antisemitism of today.

Further, this book makes a subtle argument against people who argue that the Holocaust is only remembered because it involves Jews (implying the deeply antisemitic idea that Jews have special power and privilege). It is clear from the actual history outlined that Jewish genocide (or antisemitism for that matter) is only notable when it can be used for the political benefit of gentiles. While the Holocaust can be laundered to bolster the western claim to a moral high ground during WWII, this genocide cannot, and thus it and the hundreds of thousands of people who died are forgotten.

The biggest criticism I have with this book, is that it lacks certain historical context for readers. While it discusses the Pale of Settlement, and generally alludes to the fact that the Jews of the Russian Empire were required to live there under draconian rules governing their lives, I think, despite the length, most readers probably needed more information. I’m not sure one can understand the period without an acknowledgement that the systemic discrimination of Jews was one of the ways the Tsarist Russia held onto its territories and quelled rebellions from other ethnic minorities prior to the
revolution.

Further, I’m not sure one can understand the position of the Jews in the Pale without discussing that while some of them lived in those territories before the partition of Poland in the 18 th century (first arriving in the 15 th century after a series of expulsions in the west), many Jews were “resettled” in the Pale from elsewhere in Russia in the late 18 th and 19 th centuries.

These details don’t excuse the behavior of the various gentile groups. Nevertheless, they would give a particular context to how Jews were always seen as foreign and not necessarily considered to have a place in any of the proposed new nations, demonstrating the fine line between anticolonial self- determination and ethnonationalism. However, given the considerable length of the book, such would’ve most likely been very difficult.

All and all, the book, while not easily read by a casual reader or a reader without some context, is still an extremely well-done, well-researched, and important book. Its thesis is relevant today, on a variety of fronts, from fighting antisemitism to understanding how even the best ideals can be used to commit evil acts.

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When I review a book, I typically dive into the pieces of the plot that I identified with or the character traits and experiences that mirror my own. It’s what people have come to expect from BookishlyJewish. I’m going to do something different with my review of Aviva vs. The Dybbuk. Today, I’m going to flip over the book and discuss the author photo first.

Is this bizarre? Maybe. But I hope you’ll bear with me, because that photo let me know in one instant that I was going to love these pages. The author is rocking a shell and a sheitel. She wrote her dedication, to her parents, in lyrical Hebrew. It’s OK if you don’t know what some of the words I’m using mean. Very few people do. The point is, this was a book written by someone who either grew up ultra orthodox or lives in such a community now. The story reflects that upbringing and those values, and traditional publishing actually picked it up. HUZZAH!

There is no question in my mind that this story will hold up next to any mass market book. The narrative, about a girl named Aviva who lives with her mother above the community ritual baths after the death of her father in an antisemitic attack, is poignant and heartwarming. It has all the necessary plot beats for a strong emotional character arc. We watch Aviva deal with her mothers depression, feeling alienated from her classmates and even her struggles with the mischievous Dybbuk (Jewish spirit) that lives in the ritual baths. We immediately bond with this girl for whom school is “kind of not my thing.” A lonely outcast that loves sports and her mother.

All of this is great, but what hooked me, was that Aviva has her adventures in the setting of a very traditional orthodox girls school and community. When there is a sport mentioned it is not football or lacrosse. It’s Machanayim (yes, orthodox schools have a lot of made up sports with funky names including gaga and belts too!). Aviva and her nemesis must plan a females only Bat Mitzvah Bash not a co-ed prom or homecoming. And most importantly, her community is always, always there for her.

Judaism is not meant to be practiced alone. It is a religion of community. No one Jew can complete every mitzvah in the Torah – it is literally impossible, as some are for priests, others for Kings and yet still others are exclusively for women. This is presumed to be by design – God’s way of showing us that we are intended to survive together. To exist as a unit, constantly seeking to aid and assist one another. When Aviva and her mother struggle, there was never a doubt in my mind that the community would lift them up. In an unexpected touch, when the community itself is faced with antisemitism they are bolstered by members of other marginalized groups.

I read this book over the course of one Shabbat day. The words and setting and tone were as familiar to me as the air I breathe. It contained all the good in my childhood laid out for the world to see and appreciate. The Dybukk turned out not to be what I was expecting, but I didn’t very much care. The story was more than enough. It was exceptional.

I want more of this type of representation in publishing. Authors should be free to use the words and experiences of their own communities, not just in the MG space but also in YA and adult books. I would read it forever. Because, as Aviva would say, “it’s kind of my thing”.

Note: I received an arc of this book from the publisher after I asked for a reviewer copy.

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E Broderick is a writer and speculative fiction enthusiast. When not writing she enjoys epic games of trivial pursuit and baking. She currently lives in the U.S. but is eagerly awaiting the day a sentient spaceship offers to take her traveling around the galaxy.

I am so thrilled that BookishlyJewish has been chosen to participate in the Sydney Taylor Book Awards blog tour this year. The Sydney Taylor Awards are presented each year to outstanding works of literature written for children and teens. I got to catch up with Hannah Reynolds, author of Summer of Lost Letters , which was named a 2022 Sydney Taylor YA Honor book.

Read the interview below! To learn more about the Sydney Taylor Books awards you can visit their website or check out the Association of Jewish Libraries website and blog.

BookishlyJewish: Can you describe the process of writing Summer of Lost Letters? Was there any particular inspiration?

Hannah: I set out to write a fun, banter-filled romcom, because that’s what I like to read. I especially enjoy fish-out-of-water stories, so I wanted to drop my heroine — Abby — on an exclusive New England island for the summer, where she’d be slightly overwhelmed but determined to find her footing. I also love a little Nancy Drew-esque sleuthing, and opposites-attract romances, so I knew I wanted to write a story with both of those. 

But the backbone of the book, the bond between mothers and daughters, was inspired by my own relationships. Specifically the one between my grandmother, my mother, and me — a Holocaust survivor, a child of survivors, and a grandchild. There’s a lot of complexity around the communication (or lack-thereof) between generations: the silences kept, the worries, the generational trauma. There’s also a lot of joy and closeness. So in between all the flirty banter and kissing and skinny-dipping in THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS, I wanted to write a story grounded in something deep and strong, something that rang true to my own experiences — the unconditional love between mothers and daughters.

BookishlyJewish: Who is the ideal audience for your book and what do you hope readers take away from it?

Hannah: Most of all, I want teenagers to connect with my books, with the feeling of figuring out your place in the world, whether that’s your family’s past or your own future. But I like to think, since THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS is so inter-generational, that anyone can really enjoy it. I want all readers to come away happy – my goal in writing is to make readers laugh and smile and to feel sheer delight. Romance stories are so powerful and so optimistic and uplifting, and I think we need more of that in the world.

BookishlyJewish: What does being a Sydney Taylor honor book mean for you and Summer of Lost Letters?

Hannah: I was really honored and blown away to get this award — it really means the world to me. Abby’s family history and her relationship with Judaism is so similar to mine, and this felt like a really validating acknowledgement of my experience. There’s so many different ways to be Jewish, and I hope that this Sydney Taylor Honor Award means more readers will find their way to THE SUMMER OF LOST LETTERS, and see themselves in it.

BookishlyJewish: when did you know you wanted to be a writer? To write Jewish books?

Hannah: I’ve always wanted to be a writer — I remember drawing “illustrations” in kindergarten and telling my mom the words I wanted to accompany each page (the stories were usually about magic puppies and princesses). The Jewish aspect of my books is just as long-standing — it never occurred to me not to write Jewish characters! I love exploring themes of identity and belonging, and for me, a lot of that is tied to being Jewish. Also, there’s so many cool, hidden pockets of Jewish history — I hope I get the chance to explore plenty more of them.

BookishlyJewish: I like to end all my interviews by asking the author if they have a favorite Jewish book or author. Do you?

Hannah: There’s so many great Jewish books getting published these days! A few I’ve read recently and really enjoyed are The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, and Milkfed by Melissa Broder.

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