#jewish novels

[bookloversofbath]

The Pagan Rabbi, and Other Stories :: Cynthia Ozick

[to-be-a-dreamer]

Hello Newsies fandom, for your casual viewing pleasure (and because apparently some people think headcanoning the Jacobs family as Jewish is antisemitic), here is the exact passage from the official Newsies novel that states Davey is Jewish and Jack is Irish :D

It's not a headcanon, it's literally written in the source material and, even if it wasn't, this fandom has been headcanoning characters' ethnicities based on their names since 1992. They're street kids living in New York City in 1899, they're going to be a diverse group and the best thing we have to go on is their names. I know my group of mutuals headcanon at least two other characters as Jewish, somewhat if not entirely based on their names.

Like, I don't know how else to explain that headcanoning a character with a traditionally Jewish name isn't "stereotyping" it's literally just being like "oh hey, this whole family has really common Jewish names, it would be fun if they're Jewish" and then we all move on with our lives because it's also literally canon. Like, it would be bad if we were headcanoning a character as Jewish purely because they exhibit behaviors that are also associated with negative Jewish stereotypes but that's literally not what's happening here. Also I'm pretty sure it's mentioned in the non-dialogue parts of the script somewhere but I don't have access to that.

In conclusion, don't be weird about people headcanoning characters as minorities, it's not stereotyping it's literally just people existing.

(Also, I am not Jewish, so I do not at all claim to be any kind of authority on representation. If any Jewish bloggers want to weigh in I will happily read and be open to learning!)

[lurking-latinist]

I'm reading a mediocre, rather melodramatic novel from the 1880s--family scandals, secret heirs, all that sort of thing. There's two cousins, Georgina and Lucy. Georgina is married, Lucy isn't; Lucy gets pregnant, and they pass off the baby as Georgina's, to everyone, even her husband (he was out of the country). They name him Lucius. Later Georgina has a child of her own. They name him George. I don't think these people are very good at keeping secrets.

[arcadialedger]

Jewish SF/F books for Jewish Heritage Month

I highly recommend you check out these novels! This is just the tip of the iceberg.

[chanaleah]

Hey, all!

So I'm writing a novel that's a Jewish-inspired fantasy. It uses the trope of a magical school with elemental magic. Think kind of like the Shadow And Bone series, but Jewish. So there are four schools, Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth. Each school has a dean whose name I tried to choose based on the element. But as I only speak some Hebrew, I wanted to know if any of the names I chose felt too on the nose to a fluent/native Hebrew speaker.

So here are the names:

Water - Professor Talia Gadot (previously Tsedef)

Fire - Professor Uri Shalhev

Wind - Professor Saar Barak

Earth - Professor Hadassah Tomer (previously Ephraim)

Thanks for the input! 💜

[judahrb]

Hey y’all! My (pen name) is Judah and I am a Jewish and Queer/Trans writer and artist. I am currently working on a graphic novel called ‘The Eight Insane Nights Before Chrismukkah’. I can’t give out much info on this novel (yet) but please keep an eye out for more news!

A little about me:

- I am an Ashkenazi Jew

- I am FTM and Aroace

- I love art and story telling

- I love reading but I want to see more Jewish and Queer representation in books so here I am, doing what needs to be done!

Have a great day and stay safe out there 😊

[kimchicuddles]

I'm currently (very slowly) writing a graphic novel about studying the talmud. If you're interested in seeing my behind the scenes process about that, and various other things including this comic as I write it, join the fun over on patreon.com/kimchicuddles ❤ Thank you so much for supporting my work!!

[doyouknowthisjewishcharacter]

Do you know this Jewish character?

[opheliaintherushes]

First off, when Nate Mann loses the Emmy to everyone on White Lotus this year, we riot.

Second, Tim Van Patten probably got the shot of the series, with Bucky raising a tattered American flag over the camp as the the other POWs wave their own nations' flags, finally freed from under jackbooted terror.

Third, this series does somewhat repeat the sins of the father, in that, like Webster scolding Liebgott when he goes after the commandant and Liebgott being forced to translate the German surrender to show that the German army, too, was a band of brothers, this episode suddenly has a moment of humanity between a German officer and the Jewish soldier he's forcing to march, possibly to his death (while many Jews were being marched to their actual deaths across Europe as the Allies closed in on the camps). I'm not sure if Jewish anger is too unpalatable, but please note that we're like two scenes away from Rosie discovering the dead prisoners and talking to a man whose entire family has been shot and dumped in a mass grave (pay extra attention to where that man says he's going to go now that he's been freed! If you know your history, that man has a long and quite impossible road ahead of him.) I've long been fascinated by the World War II novel, written as it was by Jewish veterans, as my grandfathers both served - and a great-aunt! - but Band of Brothers holds an important place for me because my great-uncle was a member of the 82nd Airborne. He essentially journeyed their journey, from Normandy to the liberation of the camps. But what I only learned, right before he passed, is that while he was occupying Berlin, the moment that gave him the most satisfaction was sitting on a bench that had once been forbidden to Jews. For once, it would be something if these shows let their Jewish fighters have that experience.

Fourth, the show doesn't mention it, but the raid in which Rosie was shot down actually resulted in the death of Roland Friesler, attendee of the Wannsee Conference and the man who shaped the court system in Nazi Germany into an executioner's chamber.

Fifth, this show may think Austin Butler and Callum Turner are its central characters, but I waited ten years to see Robert Rosenthal on screen and I couldn't have asked for more. See above re: Nate Mann deserving all the awards. When his hand touches the wall of the barracks...chills.

[jewish-culture-is]

Jewish culture is finding a good Jewish novel and being like Hell Yeah but also 'I wish that were me' both about the protagonist and the author.

.

[kosherkept]

i hope it doesnt sound too stupid but sometimes i scroll through pinterest and look at all gorgeous judaica and feel such a surge of love for judiasm. maybe its becuase i just really love things

[thedeafprophet]

One thing that sucks is when theres a piece of media thats lame or just not well written/to your interests, but because it also has some diversity or representation in it you have to deal with the risk of your dislike being lumped into people hating on it just because of that, rather then the actual quality of the media

[annasellheim]

Relatable Rhoda

Part 4

[musings-of-a-lit-student]

Between The Lines

When you read literature you get to see the work of someone else, and interpret it. Our experiences shape our understanding of people relationships. The same way we note the information from newspapers, facts like those influence how we read other forms of media like reels, or videos.

Acknowledging the importance of absorbing information we come in contact with and the way it influences what we read in the future plays a big part in how we see the world. Maus is perhaps my favourite books simply for way Spiegelman encourages us to question what's going on at each point of the work.

The media we consume is important because be it the news or stories, we note that someone has an intent behind the things they say. Just as Vladek presents himself as more preferable in his retelling, we see Spiegelman discredit himself in order to sate his guilt. Maus is the perfect example of why things are shown the way they are, and it encourages us to question the motives of the writers.

When you read a news article, the writers may want to influence you in thinking poorly about one country, or candidate, or procedure. Even in this day and age, propaganda can be widespread, and it was often used in the wars to boost morale, sharing selective information about victories and less information about defeats.

Remembering that all the media you consume has a secondary purpose is important. Be it Tiktok- where people want to monetise their views, or movies where certain thoughts are propositioned. In analysing this book, I don't just hope to point out cool facts, and techniques used, but rather encourage you to consider the motivations for authorial choices in a narrative.

Crash Course Series

[bookguide]

The Familiar

Author: Leigh Bardugo

Book: 1/1

Genre: fantasy, historical fiction

Summary: The Spanish Golden Age is at its prime as cities shine with wealth and the political scene captures everyone’s gaze. The story follows Luzia, a servant whose talent for small miracles catches the eye of her employers.

Review: I loved how this book wove in themes of fantasy with historical fiction, the story was rich with history, family ties, morals, and love. Luzia’s character development was an aspect that kept my attention throughout the book, and I was entertained by each of Bardugo’s unique characters. The only unfortunate part about the book was that it took the first 65 to 100 pages to finally get moving. The slow beginning discouraged me at first, but the story’s evolution was truly mesmerizing as I made my way through the rest of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, fantasy and magic, and a forbidden romance.

Rating: 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Keep reading🍊

[judahrb]

Golem Comics is a personal project that I’m working on for all of my comics. Can’t talk much about it yet but keep your eyes out for more news! What I can tell you is that these upcoming comics will have Jewish and queer/trans representation!