Posted on May 17, 2022 Leave a Comment
April is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month. In celebrating diversity within our Jewish tribe, I’ve compiled a list of books by Asian Jews and featuring Asian Jewish characters.
Join the conversation by adding your suggestions for other titles to check out in the comments.
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From the 10th to 16th centuries, when Jews of Europe were living under persecution from bigots, robber kings, the conversionists, Inquisitors, and Crusaders, their brethren in the Far East, in the lands of the predecessors of the Great Mogul and other potentates of India, Jews were enjoying idyllic times and lives of peace and plenty.
Sidney Mendelssohn (1860-1917) was a Jewish diamond merchant in South Africa, who eventually retired from business to England. His success in the diamond business allowed him to pursue his interest in collecting rare and antiquarian books on Jewish history in Africa and Asia. This library of rare Jewish books became his source for his two monumental works on Jewish history, one titled “The Jews of Africa,” and the other the present 1920 volume “The Jews of Asia.”
In “The Jews of Asia,” Mendelssohn compiles the history of Jews in the Asian countries of India, China, Turkey, Palestine, Persia, Yemen, Kurdistan, Mesopotamia.
Regarding a community of black Jews in India, Mendelssohn notes that a “race known as the Black Jews of Cochin came into existence. There is a tradition that at some period, the date of which is obscure, the black Jews revolted against the domination of their white brethren, who, by that time, had greatly diminished in numbers.”
There are those who assert that there were Jews in India from the times of King Solomon, the first Jewish King to encourage traders among his subjects and thus to develop that commercial element among the Jews which has so often imperilled the very existence of that nation.
Of the Jews in China, Mendelssohn writes that “although the early Jewish colonies in China reached the size of other settlements of the race in Asia, there can be little doubt that few of the other outlying communities established in that continent surpass them in point of antiquity.”
Regarding the genesis of the Jews of Persia, Mendelssohn explains that “Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem, and captured it after a long investment (587 B.C.), burning the Temple and taking many of the surviving inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea as prisoners to Babylon. Half a century later, the Assyrian-Median-Babylonian monarchy having been overthrown by Cyrus, King of Persia (circa 537), the descendants of the deported Jews, together with the survivors of the captives from Judea, became subjects of the Persian conqueror.”
Like his book “The Jews of Africa,” Mendelssohn’s “The Jews of Asia” is interesting reading and valuable as source book for the little-known story of Jewish communities in Asia.
Frances Leventhal refuses to look in the mirror; she can’t bear to face her reflection. She has hidden from herself and everyone around her for such a long time, and now that her brother Daniel has committed suicide, she can’t help thinking that it’s somehow her fault. If she hadn’t been so caught up in her own pain, maybe she would have noticed her brother’s. It’s time to stop hiding—to reach out to Daniel’s friends at their private school. Daniel had been deeply involved in Unity Service, the charitable group on campus, and Frances is determined to join the group and to make amends.
After her father loses his job, Sonia Nadhamuni, half Indian and half Jewish American, finds herself yanked out of private school and thrown into the unfamiliar world of public education. For the first time, Sonia’s mixed heritage makes her classmates ask questions—questions Sonia doesn’t always know how to answer—as she navigates between a group of popular girls who want her to try out for the cheerleading squad and other students who aren’t part of the “in” crowd.
At the same time that Sonia is trying to make new friends, she’s dealing with what it means to have an out-of-work parent—it’s hard for her family to adjust to their changed circumstances. And then, one day, Sonia’s father goes missing. Now Sonia wonders if she ever really knew him. As she begins to look for answers, she must decide what really matters and who her true friends are—and whether her two halves, no matter how different, can make her a whole.
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A wickedly funny dystopian parody set in a financially apocalyptic future America, from the critically acclaimed author of Triburbia.
In a future America that feels increasingly familiar, you are your credit score. Extreme wealth inequality has created a class of have-nothings: Subprimes. Their bad credit ratings make them unemployable. Jobless and without assets, they’ve walked out on mortgages, been foreclosed upon, or can no longer afford a fixed address. Fugitives who must keep moving to avoid arrest, they wander the globally warmed American wasteland searching for day labor and a place to park their battered SUVs for the night.
Karl Taro Greenfeld’s trenchant satire follows the fortunes of two families whose lives reflect this new dog-eat-dog, survival-of-the-financially-fittest America. Desperate for work and food, a Subprime family has been forced to migrate east, hoping for a better life. They are soon joined in their odyssey by a writer and his family—slightly better off, yet falling fast. Eventually, they discover a small settlement of Subprimes who have begun an agrarian utopia built on a foreclosed exurb. Soon, though, the little stability they have is threatened when their land is targeted by job creators for shale oil extraction.
But all is not lost. A hero emerges, a woman on a motorcycle—suspiciously lacking a credit score—who just may save the world.
In The Subprimes, Karl Taro Greenfeld turns his keen and unflinching eye to our country today—and where we may be headed. The result is a novel for the 99 percent: a darkly funny comedy about paradise lost and found, the value of credit, economic policy, and the meaning of family.
Jet has never lived a so-called normal life. Raised by her single Japanese mother on a Navajo reservation in the Southwest, Jet’s life was a constant litany of mysterious physical and mental training. For as long as Jet can remember, every Saturday night she and her mother played “the game” on the local mountain. But this time, Jet is fighting for her life. And at the end of the night, her mother dies and Jet finds herself an orphan–and in mortal danger.
Fulfilling her mother’s dying wish, Jet flies to Japan to live with her grandfather, where she discovers she is the only one who can protect a family treasure hidden in her ancestral land. She’s terrified, but if Jet won’t fight to protect her world, who will? Stalked by bounty hunters and desperately attracted with the man who’s been sent to kill her, Jet must be strong enough to protect the treasure, preserve an ancient culture and save a sacred mountain from destruction.
In Jet Black and the Ninja Wind, multiple award-winning author, poet and translator team Leza Lowitz and Shogo Oketani make their first foray into young adult fiction with a compulsively readable tale whose teenage heroine must discover if she can put the blade above the heart–or die trying.
This new edition of Nissim Ezekiel’s Collected Poems comes with a critical introduction reevaluating Ezeikiel’s place in the modernist canon by John Thieme, and a preface by Leela Gandhi.
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First published in Vienna in 1937, this classic story of romance and adventure has been compared to Dr. Zhivago and Romeo and Juliet. Its mysterious author was recently the subject of a feature article in the New Yorker, which has inspired a forthcoming biography. Out of print for nearly three decades until the hardcover re-release last year, Ali and Nino is Kurban Said’s masterpiece. It is a captivating novel as evocative of the exotic desert landscape as it is of the passion between two people pulled apart by culture, religion, and war.
It is the eve of World War I in Baku, Azerbaijan, a city on the edge of the Caspian Sea, poised precariously between east and west. Ali Khan Shirvanshir, a Muslim schoolboy from a proud, aristocratic family, has fallen in love with the beautiful and enigmatic Nino Kipiani, a Christian girl with distinctly European sensibilities. To be together they must overcome blood feud and scandal, attempt a daring horseback rescue, and travel from the bustling street of oil-boom Baku, through starkly beautiful deserts and remote mountain villages, to the opulent palace of Ali’s uncle in neighboring Persia. Ultimately the lovers are drawn back to Baku, but when war threatens their future, Ali is forced to choose between his loyalty to the beliefs of his Asian ancestors and his profound devotion to Nino. Combining the exotic fascination of a tale told by Scheherazade with the range and magnificence of an epic, Ali and Nino is a timeless classic of love in the face of war.
On the evening of September 17, 1992, eight leading members of the Iranian and Kurdish opposition had gathered at a little-known restaurant in Berlin when two darkly-clad men burst through the entrance. Within moments, the roar of a machine gun filled the air. Two rounds of fire and four single shots later, four of the men were dead. One of the survivors of that shooting, along with the widow of one of the victims and a handful of reporters, attorneys, and fellow exiles, began a crusade that would not only pit them against Tehran but against some of the greatest powers in Germany. When an undeterred federal prosecutor, and an endlessly patient chief judge, took over the case, a historic verdict followed which shook both Europe and Iran, and achieved something few could have predicted—justice. Roya Hakakian’s The Assassins of the Turquoise Palace is an incredible book of history and reportage, and an unforgettable narrative of heroism and justice.
This novel traces the rigid circumscribed lives of three generations of women in an extended Jewish family in the walled Indian city of Ahmedabad.
In Gay Courter’s bestselling sweeping saga, beautiful Dinah Sassoon, daughter of an affluent opium trader and pillar of Calcutta’s tight-knit Jewish community, sees her privileged future destroyed when her mother is mysteriously murdered. This tragic event leaves Dinah dishonored and virtually unmarriageable…until Edwin Salem, offering unconditional love, sparks her indomitable spirit and passionate ambition. Exotic and richly textured, Flowers in the Blood rings to life a nineteenth-century India never before portrayed. Irresistible in its storytelling power, it is one of the finest novels set in India. E-book edition extras include author interview & bio plus book club discussion guide.
This month, in honor of Black History Month, I wanted to bring you a reading list featuring books by Black Jewish Writers. The Jewish community is a rich tapestry of many diverse voices and our literature is reflective of that. I’m looking forward to adding these books to my own reading list and learning more…
In honor of Women’s History Month, I’ve compiled a list of books celebrating Jewish Women. As I was working on this list, I tried to pull from a variety of experiences. While this is by no means a comprehensive list, I hope I’ve managed to represent a number of view points across different time periods.…
According to the CDC 1% of the world’s population, or about seventy-five million people has an autism spectrum disorder. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I’ve compiled a list of books featuring Jewish writers and Jewish characters featuring people and characters impacted by autism. This is the fourth installment in my monthly series, celebrating the…
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Posted on May 16, 2022 Leave a Comment
One of my writing goals for 2022 is to create more short stories. They’re a good creative exercise and sometimes lead to bigger ideas for novels. Or who knows, maybe an eventual collection of short stories in the form of a new book.
My selection this month is just for fun. This story was created from the writing prompt: ‘Get adopted they said. It will be fun, they said.” I wrote this quite a while ago. It’s very much tongue and cheek. I hope it will bring a smile to your face.
My name is Hathor but my humans call me Whiskers. Whiskers. What a stupid name. One of the smaller humans gave me this name when they bailed me out of that prison, I ended up in. My ancestors lived in palaces and wore jewels. I live in something called a 3 bedroom ranch in somewhere called the mid-west. I wear a nylon collar with fake rhinestones and a damn bell.
Let me tell you a little bit more about myself. I was born in a barn, one of five. Barn life wasn’t all bad. It was warm and dry. But you had to watch out for the cows to make sure you didn’t get stepped on. That happened to my brother, Ra, when we were little. I miss him a lot. Plus, you had to hunt your own mice to eat. Occasionally, the farmer would give us fresh milk. But the farmer got old, the cows left, and there weren’t as many mice to catch after that.
I was two when I found my way into the city, hoping to have an easier time finding food. Chipmunks and birds get nice and fat when they’re fed by human feeders in the city. But it’s harder to find shelter. I hate being cold and I especially hate being wet. Did I mention my ancestors lived in palaces? I had to sleep in window wells, the back of garages, and one time under something called a dumpster. Then I got picked up and taken to jail. It was warm and there was a hammock to sleep in. That was nice. The humans gave me food and I didn’t have to hunt down clean water to drink. They spent time with me. And I met some new friends.
My best friend was Nu. She was six. The humans called her Fluffy. Another really stupid name. I learned a lot from her. Like if you meow and rub against the humans’ legs, they give you treats. My ancestors were Egyptian royalty and I have to beg for treats. Everyone in jail talked about getting adopted. Humans would come and take others away. Nu told me getting adopted would be like the palaces of Egypt. I would be adored and treated royally. It would be fun. I had been in jail for about six weeks when my new humans arrived.
There were two big humans and three little humans. They wandered around and tried to entertain some of my cellmates. I was sleeping in my cell when I heard a loud noise. It was the littlest human. She’s the most annoying of my humans. The tall female human came over and told her to stop pounding on my cell. The tall female human is my favorite. She’s the most eager to please me and gives the best offerings.
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“Mommy, I want that kitty,” said the little human excitedly.
“Okay, honey. Let’s ask someone if we can meet that kitty,” said the tall human.
One of my jailors opened my cell and picked me up. I hate when they do that but seeing as how the little human had already rudely disturbed my nap, I didn’t make a fuss. They took me into the meet and greet room. It’s where they put you with the humans when they come to visit. The humans grouped around me, mussing my beautiful fur. The adoration was a little overwhelming, but they backed up to a more appropriate distance. The jailor came back and told them I enjoy being entertained by the fleece on the stick. So, one of the smaller humans attempted to entertain me. I had just woken up from a nap, but I accepted the offering and hunted down the fleece. They seemed delighted by this.
“Can we get her, Mommy?! Can we?!” asked the littlest human, eagerly.
“Hang on sweetie. Let’s spend a little more time getting to know her before we decide,” said the tall human. Then she scooped me up and set me on her lap. She rubbed my chin and smoothed out my beautiful fur. It was nice and I started to purr.
“You’re a sweetie, aren’t you, little girl? Yes, you’re very sweet,” she cooed at me. “Would you like to come home with us?”
Before I knew it, I was being packed into a portable cell and carried off. There was a fluffy pad in the cell but I was jostled and bounced around. They let one of the shorter humans carry me away. They put the portable cell in some sort of conveyance. The motion scarred me and I cried.
“Shhhh, it’s okay kitty,” said one of the little humans, sticking his fingers through the holes in my new cell. That scared me even more. Then we arrived at what I was told was my new home. It took me some time to explore it all but I found it acceptable. The humans gave me offerings of fluffy beds and a strange throne with multiple levels on which for me to climb and nap.
We get on alright, but the littlest of the humans disrupts my naps. She hasn’t learned to revere me. At night when the humans sleep, I like to prowl around, as I used to in the barn. But all there is to hunt are little stuffed mice and I steal the littlest human’s socks. The tall human scolds me for this but I don’t care. Last week, the littlest human stuffed me into one of the dresses her tiny human-looking things wear. Then she put me in some kind of conveyance and toured me around the house. It was awful! I thought I was going to be sick. I tried to jump out but the littlest human kept stuffing me back in. She does this regularly. I absolutely hate it. Get adopted, they told me. It’ll be fun, they said. I finally managed to escape and got into one of the other small human’s rooms.
This small human is more of a medium-sized human. She is not as tall as the tall humans but she is not a small human either. I heard one of the tall humans call her a teenager. The teenage human and I share many common traits. She spends most of her time in her room and also expects offerings from the tall humans. I like her. She helped me out of the ridiculous dress the littlest human had put me in and offered me a place with her on the giant soft pillow the humans sleep on. I stretched out with her and we lounged together. The stress of dealing with the littlest human exhausted me and I quickly fell asleep. This human allowed me to sleep, undisturbed. She talks to me sometimes and tells me about someone named Brandon, at somewhere called school. I’ve never seen this human but he does not adequately adore this human and I don’t like him. She also gets mad at the two big humans in my home. Something called college that I don’t fully understand.
Once the humans left me alone in my home for what felt like forever. At first, I enjoyed the peace and quiet, although I missed their offerings. A new human came in every day to give me food and clean up after me. I was nervous of her at first. What if she took me away from my current humans or put me back outside? I had grown accustomed to my new surroundings and not having to find my own food. Outside was cold and wet and no one was there to give offerings. But eventually, I realized this human was just there to give me offerings. But she didn’t stay very long. She didn’t give me the usual treats from the correct vessels. She moved the fleece toy too quickly. She attempted to rub my chin, but she didn’t do that right either. I did not like this human, but she was better than no humans at all. The house was too quiet with the humans gone. I even started to miss the littlest one. But after what felt like forever, my humans returned. I’m a little embarrassed by how eagerly I greeted them when they first returned. But then I got angry at them for leaving me. So, I retired to my favorite napping spot, under the big humans’ large sleeping cushion. This upset the littlest human the most. The tall human gave me extra offerings in an attempt to regain my favor. I rejected them at first. So, she gave me more. Then I forgave them. They haven’t done this again since. Clearly, my message was received.
Now I would love to continue to regale you with tales of living with my humans but I’m afraid it’s time for my bath. It’s far less work trying to keep myself clean in this place than it was when I dwelled outside. But still, cleanliness is next to godliness. Then I’ll be retiring for my midafternoon nap. You are dismissed.
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Monthly Short Story Feature One of my writing goals for 2022 is to create more short stories. They’re a good creative exercise and sometimes lead to bigger ideas for novels. Or who knows, maybe an eventual collection of short stories in the form of a new book. The story I’ve selected for this month is…
Monthly Short Story Feature One of my writing goals for 2022 is to create more short stories. They’re a good creative exercise and sometimes lead to bigger ideas for novels. Or who knows, maybe an eventual collection of short stories in the form of a new book. The story I’ve selected for this month is…
Monthly Short Story Feature One of my writing goals for 2022 is to create more short stories. They’re a good creative exercise and sometimes lead to bigger ideas for novels. Or who knows, maybe an eventual collection of short stories in the form of a new book. My selection this month is more personal in…
Visit the Contests page for this month’s theme and full contest rules.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 USD. The winning entry receives a prize based on the number of entries, not less than $25.00 USD.
Don’t wait, enter today!
Posted on May 16, 2022 Leave a Comment
Attention writers! This month’s short story contest theme is:
Entries must be received by midnight Monday, May 30th, cst. Selected stories will be featured during the month of June. Read on for further guidelines.
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Stories are to be 1,500 to 3,000 words. All genres welcome. Please keep it ‘R’ rated or less. No discriminatory themes, explicit violence, or explicit sexual content.
The winning entry will be published in a guest post the first Monday of the following month.
You retain exclusive rights to your work and are free to republish. Republished stories are welcome.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 (USD). The winning entry will be awarded a prize via PayPal. The amount of the prize is based on the number of entries, with a minimum of $25.00 (USD).
Writers must be 18 years old or over to enter. By submitting your entry, you are certifying you meet this requirement.
Please complete the form below with your submission, including a brief bio, which may include social media handles and the titles of any published works you would like to promote. Your website URL will also be included, if provided.
[contact-form-7 id=”1189″ title=”Short Story Contest Form”]
If you answered yes to both of the questions above, your entry and payment have been submitted. Thank you for participating in the contest!
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Been There, Not Doing That by Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic write, speak, blog and tweet together as The Word Mavens. They’ve been award-winning writing partners for 20 years – dispensing their advice…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: My Joe: A Reflection by Phyllis Babrove Phyllis Babrove, a semi¬retired clinical social worker, has resided in Florida since moving there as a newlywed from Wisconsin forty-six years ago. She likes to travel with her husband and has…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the February Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Sirens by Lindsey B. Lindsey’s entry was in response to the writing prompt: Unconventional Love. I enjoy the double meaning of the title. Please Enjoy Sirens Even in my boyfriend’s shower, I don’t take off all my makeup.…
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Posted on May 10, 2022 Leave a Comment
My to-do list around the house is getting shorter as I’m crossing projects off my list. It’s fun to make a few changes around the house. Still a couple of bigger tasks to get to but I’ll have them all finished by the end of the month (fingers crossed).
If you haven’t visited in a bit, you definitely need to stop by my Etsy store. I’ve added a number of new items including hand-burned wooden bookmarks, a new collection of mugs. I’m also offering some digital downloads including some wall art options and templates to create your own reading journal. I hope you’ll pop in and look around MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Given all my other projects, my reading list is on the shorter side this week.
I have two interesting sounding titles from Meryl Zegarek Public Relations. The first is a thriller set in Iceland, Kalmann by Joachim Schmidt. I visited Iceland a few years ago and look forward to revisiting such an interesting place through this story. The second is Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight. This one sounds like something of a murder mystery set in Tokyo. And finally, I’ve seen film adaptations but have yet to tackle Tolstoy’s masterpiece, Anna Karnina. So this week, I’m enjoying the audiobook edition narrated by Maggie Gyllenhaal. I enjoy her work as an actress and look forward to hearing her reading of this beautiful book.
Join the conversation! Tell me what you’re reading this week in the comments.
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This atmospheric crime thriller laced with humor—described by some as an Icelandic Fargo—is set in the village of Raufarhöfn in the far north of the country.
Kalmann Odinsson is the self-appointed Sheriff of his town. Day by day, he treks the wide plains which surround the almost deserted village, hunts Arctic foxes and lays bait in the sea — to catch the gigantic Greenland sharks he turns into the Icelandic fermented delicacy, hákarl. There is nothing anyone needs to worry about. Kalmann has everything under control.
Inside his head, however, the wheels sometimes spin backwards. One winter, after he discovers a pool of blood in the snow, the swiftly unfolding events threaten to overwhelm him. But he knows that his native wisdom and pure-hearted courage will see him through. There really is no need to worry. How can anything go wrong with Kalmann in charge? He knows everything a man needs to know about life – well, almost.
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Set in Tokyo over the course of one night, Aki and Hiro have decided to be together one last time in their shared flat before parting. Their relationship has broken down after a mountain trek during which their guide died inexplicably. Now each believes the other to be a murderer and is determined to extract a confession before the night is over. Who is the murderer and what really happened on the mountain?
In the battle of wills between them, the chain of events leading up to this night is gradually revealed in a gripping psychological thriller that keeps the reader in suspense to the very end.
book for review, please visit Contact Me and complete the form. I’ll review your request and respond within 48 hours. I’m also happy to work with authors on interviews. To set up an interview, please use the same form.
A new edition of Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel, considered by many to be the greatest novel of all time. A magisterial novel spread over eight parts and with more than a dozen major characters, it deals with themes of betrayal, faith, family, marriage, Imperial Russian society, desire, and rural vs. city life. The plot centers on an extramarital affair between Anna and dashing cavalry officer Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky that scandalizes the social circles of Saint Petersburg and forces the young lovers to flee to Italy in a search for happiness. After they return to Russia, their lives further unravel. This edition is based on the Constance Garnett translation originally published in 1901 and in print ever since.
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Read Along with Me Chag Pesach Sameach! I hope you’re enjoying a wonderful Passover season. It was so nice to be able to gather with friends and loved ones again after two years of virtual seders. And especially nice to see little ones excited to hunt for afikomen and welcome Elijah to join the celebration.…
Read Along with Me I hope everyone is recovering from their post-Passover carb-coma! Personally, I celebrated with a takeout order of pasta, breaded Mahi, and tiramisu. Oh, and barada with still warm bread for an appetizer. It was amazing! But enough about carb-comas and all that, let’s get to the books. This week, I’m looking…
Read Along with Me Call it spring fever, call it a delayed nesting phase but I have been in the mood to do house projects. Nothing huge but I’m finding a few little things to refresh and improve my space. Like adding some smart features. It’s fun to ask Alexa to handle certain tasks! The…
Posted on May 9, 2022 Leave a Comment
Attention writers! This month’s short story contest theme is:
Entries must be received by midnight Monday, May 30th, cst. Selected stories will be featured during the month of June. Read on for further guidelines.
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Stories are to be 1,500 to 3,000 words. All genres welcome. Please keep it ‘R’ rated or less. No discriminatory themes, explicit violence, or explicit sexual content.
The winning entry will be published in a guest post the first Monday of the following month.
You retain exclusive rights to your work and are free to republish. Republished stories are welcome.
There is an entry fee of $5.00 (USD). The winning entry will be awarded a prize via PayPal. The amount of the prize is based on the number of entries, with a minimum of $25.00 (USD).
Writers must be 18 years old or over to enter. By submitting your entry, you are certifying you meet this requirement.
Please complete the form below with your submission, including a brief bio, which may include social media handles and the titles of any published works you would like to promote. Your website URL will also be included, if provided.
[contact-form-7 id=”1189″ title=”Short Story Contest Form”]
If you answered yes to both of the questions above, your entry and payment have been submitted. Thank you for participating in the contest!
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Been There, Not Doing That by Ellen Scolnic and Joyce Eisenberg Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic write, speak, blog and tweet together as The Word Mavens. They’ve been award-winning writing partners for 20 years – dispensing their advice…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the December Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: My Joe: A Reflection by Phyllis Babrove Phyllis Babrove, a semi¬retired clinical social worker, has resided in Florida since moving there as a newlywed from Wisconsin forty-six years ago. She likes to travel with her husband and has…
Thank you to everyone who submitted work for the February Short Story Contest. The winning entry is: Sirens by Lindsey B. Lindsey’s entry was in response to the writing prompt: Unconventional Love. I enjoy the double meaning of the title. Please Enjoy Sirens Even in my boyfriend’s shower, I don’t take off all my makeup.…
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Posted on May 4, 2022 Leave a Comment
Based on the author’s personal experiences, Shtum follows the story of Jewish father, Ben Jewell, is struggling to cope with the care of his ten-year-old son Jonah. Jonah is on the spectrum and non-verbal. Stress of his care and navigating the British social services system, which will decide Jonah’s placement for future education causes a breakdown in his marriage, Ben and Jonah move in with Ben’s father, Georg. Georg is a survivor of the Shoah and rather colorful character. While the relationship between father and son is at times contentious the two need to put their differences aside in order to advocate for Jonah’s future.
Lester’s debut novel is truly a must-read. It’s darkly funny. At times, emotional. I am not a parent but this gave me a new appreciation for the challenges parents of children on the spectrum face on a daily basis.
The first-person narrative is very well-written. Lester demonstrates a wide range of emotions as the protagonist works through a very difficult situation. I found myself getting incredibly angry with Ben’s wife and her handling of this situation. Having never been in her situation, I don’t have a right to judge but her choices disturbed me. I also enjoyed Ben’s father, Georg. He adds an interesting perspective to the story.
In short, I laughed, I cried. This story is incredibly moving! Don’t miss this one.
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According to the CDC 1% of the world’s population, or about seventy-five million people has an autism spectrum disorder. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I’ve compiled a list of books featuring Jewish writers and Jewish characters featuring people and characters impacted by autism. This is the fourth installment in my monthly series, celebrating the…
Do you have a book in new of review? Would you like to be interviewed about your latest project? I’d like to work with you! Please visit my Contact Me page to complete the form with your details.
This page contains affiliate links. This means for any purchase made, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
By Rosemary Roenfanz The history books are largely silent on the contributions of women. Generations of them who have made incredible contributions while receiving little to no recognition. That is until now. Roenfanz has created a well-researched collection of mini biographies, celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of women throughout history. Many of them largely ignored…
By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman Meir Rosen is looking forward to a gap year experience, studying in a yeshiva, in Israel. But he finds himself experiencing some unusual symptoms leading to a surprising diagnosis. Meir faces uncertainty in seeking to recover his mental health while navigating his relationship with his family and cultural expectation of his…
By Rachel Barenbaum Atomic Anna is the story of three incredible women spanning three generations. The first is Anna Berkova, a nuclear scientist, working the Soviet Union in 1986 when Chernobyl melts down. It is at this moment she accidentally discovers her ability to time jump and is reunited with her estranged daughter, Molly. Molly…
Welcome to my January Wrap-Up! I managed to cross twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already one third of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review three wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my February Wrap-Up! I managed to cross another twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already two-thirds of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review five wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my March Wrap-Up! I am two books away from the finish line on my 2022 reading goal. I’ve had the opportunity to review nine wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. You’ll also find my March Short Story and my reading list celebrating Women’s History…
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Posted on May 4, 2022 Leave a Comment
The Grinburg family lives in a Polish shtetl. A young family, just started out, they are faced with a difficult choice. Pogroms against their little community at the turn of the century making decision about seeking safety elsewhere. Froyim, a shoemaker, leaves his wife and infant son, in order to start their journey to a new life.
This is a beautifully touching work of historical fiction set in the turn of the century, at time when live in Eastern Europe was far from peaceful for the Jewish community. Zimmerman’s characters are faced with obstacle after obstacle in their plans to reunite as a family in Argentina. This on-going suspense kept me engaged from beginning to end.
Their immigration experience into the United States is very relatable to readers who are descendants of immigrants with similar stories. Zimmerman crafts wonderfully empathetic characters. I found myself invested in this story, celebrating their success and grieving their setbacks.
Zimmerman is a talented writer and I look forward to more from her. I’d like to thank Stuart Schnee for the free copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman Meir Rosen is looking forward to a gap year experience, studying in a yeshiva, in Israel. But he finds himself experiencing some unusual symptoms leading to a surprising diagnosis. Meir faces uncertainty in seeking to recover his mental health while navigating his relationship with his family and cultural expectation of his…
Do you have a book in new of review? Would you like to be interviewed about your latest project? I’d like to work with you! Please visit my Contact Me page to complete the form with your details.
This page contains affiliate links. This means for any purchase made, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
By Rosemary Roenfanz The history books are largely silent on the contributions of women. Generations of them who have made incredible contributions while receiving little to no recognition. That is until now. Roenfanz has created a well-researched collection of mini biographies, celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of women throughout history. Many of them largely ignored…
By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman Meir Rosen is looking forward to a gap year experience, studying in a yeshiva, in Israel. But he finds himself experiencing some unusual symptoms leading to a surprising diagnosis. Meir faces uncertainty in seeking to recover his mental health while navigating his relationship with his family and cultural expectation of his…
By Rachel Barenbaum Atomic Anna is the story of three incredible women spanning three generations. The first is Anna Berkova, a nuclear scientist, working the Soviet Union in 1986 when Chernobyl melts down. It is at this moment she accidentally discovers her ability to time jump and is reunited with her estranged daughter, Molly. Molly…
Welcome to my January Wrap-Up! I managed to cross twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already one third of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review three wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my February Wrap-Up! I managed to cross another twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already two-thirds of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review five wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my March Wrap-Up! I am two books away from the finish line on my 2022 reading goal. I’ve had the opportunity to review nine wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. You’ll also find my March Short Story and my reading list celebrating Women’s History…
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Posted on May 4, 2022 4 Comments
Jewish Noir II is a collection of twenty-four stories from a combination of Jewish and non-Jewish writers focusing on topics including the resurgence of anti-Semitism in the US, the influence of stereotypes about certain Jewish communities on anti-Semitic attitudes, Israel’s ongoing legacy of regional warfare, the Jewish role in the civil rights movement, and many more, timely topics.
This is a brilliantly edited collection of writings. There’s some very real self-reflection in these pages from many of the Jewish voices included. The topics are well-presented and thought-provoking. This is a collection that had me reading, ‘just one more’.
There’s a nice emotional balance among the pieces without too much of anyone note. An injection of humor here and there broke up the more emotional stories. This would make for a great book club or study group text as each story easily lends itself to in-depth discussion. A skilled facilitator would have no trouble bringing texts from classical Jewish thought and other teachings to create a really meaningful study with this book.
Jewish Noir II is scheduled for release on August 23, 2022 and is currently available for pre-order. I’d like to thank Meryl Zegarek Public Relations for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
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Do you have a book in new of review? Would you like to be interviewed about your latest project? I’d like to work with you! Please visit my Contact Me page to complete the form with your details.
This page contains affiliate links. This means for any purchase made, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
By Rosemary Roenfanz The history books are largely silent on the contributions of women. Generations of them who have made incredible contributions while receiving little to no recognition. That is until now. Roenfanz has created a well-researched collection of mini biographies, celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of women throughout history. Many of them largely ignored…
By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman Meir Rosen is looking forward to a gap year experience, studying in a yeshiva, in Israel. But he finds himself experiencing some unusual symptoms leading to a surprising diagnosis. Meir faces uncertainty in seeking to recover his mental health while navigating his relationship with his family and cultural expectation of his…
By Rachel Barenbaum Atomic Anna is the story of three incredible women spanning three generations. The first is Anna Berkova, a nuclear scientist, working the Soviet Union in 1986 when Chernobyl melts down. It is at this moment she accidentally discovers her ability to time jump and is reunited with her estranged daughter, Molly. Molly…
Welcome to my January Wrap-Up! I managed to cross twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already one third of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review three wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my February Wrap-Up! I managed to cross another twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already two-thirds of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review five wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my March Wrap-Up! I am two books away from the finish line on my 2022 reading goal. I’ve had the opportunity to review nine wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. You’ll also find my March Short Story and my reading list celebrating Women’s History…
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Posted on May 4, 2022 Leave a Comment
Welcome to my April Wrap-Up! I have already completed my reading goal of 75 titles for 2022.
This month, I’ve reviewed six of the titles I completed. All of them are wonderful books and I hope you’ll check them out. You’ll find all of my reading lists from the month along with my short story reflecting on my personal preparation for the Passover holiday. In observance of Autism Awareness Month, I included a list of books by Jewish authors and featuring Jewish characters about life on the spectrum. And finally, an update on my own writing.
Join the conversation. Comment on your favorites and make suggestions of books I should consider for my list.
Authors, are you interested in having your book reviewed? Interested in an interview about your work? Visit the Contact Me page and complete the form. Guest posts are also welcome. Visit the Contests page for submission guidelines. Requests receive a response within 48 hours.
This page contains affiliate links. This means for any purchases made, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
By David Arnow Dr. Arnow’s new release explores various sources of Jewish text and tradition that provide the primary sources for seeking hope in an ever changing world. The book considers nine sources including: Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), the Exodus, HaOlam HaBa (the World to Come), Israel, and Jewish Humor, among others. Dr. Arnow…
By Marc J. Straus Straus’s memoir opens in 1953 when, at the age of 10, his parents decide to take him out of public school and transfer him to Yeshiva, along with his younger brother. After enduring Anti-Semitism in public school, his community, and the Boy Scouts, Straus finds himself in a caring and nurturing…
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By Jonathan Dunsky A survivor of the Shoah, Adam Lapid immigrated to Israel, working as a private detective. Tasked with a seemingly hopeless case, Lapid has a soft spot for a mother seeking her missing son. He finds himself attempting to untangle a web of secrets, lies, and deception that could put him in mortal…
By Rosemary Roenfanz The history books are largely silent on the contributions of women. Generations of them who have made incredible contributions while receiving little to no recognition. That is until now. Roenfanz has created a well-researched collection of mini biographies, celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of women throughout history. Many of them largely ignored…
Join 5,500+ Followers
As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
By Chaya Rochel Zimmerman Meir Rosen is looking forward to a gap year experience, studying in a yeshiva, in Israel. But he finds himself experiencing some unusual symptoms leading to a surprising diagnosis. Meir faces uncertainty in seeking to recover his mental health while navigating his relationship with his family and cultural expectation of his…
By Rachel Barenbaum Atomic Anna is the story of three incredible women spanning three generations. The first is Anna Berkova, a nuclear scientist, working the Soviet Union in 1986 when Chernobyl melts down. It is at this moment she accidentally discovers her ability to time jump and is reunited with her estranged daughter, Molly. Molly…
Make planning your next reading list fun and easy! Download a free copy of Reading Bingo! Thirty fun ideas for selecting your next read.
Monthly Short Story Feature One of my writing goals for 2022 is to create more short stories. They’re a good creative exercise and sometimes lead to bigger ideas for novels. Or who knows, maybe an eventual collection of short stories in the form of a new book. My selection this month is more personal in…
According to the CDC 1% of the world’s population, or about seventy-five million people has an autism spectrum disorder. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I’ve compiled a list of books featuring Jewish writers and Jewish characters featuring people and characters impacted by autism. This is the fourth installment in my monthly series, celebrating the…
April has been another really exciting month! I’d like to welcome all of my new subscribers. Thank you for your support. I hope you’ll continue to enjoy the content that brought you here. To all of you who have shared my posts with your own networks, thank you so much as well. My new Etsy…
Are you an authority with a book you’d like to submit for review? Please visit Contact Me and submit your details.
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As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Welcome to my January Wrap-Up! I managed to cross twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already one third of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review three wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my February Wrap-Up! I managed to cross another twenty-five titles off my reading list and am already two-thirds of the way to my reading goal for the year. I’ve had the opportunity to review five wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. Join the conversation.…
Welcome to my March Wrap-Up! I am two books away from the finish line on my 2022 reading goal. I’ve had the opportunity to review nine wonderful books this month and have included links to my weekly reading lists as well. You’ll also find my March Short Story and my reading list celebrating Women’s History…
Posted on May 4, 2022 Leave a Comment
Escape Route, set is 1960s New York, opens with Zach’s Bar Mitzvah. As the Vietnam War reaches it’s peak, Zach becomes fixated with the war. As the son of first generation Holocaust survivors, Zach is fearful of history repeating itself and his family being rounded up. So, with the help of his friend, Samm, he crafts a plan to allow his family to escape.
Barnehama sets a coming of age story against a tumultuous backdrop of war and the civil rights movement while exploring the generational trauma of the Shoah. All wrapped up in a witty protagonist who has just celebrated his Bar Mitzvah. Zach embodies Tikun Olam, a concept in the Jewish faith, seeking to repair the world.
This is an emotional story of friendship and hope.
Escape Route is currently available for pre-order and scheduled for release on May 4, 2022. I’d like to thank the author for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
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As a thank you for registering for our email list, you’ll receive free printable reading journal templates and a bonus 100 book reading list! Members of the email list also receive an exclusive discount code for my Etsy store: MapleStreetStudioHRS.
Do you have a book in new of review? Would you like to be interviewed about your latest project? I’d like to work with you! Please visit my Contact Me page to complete the form with your details.
This page contains affiliate links. This means for any purchase made, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
By Remy Maisel Emily is coming off a rough day when she finds herself receiving communications from the State Department about an interview for work on a highly specialized, top-secret mission. There’s just one little problem. They have the wrong woman. What’s the mission? Representing Israel in a divorce settlement-style mediation with representatives from the…
By Penina Shtauber Shalom Bayis is the Jewish religious concept of peace and harmony between husband and wife in the home. #ShalomBayis is a collection of short stories about married couples trying to practice this concept with varying degrees of success and failure. This is the second book is Shtauber’s #ShidduchCrisis series. Shtauber is a…
By Michelle Cameron Based on the author’s own ancestor, The Fruit of Her Hands is the story of Rebbetzin Shira, wife of Rabbi Meir ben Baruch of Rothenberg. Shira was the daughter of a widowed rabbi, raised in Paris in the thirteenth century. A rebellious child, she shirked the conventions of her gender, favoring the…
Welcome to my October Wrap Up! It’s been a great month, getting back to sharing my passion for literature with all of you. I hope you’ve discovered some new reads along with me. In case you missed any of my updates, here’s your chance to catch up. Authors, are you interested in having your book…
Welcome to my November Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. It has been a fantastic month of books. I’ve enjoyed some of the best books of the year this…
Welcome to my December Wrap-Up! I’ve exceeded my 2021 Goodreads reading goal and discovered some wonderful new authors. If you’ve missed any of my weekly reading lists or reviews, here is your chance to catch up. I’ve continued to make progress on my Goodreads ‘Want to Read’ list, although, a few new titles have been…
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Heidi Slowinski 