"This tension recurs every time I fall in love with a new author. I like to connect with writers I love on social media. Now I do a keyword search before sending a friend request. I search their page for “Israel”. I search their page for “Palestine”. If nothing at all comes up, I’m overcome with relief. But so many writers that I used to love — whose work I still love — have been tainted for me forever, because they’ve joined anti-Semitic boycotts or posted anti-Zionist falsehoods."
I do the same thing now. And when I find a writer I have previously liked casually referring to the "genocide" in Gaza, showing that they have accepted that lie as part of their advocacy for Palestinians, I have difficulty reading their work anymore. A comic artist I met who I admired is about to be in a book of cartoonists for Palestine, and I saw this artist refer to the genocide and then in a few sentences list Jewish people among those who are being marginalized. Sometimes I can't even.
Regarding "Olive Days": I'm a little concerned because the description of the book sounds as if it is going to portray the Modern Orthodox community (of which I am part) in a bad light. Now, yes, it is true that all groups have hypocrites and bad actors, but at a time like this when Jews are under attack and I have trouble finding fiction portraying my community positively, I'm not sure I'd be able to deal with a book that delves into the portrayal this book seems to be going for. (Also, in my experience, I've never heard of the scenario as described actually happening, although I know that does not mean it doesn't.)
It's kind of like the Marvel TV show Moon Knight. Had there been a lot of standard Jewish representation beforehand, I would have been OK with them showing a Jewish family in a bad light. But since that was the first major Jewish representation we got in that fictional universe, and it showed a controlling mother and a Jew who throws his kippah to the ground, it really didn't sit well with me.
I don't think it portrays the Modern Orthodox community in a bad light and I also don't require morally upright characters in fiction but if you hate the book, you certainly need not feel obligated to tune into the conversation! Why don't you read the free sample online and see if it pulls you in?
Judith and Never Alone have been a real shelter for Jewish creatives in these horrible times. I recently checked the list of artists and writers calling for boycott of Israel. It was a relief not to see too many familiar names. SF writers, which is my community, do not seem as susceptible to the antisemitic virus as mainstream writers - perhaps because they already belong to a marginalized genre or perhaps because they are not called upon to perform virtue signaling as often. I was not surprised to see China Mieville there. He is a very talented SF and fantasy writer. I wrote extensively about his work in my academic publications. He is also a Marxist and anti-Zionist. Until recently, I treated his views as a curiosity. I have been trained to distinguish between the writer and their work. But the times are changing. Nowadays, the dividing line is not between people with different worldviews. It is between people who want me dead and those who don't.
Kudos, Elissa, for everything you do!! Olive Days is a great choice for the Never Alone Book Club...lots to discuss there!! And with you on the tension every time I fall in love with a new author...May 2025 be a better year on all fronts.
So there with you. I can’t/won’t watch anything with Mark Ruffalo in it, nor will I watch anything by Jonathan Glazer, among others.
My world continues to shrink rapidly.
He was being interviewed on NPR on Terri Gross’s show. (Shame on her) and so I switched to Country Music. That’s how pisses I was.
My other good channeling Yale was saying “Watch it, I’m a Zionist” when a woman in a lunch group started to disparage Israel. It quieted her. Proud.
Regarding this paragraph:
"This tension recurs every time I fall in love with a new author. I like to connect with writers I love on social media. Now I do a keyword search before sending a friend request. I search their page for “Israel”. I search their page for “Palestine”. If nothing at all comes up, I’m overcome with relief. But so many writers that I used to love — whose work I still love — have been tainted for me forever, because they’ve joined anti-Semitic boycotts or posted anti-Zionist falsehoods."
I do the same thing now. And when I find a writer I have previously liked casually referring to the "genocide" in Gaza, showing that they have accepted that lie as part of their advocacy for Palestinians, I have difficulty reading their work anymore. A comic artist I met who I admired is about to be in a book of cartoonists for Palestine, and I saw this artist refer to the genocide and then in a few sentences list Jewish people among those who are being marginalized. Sometimes I can't even.
Regarding "Olive Days": I'm a little concerned because the description of the book sounds as if it is going to portray the Modern Orthodox community (of which I am part) in a bad light. Now, yes, it is true that all groups have hypocrites and bad actors, but at a time like this when Jews are under attack and I have trouble finding fiction portraying my community positively, I'm not sure I'd be able to deal with a book that delves into the portrayal this book seems to be going for. (Also, in my experience, I've never heard of the scenario as described actually happening, although I know that does not mean it doesn't.)
It's kind of like the Marvel TV show Moon Knight. Had there been a lot of standard Jewish representation beforehand, I would have been OK with them showing a Jewish family in a bad light. But since that was the first major Jewish representation we got in that fictional universe, and it showed a controlling mother and a Jew who throws his kippah to the ground, it really didn't sit well with me.
I don't think it portrays the Modern Orthodox community in a bad light and I also don't require morally upright characters in fiction but if you hate the book, you certainly need not feel obligated to tune into the conversation! Why don't you read the free sample online and see if it pulls you in?
I looked at the sample and it does look good but I just don't think I could handle it right now, if you know what I mean...
Totally okay. Every book doesn't have to be for everyone!
Looking forward to the book club! Thank you for all that you do for our community. 💙
Judith and Never Alone have been a real shelter for Jewish creatives in these horrible times. I recently checked the list of artists and writers calling for boycott of Israel. It was a relief not to see too many familiar names. SF writers, which is my community, do not seem as susceptible to the antisemitic virus as mainstream writers - perhaps because they already belong to a marginalized genre or perhaps because they are not called upon to perform virtue signaling as often. I was not surprised to see China Mieville there. He is a very talented SF and fantasy writer. I wrote extensively about his work in my academic publications. He is also a Marxist and anti-Zionist. Until recently, I treated his views as a curiosity. I have been trained to distinguish between the writer and their work. But the times are changing. Nowadays, the dividing line is not between people with different worldviews. It is between people who want me dead and those who don't.
Kudos, Elissa, for everything you do!! Olive Days is a great choice for the Never Alone Book Club...lots to discuss there!! And with you on the tension every time I fall in love with a new author...May 2025 be a better year on all fronts.
I have been doing the same search on organizations; brilliant to do it on artists as well.