This year I set myself a challenge to read more books by Jewish authors and about Jewish characters. I’m hoping to explore my Jewish background and my faith (such as it is), while also learning more about Israel’s history. I have very conflicting feelings about Israel and would like to gain a deeper understanding of current events. If you’re interested, you can join the challenge on The StoryGraph here.
Here are a few things to know about me. I grew up in a reform Jewish household with Jewish parents. We mostly celebrated in the Jewish holidays and I had a bat mitzvah, which I found meaningful (though we didn’t have the big wedding-like parties that many families have). I’m not religious, but I do believe in many of the ideas of Judaism.
My father was born in Slovakia and left his home at the age of six with his parents to escape the Nazis. He and his family settled in what would become Israel, until he was in his twenties. My mother is the daughter of Polish, Romanian and Hungarian Jews.
Hosted by readjewishly.com, the idea behind the Jewish Genre Challenge is to challenge ourselves to read books with Jewish main characters across many different genres. There are two challenges you can choose from, and I’m following the “This and That” challenge, which is to read 10 books that meet the following prompts:
- 1. Read a book with a religious Jewish main character + Read a book with a secular/cultural/ethnically Jewish main character
- 2. Read a book published in 2025 + Read a book published before 1975
- 3. Read a book featuring Jewish foods you’ve never tasted + Read book featuring a main character from a place you’ve never been
- 4. Read a book set in Israel + Read a book set in the Diaspora
- 5. Read from a genre in which you’ve never before read a Jewish book + Read a Jewish book from your favorite genre, write a review, and send a note of appreciation to the author
I’ve read four books so far this year that meet these prompts. I think 1, 2, and 4 will be quite easy, but it may be harder to find a genre I haven’t read or a book featuring Jewish foods I’ve never tasted.
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo: This novel set in late 16th Century Madrid is about a kitchen servant hiding her Jewish ancestry from the Inquisition. When she’s discovered to have magical powers, she’s forced into a royal competition. She risks exposure but it’s potentially a path to a better life. I felt this book got off to a slow start, but then I realized I was struggling with the audiobook. When I switched it got much easier to track the different characters and follow the story. Those who like historical fantasy and court intrigue will enjoy this book.
Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein: I loved this retelling of Fagin’s story from Oliver Twist. Epstein creates Fagin’s childhood and adulthood as a Jewish thief on the streets of Victorian London. Fagin is a clever man who is despised as a Jew and has a skill for picking pockets. He’s very careful so his life of crime doesn’t bother him, until he takes in a boy who grows into a terrifying man, and threatens those he cares for.
The Chosen by Chaim Potok: Written in the 60’s, The Chosen is about two boys growing up in Brooklyn during World War II, one a conservative Jew and one Hasidic. The boys share their faith and a love of of reading and learning, but they also come from very different worlds. One is destined to be a rabbi and has no choice in how he studies or who he marries. The other has the freedom to choose his own path. But the war, the Holocaust, and Zionism overshadow their adolescence and college years. At first this book felt very dated to me, and it’s very focused on Jewish scholarship, but it also tells a thoughtful story about family relationships, friendships, and the history of a turbulent time.
Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner: This book was on the New York Times list of 100 Notable Books last year. I love a good story about sisters and stories that involve mental health. Older sister Olivia is wild and unpredictable, and her mental health issues threaten the entire family. Amy is the good child, who does what she’s expected to do, but she struggles with her love and resentment of her sister and with problems in her relationships. This was a slow read with great character development, and one I enjoyed a lot. There’s very little about Judaism in this book but the family is Jewish and it meets the criteria of a book about secular Jews.
I have quite a few books on my TBR that will meet this challenge. I’m interested in reading more by Dani Shapiro, either her memoirs or her recent novel Signal Fires (I highly recommend Inheritance). I’d also like to read some of the classic authors I know my father enjoyed, like Isaac Bashevis Singer and Bernard Malamud. I’d like to read Exodus by Leon Uris, about the formation of Israel. And I’d like to read a few more Jewish romances, like those of Jean Meltzer (Kissing Kosher and Mr. Perfect on Paper are two).
You can find my 2025 reading challenges here or in The StoryGraph. I’d love to hear any recommendations of books by Jewish authors, of any genre.