Last month, best-selling author Freida McFadden, whose more than 30 novels and novellas have sold upward of 17 million copies, revealed that her real name is Sara Cohen. As a fan of literature and a published author myself, I wonder whether she would have seen the same incredible success if she had not chosen such a pen name.
McFadden’s books are indeed immediate and sustained attention grabbers. Still, after following events in the Jewish literary world for the past few years, I could not help but think that if a pitch from Sara Cohen came across a literary agent’s or publisher’s desk today – however gripping and enjoyable the manuscript might be – it would be immediately passed over purely because of the Jewish-sounding name.
That might sound cliché, but I have heard too many tales from Jewish authors of not only being ignored or rejected without even a polite explanation but who have been told to their face that their story – or their name – is just too Jewish.
In this edition of The Jerusalem Report, we hear from a broad range of writers in Israel and abroad who recount uncomfortable treatment before, and especially since, the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Our cover story is a piece by journalist and author Lihi Lapid (wife of opposition leader Yair Lapid), who recounts two wildly different responses to her two English-language books. Writer Lior Zoe Perets adds depths to this phenomenon, delving into the long history of automatic antisemitism in the literary world.
Staff writer Chani Kaplan profiles Rachel Lester, a young American-Israeli woman who refuses to let the backlash deter her as she aims to publish her own take on fighting antisemitism in the digital realm.
Feature writer Jehudit Weinberger Basha profiles emerging Israeli author Naomi Shloush, whose novel Frecha Academait delves into the nuances of Israeli society; and Patricia Golan talks to lawyer and activist Sari Bashi about her controversial memoir.
Beyond Israel, former journalist Aron Heller describes his struggles to publish and promote Zaidy’s Band, the story of a Jewish band of brothers in World War II; while British playwright Ryan Craig highlights how putting his Jewish identity on the stage makes some feel very uncomfortable.
Feature writer Rachel Fink highlights Israeli-born chef Alon Shaya, who is using decades-old recipes to help keep the memories of Holocaust survivors alive. Jerusalem Post recording studio producer Lara Sukster Mosheyof also explores Holocaust memory, with a look at Yad Vashem’s preservation work. And Emil Bothe talks to David Engel, a professor of Holocaust history, about his latest translation of a fascinating diary and confession.
On a more practical level, veteran journalist and author Gwen Ackerman explains how expressive and intuitive writing is being used for therapeutic healing.
Rounding out this edition, we focus on the geopolitical tensions still raging. Israel’s former deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to the US, Danny Ayalon, and Middle East analyst Moran Alaluf argue that Lebanon must do more to weaken Hezbollah’s grip. Feature writer Dana Ben-Shimon speaks to two Lebanese-born journalists about the changes in their country and the chances for peace with Israel.
On Iran, Aviram Bellaishe, vice president of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, compares the approach of Iran vs Qatar as both vie for dominance in the region and beyond.
It’s a packed issue, and I am excited to offer you a closer look at what is transpiring in the literary world for Jewish and Israeli authors, and highlight some fresh voices emerging on the scene.
– Ruth Marks Eglash