#AtoZChallenge: Genres–Jewish Fiction

The A to Z Challenge asks bloggers to post 26 articles on a themed topic. It’s supposed to be every day except Sundays during the month of April but I find that too busy and decided to post mine ‘about’ once a month. Yes, it’ll take me a couple of years. Sigh.

My topic, like the last three times, will be writing genres.

This genre:

Jewish Fiction

Definition

fiction written about Jewish themes, religions, concerns

Tips

1. The story must speak to the Jewish experience, clarify and enhance the Jewish identity.
2. The story should work toward understanding the Jewish community.
3. The Jewish community is diverse, international, and multi-continent.
4. The story should display a deeply rooted belief in the power of words to create and re-create reality.
5. There is no ‘right’ way to develop Jewish characters, plots, and stories because they are so diverse but there are ‘wrong’ ways. See above.
6. Understand how religious your character is. That will make a big difference in how s/he is portrayed in the story.
7. You may want to know where your characters came from originally. For example, Sephardi Jews (from Spain, Southern Europe, Middle East) have different customs from Ashkenazi.
8. Be aware of Jewish stereotypes, like the rich Jewish financial CEO. It will sound like a stereotype so approach it carefully.
9. Judaism is culture and religion.

Popular Books

1. Tevye The Dairyman by Sholem Aleichem
2. Rabbis and Wives by Chaim Grade
3. The Chosen by Chaim Potok
4. The Pagan Rabbi and Other Stories by Cynthia Ozick
5. Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
6. The Big Book of Jewish Humor by William Novak and Moshe Waldoks
7. Herzog by Saul Bellow
8. The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson

BTW: If the book you’ve written fits into any of these genres, let me know in the comments and I’ll include you, the book title, and where to purchase it.

Click for complete list of these 26 genres

Click for a complete list of all genres I’ve written about

More J Genres:

• Journal
• Journalism
• Juvenile

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Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Man vs. Nature saga, and the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers. She is also the author/editor of over a hundred books on integrating tech into education, adjunct professor of technology in education, blog webmaster, an Amazon Vine Voice,  a columnist for NEA Today, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics. Look for her next prehistoric fiction, Laws of Nature, July 2021.

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