Books

Jane Yolen, whose The Devil’s Arithmetic became a Holocaust classic, dies at 87

Scholars say The Devil’s Arithmetic cemented Yolen's legacy as a leading writer for young Jewish readers, praised for blending time travel with historical authenticity.

Jane Yolen and her most famous book, "The Devil's Arithmetic."
Mississippi River steamboats at New Orleans, 1853.

'Returning': Exploring assimilation and the search for Jewish belonging - review

Dr. Martain Luther King gave his most famous speech, ‘I have a dream,’ before the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March  on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

'We Are Black Jews': The story of Ethiopian Jews and Israel's unfinished journey - review

 Dara Horn, award-winning author.

Author of ‘People Love Dead Jews,’ Dara Horn, delights Jerusalem crowd


"Don’t travel naked in Switzerland" and more tips for visiting a foreign country

A new travel book offers 100 tips for proper and respectful behavior in a foreign country.

Don’t travel naked in Switzerland

Peter Beinart’s ‘Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza’ wins PEN America award

Judges said the book “offers a model for writing a new story when inherited narratives no longer hold.” PEN America's CEO left in 2024 after the group published a report accusing Israel of genocide.

Peter Beinart attends the PEN America 62nd Annual Literary Awards at Town Hall on March 31, 2026 in New York City.

'The Arab Case for Israel': Explaining the conflict between Jews and Arabs - review

The Arab Case for Israel is the book that I would recommend above all others for anyone who sincerely wants to understand the entrenched conflict between Jews and Arabs in Israel.

FEDAYEEN OF the PFLP in mountains east of the Jordan River, early 1969. They carry Soviet and Egyptian weapons.

Jewish authors slam Jewish Book Council for ‘bias toward centering Israeli, Zionist voices’

A new open letter signed by 42 authors argues that the Jewish Book Council, which was founded in 1925, should commit itself more to spotlighting Jewish voices who disagree with traditional Zionism.

Jewish book lovers gather at the Jewish Book Council's offices in Manhattan, July 19, 2023.

Novel on antisemitism by Yonit Levi and Bianna Golodryga sells well, but New York Times ignores it

The novel follows three middle schoolers in Chicago and examines how they are affected when Theo’s idol, a soccer player, tweets an antisemitic comment.

Don’t Feed the Lion.

There was always a third Singer: Yiddish literary diamonds revealed - review

Esther Kreitman, sister of Nobel laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer, wrote powerful Yiddish fiction capturing Jewish life, struggle, and survival.

Esther Kreitman (nee Singer), born in 1891 in Biłgoraj, Poland, to a rabbinic family, became a Yiddish-language novelist and short story writer.

A lost novel from 1943 that predicted the Holocaust has been recovered

Friedrich Torberg recorded his image of a German concentration camp in “Mein ist die Rache,” written decades before the capitalized “Holocaust” entered common parlance.

A portrait of Friedrich Torberg, Jan. 1, 1970.

'The Road to October 7': The long centuries of hatred that led to Hamas’s attack - review

This review of The Road to October 7 follows an interview with its author published in the Magazine earlier this month.

Germans read an antisemitic tabloid on a billboard: 'The Jews are our misfortune.' That was in 1935. The Palestinian Authority still teaches hate and violence toward Jews today, the author writes.

Matzah pizza and Miriam star in new children’s books for Passover in 2026

The new books range from Karen Katz’s brightly colored, joyful picture book to an ornately designed volume published by a Chabad-Lubavitch imprint.

New children's books for Passover in 2026 include ones about welcoming guests and women of Jewish history.

Jerusalem highlights: March 20 – March 26

What's new to do in Israel's capital?

Ron Mueck, ‘Boy,’ 1999, shown at a past Venice Biennale (see Tues day).