Last Wednesday, author Tova Mirvis spoke at the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute on the subject, “Writing Between Worlds: On being a Jewish writer.” She set out to answer the two questions most often addressed to Jewish writers: Do you consider yourself a Jewish writer? And, Is this a Jewish book?
I am fascinated by these questions with respect to writing too, and was naturally disappointed at not being able to attend her talk. In the hope of discovering if she has addressed these questions in writing elsewhere, I emailed her to ask. She responded, “I wrote an essay on this subject in a really interesting anthology that came out a number of hears ago called Who We Are: On being and not being a Jewish American writer. Some of what I talked about came from that essay.”
Has anyone read this essay, or seen the questions addressed by other writing Jews? Or, since some of you are published writers yourselves, addressed the topic in your own writing or speaking?
Shimshonit 
Nothing really to add. It amuses me to observe, that at school events, I always see Tova & Allegra deep in conversation.
I haven’t read this but have just ordered a used copy for 1.4€. Thanks for the tip. I’ll let you know what I think.
[…] In a recent post Shimshonit blogged about an issue which fascinates her, namely the choice writer make or don’t make to write as Jews. She mentioned a book that deals with this issue through a series of essays written by various Jewish American writers, Who We Are – On Being (and Not Being) a Jewish American Writer. I then decided to order it and have just received it. I hope to be able to start it soon – school isn’t quite over yet – and will probably share my thoughts on this blog. Stay tuned! […]
I have just poted a short review of this book. Shavua tov.