Welcome to Litsy!

Eli Sharabi spent 491 days as a Hamas hostage in Gaza. His wife and teenage daughters were murdered in the October 7th attack. We all fought for him and other hostages to come home. And not only he did, he kept his light and he shared it. This is my next read #Hanukkahchallenge #imthatjew

A collection of short stories told by Tevye, a Jew in Russian Empire of XIX century, a husband and a father of six daughters, trying to survive just above poverty and hunger by making and selling diary products. His life is mostly difficult and bleak and yet he tries to find light and joy in his life even when it‘s impossible. It is funny and sad at the same time, hopeless and yet full of hope #hanukkahchallenge #imthatjew #reread

Murray travels to Israel a number of times after the October 7th attack and tries to make sense of it all. He‘s very detailed in what he sees and doesn‘t mince words when he wants to make his opinion known. Murray is very clear about which side he supports in this conflict and he‘s very clear why. This is a very captivating even if sometimes difficult read. #Hanukkahchallenge #imthatjew

A collection of essays published at a the first anniversary of October 7th attack on Israel, it is written mainly by Jews living in diaspora and is centered on their experience of the aftermath: raise in antisemitism, loss of sense of security, friendships dissolving and pain not understood. And a question asked: will anyone hide us if necessary... And yet, these are messages of love and hope, never of hate #Hanukkahchallenge #imthatjew

This collection of essays starts with a point I've never considered before, but I should have: Zionism is actually the first progressive liberal case that has shown that a liberal ideal can be reached in reality. Zionism has achieved its goal - creating an independent, modern, democratic Jewish state in the land of Israel through self-determination, decolonization of the land and building of civil society is possible. #Hanukkahchallenge #imthatjew

A woman moves to Israel as a young wife, but divorces soon after and ends up with a complete sense of insecurity, loneliness and fear that she‘ll never have another chance to become a wife and a mother. She rediscovers herself through a very structured religious practice - the study of Talmud. It‘s a personal and captivating narrative with links to Talmudic texts. #Hanukkahchallenge #imthatjew #told_by_a_woman

Today is the first candle of Hanukkah and I long planned to do again my #Hanukkahchallenge: one book by or about Jews for each of the eight candles of this holiday. Last year I‘ve brought books that are available in English, but this year I‘ll start with a Hebrew poet that might never be translated. This is for the souls lost today in Australia. May their memory be a blessing #imthatjew

Seventh candle of my #Hanukkahchallenge & the stormy weather affected my choice. Agnon‘s short story is about a man who came to build a house in Talpiyot, a windy hill in Jerusalem. The story is less than three pages, but it‘s multilayered: it‘s a man vs nature, it‘s a autobiography in both the direct meaning of Agnon building his home and finding his way with G-d, but also about Jews and Arabs being neighbors. #reread #imthatjew

Fifth candle of the #Hanukkahchallenge: Two heroines move in some strange parallel four hundreds years apart and tell a story, reveal the history of people, history of Jews.
I cannot be objective judging these stories, because at some point of my life I have experienced some measure of it all: the awfulness of being addressed “you, the Jewess“, the heated discussion of rabbis and the scorching sun at Masada. #reread #imthatjew

Fourth candle of my #Hanukkahchallenge is a winter fairytale told in four different voices: the daughter of impoverished Jewish moneylender, a tzarina, her faithful servant and a peasant girl. The stories they tell bring to the forefront not the magic but the difficulties of women‘s lives in all walks of life. #reread #told_by_a_woman #imthatjew