10 Jewish Authors to Read in Honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Published on 25 January 2024 at 13:23

January 27th is recognized by the United Nations as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This date was chosen because it is the anniversary of the day that prisoners at Auschwitz-Birkenau were liberated. This remembrance day is intended to honor the victims of the Holocaust as well as support educational programming designed to prevent genocides and Nazi ideology. In honor of this occasion, we have assembled a list of 10 Jewish authors who write for a wide variety of ages and interests. While Jewish Europeans were the primary targets of Nazi Germany, other minorities, such as the Roma and Sinti ethnic groups, LGBT+ individuals, people with disabilities, and others were also targeted. Visit the websites linked below to learn more about this remembrance day, and the history of the Holocaust.

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10 Jewish Authors to Read in Honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day

  1. Bernard Malamud: Malamud authored eight novels and fifty-five short stories. Much of his work contains a humanist bent and addresses various inequalities. Several of his books are available to read or preview on OpenLibrary. Learn more about Bernard Malamud through the Library of America at https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL232501A/Bernard_Malamud.
  2. Dahlia Adler: This author writes Sapphic romance for young adult audiences. She is also the creator of LGBTQ Reads, a website that lists LGBTQ+ literature according to age/reading level as well as regions, themes, and forms of representation among other things. Visit LGBTQ Reads at https://lgbtqreads.com/. Learn more about the author, her books, and where to buy them at https://www.dahliaadler.com/.  A couple of her books are available to read or listen to through OpenLibrary.
  3. Elie Wiesel: Jewish-Romanian author Elie Wiesel relocated to France and then to the United States after surviving the Holocaust as a teenager. He wrote more than fifty books and focused his work on speaking out against antisemitism. Many of his books are available to be read, listened to, or previewed on OpenLibrary. Learn more about this author at https://www.biography.com/authors-writers/elie-wiesel. 
  4. Judy Blume: An author of children's young adult, and adult fiction, Blume has become known for using stories to help children and young adults broach hard to discuss topics. Learn about Blume, her books, and more at https://www.judyblume.com/about/author/author.php. Several of her books are available to read, listen to, or preview through OpenLibrary.
  5. Michael Chabon: Chabon's work has received several awards including Hugo, Ignotus, Pulitzer, and Nebula awards. He often writes on themes of Jewish identity and queerness. He has worked as an author, songwriter, and a writer for film and television. Several of his books are available to read or preview for free through OpenLibrary.
  6. Nathan Englander: Winner of PEN, Malamud, and Frank O'Connor International Short Story awards, Englander's Orthodox upbringing influences his exploration of Jewish identity through literature. His third book, What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, addresses the question, "Which non-Jewish families would have protected their Jewish neighbors if they had been living under a Nazi-regime?". Learn more about this author, his books, and where to buy them at http://nathanenglander.com/. A small number of his books are available to read, listen to, or preview through OpenLibrary.
  7. Phoebe North: A queer, neurodivergent, Jewish writer, North primarily writes speculative fiction for young adult audiences. Their work includes novels, short stories, and poetry. They use they/them pronouns. Learn more about the author, their books, and where to buy them on the author's website at http://www.phoebenorth.com/. Two of their books are available for preview through OpenLibrary. Visit Worldcat or LibraryLink to look for their books at a library near you.
  8. Ruth Behar: Jewish Cuban-American author of children's books, Ruth Behar, uses her experiences as a Jewish Cuban immigrant living in New York to inform many of her stories for young readers. Her books are commonly available in both English and Spanish. On her website, you can find more about the author, her books and where to buy them, as well as reading guides for educators and for reading as a family. Learn more at https://www.ruthbehar.com/. Visit Worldcat or LibraryLink to look for her books at a library near you.
  9. Shel Silverstein: Best known for his classic children's books, The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends, Silverstein was a poet, musician, and cartoonist. His song, "A Boy Named Sue," became popular after it was covered by Johnny Cash. Learn more about Silverstein, his books, and where to buy them at https://www.shelsilverstein.com/. You can read or preview many of his books on OpenLibrary.
  10. Sim Kern: Kern is a queer, Jewish author of speculative fiction who uses they/them pronouns. Much of their work focuses on queer identity, climate change, and social justice. Their debut novel, Depart, Depart! centers a transgender, Jewish protagonist who becomes an environmental refugee following a devastating hurricane. Learn more about Kern, their books, and where to buy them at https://www.simkern.com/. Visit Worldcat or LibraryLink to look for their books at a library near you.

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