January 2025 Mid-Month Report: Finally
An update from day 467 and some literary things
For new subscribers: On the first of each month, I put out a newsletter with book recommendations, literary events and resources and more. Here’s the Jan 1 newsletter if you missed it. Since October 7, 2023, I’ve also been putting out mid-month updates with reflections from life in Israel, as well as some literary things. (Scroll down for the literary things).
On a separate note, I’m halfway across the world, but my heart goes out to everyone affected by the fires in southern California.
Dear friends,
As I worked on my mid-month update this morning, I had an entire post about the word “halavai” - הלוואי - which means, loosely translated, “may it come to pass.” It’s one of the words that’s been on everyone’s lips for the last 467 days, and in the last few days, I’ve been thinking it constantly and hearing it everywhere. But earlier this evening - seeing this headline - I was completely overcome.
It’s the news we’ve been waiting for since the November 2023 truce ended, the first בשורות טובות b’sorot tovot (another phrase on everyone’s lips - may we hear good news soon) we’ve had since one of the hostages was rescued in August. The first hostages, I read, may be released by Sunday. Halavai.
This is going to be (another) sleepless period until the 33 hostages are returned home, and halavai halavai may the ceasefire and deal hold so that we can move to phase two and get the remaining hostages home. Last time, if you recall, there were delays and each day felt very fragile. We also need to steel ourselves for the news that some hostages whose conditions were previously unknown may not be returning home alive, but I hope and pray that I’m wrong about that.
I cannot begin to fathom the emotional states of the hostage families; I can only pray that they’ll have some relief soon.
Last night, Vivian Bercovici, in her State of Tel Aviv Substack wrote,
For the first time since October 7, 2023, I find myself shedding tears. We are nowhere near done. And, frankly, never will be. Because we cannot undo anything that has transpired since October 7. But if we do free our hostages in Hamas captivity, it can be the start of a way forward. It does not begin to resolve Israel’s security issues. But it will allow us to begin to rehabilitate our national soul.
Halavai. Like Vivian, I got weepy when I saw the news, and a little while later when I shared mentioned it to a group of (mostly) non-Jewish writers with whom I was on a Zoom call. We are long past due for the rehabilitation to begin, and may this usher in an era of better leaders for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Yesterday I spent 14 hours at an Israeli hospital - Tel Hashomer - because my son was scheduled for surgery (very minor, a broken finger due to a football injury, he is fine). I am extremely fortunate that I haven’t spent much time in hospitals, so what was striking and heartwarming for me was to witness the staff at work, not only the care that every nurse, doctor, administrator, and orderly showed my son but the collegiality with which they treated each other. Why am I telling you this? The medical field is the sector where Arab citizens of Israel are most integrated. According to the Abraham Initiatives:
Arab citizens of Israel account for 40% of the workforce in the Israeli health system. This proportion is significantly higher than in any other economic sector, including in the public sector. The integration is not just quantitative but also qualitative. Arab citizens in the health system include hospital directors, emergency room directors, departments heads, and so forth. This unprecedented, hard-earned success is a credit to the health system and an important factor in its success.
Obviously, there are issues - discrimination, politics - that an outsider like me would not see. What I did see: Jewish Israeli and Palestinian Israeli staff members hugging each other after someone’d come back from vacation, sharing jokes, working together to take care of the patients. Palestinian Israeli orderlies and nurses wishing my (soldier) son a speedy recovery, and so on. In short, spending time in the hospital was a good reminder of what coexistence can be.
A few other readings/resources you may find of interest:
Jessica Steinberg’s recent post We’re Part of the Scaffolding, in which she writes about the lesson bereaved father Effie Shoham shared about community.
I listened to this Impacting Israel podcast today - hosted by my friend and former colleague JJ Sussman, who is now the International Director of Gesher, an organization whose mission it is to build a cohesive Israel. On this episode, he interviews Guila (Gila) Tolub, one of the co-founders and executive director of ICAR (Israel’s Collective Action for Resilience), which “brings together leading experts in medicine, psychology, public health, philanthropy, and investment, to accelerate trauma healing to safeguard the health, productivity, and security of Israel.” Fun fact, I’d heard about ICAR from one of its other co-founders, my friend and neighbor Lisa Silverman, and it was inspiring to hear about the work they are doing. I believe Gila said there are around 260 NGOs in Israel working in the area of trauma healing.
Lemon Harvest in War by Alden Solovy (Writing on the Wall) - I came across this beautiful poem right after I myself had been picking oranges and lemons.
Literary Matters
What I’m Reading
Currently listening to Colm Tóibín’s Long Island and enjoying it very much, and recently finished Nathan Hill’s Wellness and Joyce Maynard’s The Bird Hotel. Look for my book reviews in the upcoming February 1 newsletter.
Events
Join me for Literary Modiin’s January event, this Sunday, January 19 at 20:00 Israel time / 1 pm Eastern, to hear from Galina Vromen (HILL OF SECRETS) Benjamin Resnick (NEXT STOP), Judy Gruen (BYLINES AND BLESSINGS). Register here.
Check out this excerpt from Galina’s HILL OF SECRETS in Judith Magazine.
You can also get a head start on registering for our February and March events:
Sunday, February 16 at 20:00 Israel time / 1 pm Eastern, featuring Zeeva Bukai (THE ANATOMY OF EXILE), Lihi Lapid (ON HER OWN), and Ruth Franklin (THE MANY LIVES OF ANNE FRANK). Register here.
Sunday, March 23 - in person and on Zoom - featuring Avner Landes (THE DELEGATION), Ayelet Tsabari (SONGS FOR THE BROKENHEARTED) and Joan Leegant (DISPLACED PERSONS). Register here.
Department of Mazal Tovs
Two friends had books come out yesterday — mazal tov!! Check out Zeeva Bukkai’s The Anatomy of Exile, and Jeff Meshel’s The Greatest Band that Never Was.
And hand-delivered to me today: an advanced readers copy of Avner Landes’ The Delegation, which comes out in April but you can pre-order it now. Excited to dive in!
Readers’ Choice Survey
In case you missed it in the Jan 1 newsletter, check out the full list of winners, runners-up, and honorable mentions.
Book Club Choices
My local book club meets every other month, and we always choose four general fiction/nonfiction books, one book by an Israeli author, and one classic. Here’s what we picked for this year. Which ones have you read? What is your local book club reading? Let me know in the comments!
That’s it for now. May the b’sorot tovot continue and may this be the moment we start the healing. Am Yisrael Chai.
A small way to support my work: Since June 2019, I’ve hosted the monthly Literary Modiin author series, and since April 2020, I’ve been putting out this monthly newsletter. Both represent a significant amount of effort for me, but I love talking about books and promoting other authors, and I’m committed to keeping both of these things FREE for all. I do incur some expenses to keep these up, however, so if you have enjoyed the Literary Modiin events and/or if you enjoy the newsletter or both, and you’d like to support my work in some small, tangible way, I’d be grateful if you’d click on the “Buy Me a Coffee” link below. (If you can’t, that’s fine too)! I appreciate your continued support for these events, book recommendations and my literary musings.
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Julie Zuckerman's debut novel-in-stories, The Book of Jeremiah, was published in May 2019 by Press 53. Her fiction and non-fiction have appeared in CRAFT, Tikkun, Jewish Women’s Archives, Crab Orchard Review, The Coil, The SFWP Quarterly, Ellipsis, MoonPark Review, Sixfold, and The MacGuffin, among others. She is the founder and host of Literary Modiin, a monthly author series celebrating fiction, memoir and poetry with Jewish content. A native of Connecticut, she lives in Israel with her husband and four children. www.juliezuckerman.com
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Julie - I led several discussions of On Her Own. Email me if you'd like my notes and/or reading list.
Yes, thank God they are coming home. Unfortunately, since this deal basically rewards Hamas kidnapping Jews has now been fully incentivized. So hang on to that gratitude upon their return home; you and we will be needing it again.