Jewish books that deal with racism or similar

amother

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 12:40 am

Here's ones I remember, just curious if anyone knows of others, or you have comments on how well they help with creating attitudes that counter racism.

Sun Inside Rain (Bassara)
Deals with African apartheid, paints a very stark (accurate?) picture of the racial divides, protagonists of story are not complicit. Definitely felt pride of the Jews who took a stand against apartheid!

Every Man a Slave (Zeyv)
Addresses slavery in America primarily. I never finished reading the book, so I don't know the feeling it leaves the reader at the end. Definitely normalized the cultures that we may find primitive, in the beginning of the book.

Orange Blossoms (Pomerantz)
Though perhaps not the main point of the story, provided some interesting counterpoints to the typical Israeli/Arab rhetoric, demonstrating some of the extremes in both directions, and having at least one Arab character portrayed sympathetically. (I only read the book once, and it was a while ago. The book has a lot of Israeli politics, which left me - an American who barely understands American politics - a little confused.)

My Sister the Jew (Gray)
This was not really about race, but the author is an amazing gioress who happens to also be Black. I don't remember the book going much into any experiences that were specific to Jews of Color, but I might be remembering wrong.

The Bamboo Cradle (Schwartzbaum)
The story is about a family adopting a Chinese baby, and their journey to frumkeit. I love this book and have reread it a million times! The end has some of the protagonist's diary entries, which definitely touch on the race issues and attitudes she received, from a very human perspective which I think is extremely educational.

What other books touching on these kinds of heavy topics have you read?

PinkFridge

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 8:38 am

Not sure what's left. Rachel Pomerantz writes extensively about non FFB life, particularly in EY.

cbsp

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 8:58 am

Is there a reason you've excluded dealing with anti-semitism from being considered dealing with racism? Cuz I could list many books that deal with that topic, without even touching books related to the holocaust...

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 9:26 am

You’ve given me a lot of new reading material, OP. Thank you!

Zehava

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 10:56 am

Sun inside rain is absolutely my favorite book of all time. It inspired me to visit South Africa!

FranticFrummie

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 11:00 am

https://www.jewishbookcouncil......paris

Vive la Paris is my favorite book of all time. It's good reading for a middle school kid, as well as an adult. I cried like crazy at the end, but it was amazing.

Here's an extensive reading list on civil rights and race issues:
https://www.jewishbookcouncil......-race

Last edited by FranticFrummie on Sun, Mar 07 2021, 11:09 am; edited 1 time in total

cbsp

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 11:09 am

Zehava wrote:

Sun inside rain is absolutely my favorite book of all time. It inspired me to visit South Africa!

One of my favorite books as well.

Haven't visited South Africa, though Smile

FranticFrummie

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 11:12 am

Also, read anything you can about Nissim Black, and listen to his music.

https://www.google.com/search?.....UTF-8

amother

Oak

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 11:13 am

I forger the title but there is a book by Avi Shafran about a ger who had Native American and black ancestry. As I recall it touched on issues of racism.
ETA just remembered the title is Migrant Soul.
Another book that you may find interesting is Skullcaps and Switchblades written by a frum person who successfully taught in inner city schools.

amother

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 12:28 pm

cbsp wrote:

You're right, that is also a kind of racism. For me personally I find it more interesting to challenge my own views, and I don't find myself too anti-semitic!

But I opened this thread as a discussion, I'd love to hear about the books you read and the perspectives you think they bring to the table. I like to read, and at this temporary stage in my life where buying books or going to the library is not so much a thing, I enjoy talking about the ones I've read Smile

amother

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 12:33 pm

amother [ Oak ] wrote:

Neat, I don't think I ever read Migrant Soul.

Skullcaps and Switchblades is AWESOME! Thanks for bringing it up. It's by David Lazerson, and it is a lot of fun. IRL he has also done a lot for racism in the Crown Heights community.

#Happymom

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 1:05 pm

Sun inside rain.

I humbly think is one of the best jewish books written ever. Ever. Because it is totally not the typical frum nobel.

Although the ending was too jewish,
spoiler alert added by Mod

Hidden:

but it is still an amazing book!!!

amother

Oak

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 1:08 pm

Happymom you may want to edit your post in case someone who has not read the book yet, decides to look it based on the recs here--this way they won't be spoilered. (But yes, I agree with the point you are making:))

Orchid

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 1:42 pm

Gonna chime in to add my rec for Sun Inside Rain. It was so touching it left me literally breathless. Have never felt this way with any other frum novel.

keym

Sun, Mar 07 2021, 1:50 pm

There's a teen book by Menucha Chana Levin Hidden Heritage.
Its a story of 4 adopted teens who create a support group.
Some of these teens are ethnic minorities also, and they touch on the challenges of a frum girl with notably Asian, Hispanic or Ethiopian features in a typical family and Bais Yaakov.
Though it was written for teens so it's superficial and basic.